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Age-related differences in proprioceptive and visuo-proprioceptive function in relation to fine motor behaviour

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Abstract

Leversen et al. (PLoS One 7(6):e38830, 2012) emphasise the importance of understanding the principles of life-long development. In their study of motor control, they found a common tendency towards improved motor performance from childhood to adulthood and a subsequent deterioration. The aim of our study was to examine this issue further by investigating fine motor behaviour (tracing a model line) in 196 participants (age range 12–95 years old) in two sensory conditions—proprioceptive + visual (PV) and proprioceptive only—in both hands and in two types of movement, frontal and transversal. Regression analyses of line length and task performance speed in relation to age were conducted for the different test conditions. The best performance was found in middle age, and a quadratic function provided the best fit for most of the test conditions. The corresponding inflection points (the age at which graphical analysis showed a change in performance as a peak of maturation before decline due to ageing) showed earlier ages in the proprioceptive condition. For most types of movement analysed, performance speed was slower under the PV condition. Paired correlation analysis showed that the symmetry of precision performance between hands became stronger with age. The results provide information on age-dependent differences in proprioception based on fine motor performance. They may be of use in the design of preventive strategies for preserving proprioceptive function by reducing the risk of falls and accidents or diseases such as Parkinson’s.

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Notes

  1. The principal aim of the study was precision (i.e. to trace the line as accurately as possible). Participants were not instructed to perform the task quickly.

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Acknowledgments

We are grateful to all the participants, to the University of Barcelona for supporting this study, and to the UB Language Service for revising the English.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Personality Assessment, Faculty of Psychology, University of Barcelona, Passeig de la Vall d’Hebron, 171, 08035, Barcelona, Spain

    Liudmila Liutsko, Ruben Muiños & Josep Maria Tous-Ral

  2. Research Institute for Cognition, Brain and Behaviour, University of Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain

    Josep Maria Tous-Ral

  3. Laboratory of Mira y López, University of Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain

    Liudmila Liutsko, Ruben Muiños & Josep Maria Tous-Ral

Authors
  1. Liudmila Liutsko
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  2. Ruben Muiños
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  3. Josep Maria Tous-Ral
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Correspondence to Liudmila Liutsko.

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Responsible editor: H.-W. Wahl.

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Liutsko, L., Muiños, R. & Tous-Ral, J.M. Age-related differences in proprioceptive and visuo-proprioceptive function in relation to fine motor behaviour. Eur J Ageing 11, 221–232 (2014). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10433-013-0304-6

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10433-013-0304-6

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