Differential Roles With Aging of Visual and Proprioceptive Afferent Information for Fine Motor Control

Abstract

The goal of this study was to determine whether aging brings modifications to the role played by different sources of afferent information for movement control. Older and younger subjects practiced an aiming task for either 40 or 200 trials while different sources of afferent information were available. Following the practice phase, all subjects were submitted to transfer tests in which the afferent information was either maintained or modified. Results indicate that modifying the sources of afferent information available for motor control from acquisition to transfer minimal effects for the older subjects but caused large increase in error for the younger subjects. These results suggest that learning is specific to the sources of afferent information available while practicing the task for the younger subjects, whereas older subjects show more flexibility in their utilization of afferent information for motor control.