Abstract Aims: This study aimed to investigate how different age groups of older adults perform and control movements in a goal-directed aiming task and the importance of visual feedback during these movements. Methods: Participants included 22 old adults, divided in two age groups: younger (60-70 yr) and older (80-90 yr). Subjects performed the task in a condition with vision and in a condition where vision was deprived. Results: In the vision condition, younger subjects showed smaller movement and reaction times, smaller radial errors, higher peak velocities, lower relative times to reach peak velocity than older subjects. In the vision-deprived condition the same results were found, except for radial error measure, where no significant effect for age groups was found. Conclusion: Younger subjects seemed to rely more on visual online feedback than older subjects and older subjects use other sensory sources to meet the possible deficits of information obtained by vision.

Objective: Cognitive impairment is a hallmark of mild cognitive impairment (MCI) and Alzheimer’s disease dementia (AD). Although the cognitive profile of these patients and its association with activities of daily living (ADLs) is well documented, few studies have assessed deficits in fine motor dexterity and their association with ADL performance. The objective of this research paper is to evaluate fine motor dexterity performance among MCI and AD patients and to investigate its association with different aspects of ADLs. Methods: We assessed normal aging controls, patients with multiple- and single-domain amnestic MCI (aMCI), and patients with mild AD. Fine motor dexterity was measured with the Nine-Hole Peg Test and cognitive functioning by the Mattis Dementia Rating Scale. We analyzed the data using general linear models. Results: Patients with AD or multiple-domain aMCI had slower motor responses when compared to controls. AD patients were slower than those with single-domain aMCI. We found associations between cognition and instrumental ADLs, and between fine motor dexterity and self-care ADLs. Conclusion: We observed progressive slowing of fine motor dexterity along the normal aging-MCI-AD spectrum, which was associated with autonomy in self-care ADLs.

Background: Sensorimotor deficits are an important phenomenological facet observed in patients with bipolar disorder (BD). However, there is little research on this topic. We hypothesize that the MPraxis test can be used to screen for motor impairments in BD aiming movements. Method: The MPraxis, which is a quick and easy-to-apply computerized test, measures sensorimotor control. During the test, the participant must move the computer mouse cursor over an ever-shrinking green box and click on it once. We predict that the MPraxis test is capable of detecting differences in sensorimotor performance between patients with BD and controls. We assessed 21 euthymic type I BD patients, without DSM-IV-TR Axis I comorbidity, and 21 healthy controls. Results and conclusions: Compared to the controls, the patients with BD presented a lower response time in their movements in all conditions. Our results showed sensorimotor deficits in BD and suggested that the MPraxis test can be used to screen for motor impairments in patients with euthymic BD.

O presente estudo investigou as assimetrias manuais em duas tarefas com níveis de complexidade distintos. Para tal, foram utilizadas duas tarefas de apontamento com diferentes números de componentes, definidas como tarefa de menor complexidade e tarefa de maior complexidade. Dez participantes destros executaram blocos de 5 tentativas de ambas as tarefas com a mão direita e a mão esquerda. Os movimentos foram filmados a uma taxa de 400 quadros/segundo. Os resultados indicaram um efeito para a complexidade da tarefa nas medidas de tempo de reacção, tempo de contacto para o 1º alvo (tempo de movimento), pico de velocidade para o 1º alvo e tempo proporcional para se atingir o pico de velocidade para o 1º alvo. Foram encontradas assimetrias manuais em ambas as tarefas para as medidas de tempo de respostas e número de correcções após o pico de velocidade para o 1º alvo. Dessa forma, não foi encontrado o efeito da complexidade sobre as assimetrias manuais em tarefas de apontamento. Os resultados são discutidos em relação à limitada generalização de prévios resultados de pesquisas comportamentais e neurofisiológicas.

This study investigated the manual asymmetries in two tasks with different levels of complexity. Two aiming tasks with different number of components were used. The first one was defined as discrete task (simple task) and the second one defined as serial task (complex task). Ten right-handed participants performed one block of 5 trials of both tasks with their right and left hands. The movements were recorded at a sample rate of 400 Hz. The results indicated an effect of task complexity to the measures of reaction time, contact time to the 1st target (movement time), peak velocity to the 1st target, proportional time to reach the peak velocity to the 1st target. Manual asymmetries were found in both tasks in the variables response time and number of corrections after the peak velocity to the 1st target. The effects of task complexity on manual asymmetries were not observed. The results are discussed in relation to the restricted generalization of previous findings found in neurophysiological and behavioral studies.

O efeito da complexidade da tarefa na direção da transferência bilateral em habilidades motoras seriadas foi investigado através de dois experimentos. Vinte participantes praticaram uma tarefa de menor complexidade (digitação de uma seqüência de teclas) no primeiro experimento, e outros vinte participantes praticaram uma tarefa de maior complexidade (posicionamento de bolas de tênis entre recipientes) no segundo experimento. A meta para ambas as tarefas foi executar os movimentos na maior velocidade possível. Em ambos os experimentos, os sujeitos foram designados aleatoriamente para: 1) grupo de sujeitos que praticou com a mão preferida e foi testado com a mão não-preferida (GMP) e outro grupo que praticou com a mão não-preferida e foi testado com a mão preferida (GMNP). Os experimentos constaram de pré-teste, aquisição e pós-teste. As análises entre o pré e o pós-teste indicaram que, independente da direção da transferência e complexidade da tarefa, os doisgrupos se beneficiaram da transferência bilateral, tanto em termos de desempenho quanto de consistência. A análise dos resultados entre o fim da aquisição e o pós-teste permitiu observar uma relação inversa entre a direção da transferência e complexidade da tarefa. Os resultados são discutidos em termos do tipo de processamento requerido nas tarefas.

The effect of task complexity in the bilateral transfer direction in serial motor skills was investigated through two experiments. In the first, twenty participants performed a less complex task (typing a key sequence) and in the second, another group of twenty participants performed a more complex task (positioning). The goal in both tasks was to perform the movements as quickly as possible. In both experiments, the subjects were randomly assigned 1) to the group that practiced with the preferred hand (GPH) and was tested with the non-preferred hand or 2) to the group that practiced with the non-preferred hand (GNPH) and was tested with the preferred hand. The experiment phases consisted of pre-test, acquisition and post-test. The analysis between pre and post-test indicated that independently of the direction of bilateral transfer and task complexity, all groups had the benefits of bilateral transfer in terms of performance and consistency. The analysis between the end of acquisition and the post-test pointed out an inverse relation between the direction of transfer and task complexity. The results are discussed in terms of the kind of processing required in the tasks.

O presente estudo teve como objetivo verificar o efeito da interferência contextual (EIC) na aquisição de habilidades motoras em idosos. Foi utilizada uma tarefa de posicionamento manual, caracterizada pelo transporte de três bolas de tênis em uma seqüência e tempo alvo pré-determinados. O experimento constou de 4 fases: 1) aquisição, 2) transferência 1 (T1), 3) transferência 2 (T2) e 4) retenção da aquisição. Os sujeitos foram divididos aleatoriamente em quatro grupos (n=12): grupo de prática aleatória-aleatória (A-A), que realizou a tarefa de forma aleatória na aquisição e na retenção; grupo de prática aleatória-blocos (A-B), que realizou a aquisição de forma aleatória e a retenção em blocos; grupo de prática em blocos-blocos (B-B), que realizou a aquisição e a retenção em blocos; grupo de prática em blocos-aleatória (B-A), que realizou a aquisição em blocos e a retenção de forma aleatória. Os resultados mostraram que um dos grupos que praticou em regime aleatório apresentou-se mais variável durante a fase de aquisição que os grupos que praticaram em blocos. Entretanto, este mesmo grupo aleatório, no primeiro bloco do teste de retenção da aquisição, mostrou-se mais preciso que um dos grupos em blocos. Esses resultados confirmaram parcialmente o EIC em idosos.

The purpose of this study was to investigate the contextual interference effect (CIE) in the acquisition of motor skills in elderly people. A manual positioning task was used, it was characterized by the transport of three tennis ball in a movement sequence and predetermined target times. The experiment consisted of 4 phases: 1) acquisition, 2) transfer 1 (T1), 3) transfer 2 (T2) and 4) retention of the acquisition. The subjects were randomly distributed into four groups: random-random group (R-R), which performed the tasks in a random order in the acquisition and retention; random-blocked group (R-B), which performed the acquisition in a random order and the retention in a blocked order; blocked-blocked group (B-B), which performed the tasks in a blocked order in the acquisition and retention; blocked-random group (B-R), which performed the acquisition in a blocked order and the retention in a random order. The results showed that one of the random groups was more variable during the acquisition compared to the both blocked groups. However, this random group, in the first block of the retention was more precise than one of the blocked groups. These results partially confirm the CIE in elderly people.

Com o objetivo de verificar os efeitos do intervalo após o fornecimento do conhecimento de resultados na aquisição do arremesso da bocha, trinta e seis universitários foram separados, formando três grupos: sem intervalo pós-conhecimento de resultados, intervalo de 5 segundos de pós-conhecimento de resultados e intervalo de 10 segundos de pós-conhecimento de resultados. A tarefa consistiu em arremessar uma bola em direção a um alvo circular posicionado no chão, com o objetivo de atingir um círculo no centro do alvo, que recebia a pontuação 6. A cada 10 cm do círculo central, uma nova área foi delimitada e decrescia em um ponto recebendo a área mais externa a pontuação 1. O experimento foi dividido em fase de aquisição (120 tentativas a 6,5 m de distância) e testes de Transferência 1 (10 tentativas sem conhecimento de resultados), Transferência 2 e 3 (10 tentativas cada sem conhecimento de resultados a 7,5 m). Não foram observadas diferenças estatísticas na análise da média do escore e do coeficiente de variação, não caracterizando efeito do intervalo pós-CR sobre a aprendizagem de habilidades motoras na condição utilizada.

Aiming to verify the post-knowledge of results interval effects in the acquisition of the bocce throw, thirty-six college students of both sexes were separated in three groups: no post- knowledge of results interval, 5-seconds post- knowledge of results interval and 10-seconds post- knowledge of results interval. The task consisted of throwing a ball towards a circular target positioned in the floor aiming to reach a circle in the center of the target, which received score 6. A new area was demarcated at each 10 cm of the central circle and decreased in one point receiving score 1 in the more external area. The experiment was divided in acquisition phase (120 trials at 6.5 m distance) and transfer test 1 (10 trials without knowledge of results at the same distance), transfer tests 2 and 3 (10 trials each one without knowledge of results at 7.5 m distance). Statistical differences were not observed in mean scores and coefficient of variation, that didn’t determine the effect of the post-knowledge of results interval on learning motor skills in the condition used.