Effects of vibrotactile-enhanced music-based intervention on sensorimotor control capacity in the hand of an aging brain: a pilot feasibility randomized crossover trial

Abstract Background Music-based interventions (MBI), using music as a therapeutic medium, has been utilized as a promising strategy for motor relearning and shaping. However, currently, MBI with active performance training is restricted to being extensively applied for patients with various levels of defects in fine motor skills and cognitive functions. Therefore, the integration of vibrotactile stimulation with MBI has been adopted as a motor training strategy intended to enhance motor learning through use of vibration stimuli. The current study was designed to investigate differences in the sensorimotor performance of older adults’ hands under baseline, a single session of active MBI, and vibrotactile-enriched MBI conditions. Methods Thirty healthy older adults were recruited and randomized to receive either the single session of 30-min of vibrotactile-enriched MBI or 30-min of active MBI at the beginning of the experiment. After a one-week washout period, they switched their treatment programs and then were assessed to study the training effects of both approaches through measuring precision pinch performance, hand function, and sensory status. Results The results of the Pinch-Holding-Up Activity test revealed a statistically significant difference in the FRpeak parameter (F = 14.37, p < 0.001, η2p = 0.507) under the vibrotactile-enriched MBI condition compared to the baseline and active MBI conditions. In addition, significant beneficial effects were found on the results of the barognosis (F = 19.126, p < 0.001, η2p = 0. 577) and roughness differentiation subtests (F = 15.036, p < 0.001, η2p = 0.518) in the Manual Tactile Test for the participants in the vibrotactile-enriched MBI group. In addition, the participants under both the active MBI and vibrotactile-enriched MBI conditions exhibited better performance in the three subtests of the Purdue Pegboard Test as compared to under the baseline condition (p < 0.016). Conclusions The findings indicated that vibrotactile-enriched MBI potentially improves the precision pinch performance of hands in healthy older adults. In addition, the add-on effect of vibrotactile stimulation to the MBI condition provides beneficial effects on the sensory functions of the upper extremities. Trial registration NCT04802564. Date of registration: 15/03/2021. The first posted date: 17/03/2021.

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Effects of Passive Haptic Learning in Music-Supported Therapy on Sensorimotor Performance in Older Adult Hands: A Randomized Crossover Trial

10.21203/rs.3.rs-594506/v1 ◽

2021 ◽

Author(s):

Hsiu-Yun Hsu ◽

Che-Wei Lin ◽

Yu-Ching Lin ◽

Po-Ting Wu ◽

Hirokazu Kato ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Older Adults ◽

Fine Motor ◽

Single Session ◽

Vibrotactile Stimulation ◽

Clinical Trial Registration ◽

Healthy Older Adults ◽

Beneficial Effects ◽

Significant Difference ◽

Haptic Learning ◽

Sensorimotor Performance

Abstract Background: Music-supported therapy (MST), a type of biofeedback therapy with multi-sensory information input, has been proposed as an effective approach to improving motor control in people with sensorimotor deficits. However, currently, MST training is restricted to being extensively applied for patients with various levels of defects in fine motor skills and cognitive functions. Therefore, the integration of passive haptic learning (PHL) with MST has been adopted as a motor training strategy intended to enhance “motor memory” learning through the use of vibration stimuli. The current study was designed to investigate differences in the sensorimotor performance of older adults’ hands under baseline, a single session of standard MST, and PHL-based MST conditions. Methods: Thirty healthy older adults were recruited and randomized to receive either the single session of 30-minutes of PHL-based MST or 30-minutes of standard MST at the beginning of the experiment. After a one-week washout period, they switched their treatment programs and then were assessed to study the training effects of both approaches through measuring precision pinch performance, hand function, and sensory status. Results: The results of the Pinch-Holding-Up Activity test revealed a statistically significant difference in the FRpeak parameter (F = 14.37, p < 0.001, η² = 0.507) under the PHL-based MST condition compared to the baseline and standard MST conditions. In addition, significant beneficial effects were found on the results of the barognosis (F = 19.126, p < 0.001, η² = 0. 577) and roughness differentiation subtests (F = 15.036, p < 0.001, η² = 0.518) in the Manual Tactile Test for the participants in the PHL-based MST group. In addition, the participants under both the standard MST and PHL-based MST conditions exhibited better performance in the three subtests of the Purdue Pegboard Test as compared to under the baseline condition (p < 0.016). Conclusions: The findings indicated that PHL-based MST potentially improves the precision pinch performance of hands in healthy older adults. In addition, the add-on effect of vibrotactile stimulation to the MST condition provides beneficial effects on the sensory functions of the upper extremities. Clinical Trial Registration: NCT04802564

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Semantic Memory Activation After Acute Exercise in Healthy Older Adults

Journal of the International Neuropsychological Society ◽

10.1017/s1355617719000171 ◽

2019 ◽

Vol 25 (6) ◽

pp. 557-568 ◽

Cited By ~ 5

Author(s):

Junyeon Won ◽

Alfonso J. Alfini ◽

Lauren R. Weiss ◽

Corey S. Michelson ◽

Daniel D. Callow ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Older Adults ◽

Semantic Memory ◽

Acute Exercise ◽

Memory Task ◽

Brain Activation ◽

Neural Activation ◽

Single Session ◽

Healthy Older Adults ◽

Beneficial Effects ◽

Memory Activation

AbstractObjectives: A growing body of research suggests that regular participation in long-term exercise is associated with enhanced cognitive function. However, less is known about the beneficial effects of acute exercise on semantic memory. This study investigated brain activation during a semantic memory task after a single session of exercise in healthy older adults using functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI). Methods: Using a within-subjects counterbalanced design, 26 participants (ages, 55–85 years) underwent two experimental visits on separate days. During each visit, participants engaged in 30 min of rest or stationary cycling exercise immediately before performing a Famous and Non-Famous name discrimination task during fMRI scanning. Results: Acute exercise was associated with significantly greater semantic memory activation (Famous>Non-Famous) in the middle frontal, inferior temporal, middle temporal, and fusiform gyri. A planned comparison additionally showed significantly greater activation in the bilateral hippocampus after exercise compared to rest. These effects were confined to correct trials, and as expected, there were no differences between conditions in response time or accuracy. Conclusions: Greater brain activation following a single session of exercise suggests that exercise may increase neural processes underlying semantic memory activation in healthy older adults. These effects were localized to the known semantic memory network, and thus do not appear to reflect a general or widespread increase in brain blood flow. Coupled with our prior exercise training effects on semantic memory-related activation, these data suggest the acute increase in neural activation after exercise may provide a stimulus for adaptation over repeated exercise sessions. (JINS, 2019, 25, 557–568)

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BASELINE DRIVING MILEAGE PREDICTS STATE-REPORTED CRASHES ACROSS 5 YEARS

Innovation in Aging ◽

10.1093/geroni/igz038.1242 ◽

2019 ◽

Vol 3 (Supplement_1) ◽

pp. S343-S343

Author(s):

Junyan Tian ◽

Sara A Freed ◽

Lesley Ross

Keyword(s):

Older Adults ◽

Population Density ◽

The United States ◽

Future Research ◽

Cross Sectional ◽

Healthy Older Adults ◽

Crash Data ◽

Significant Difference ◽

Cross Sectional Design ◽

Testing Site

Abstract Although annual driving mileage has frequently been examined as a predictor of crashes among older adults, most research used cross-sectional design and relied on self-reported crash data. This study used multivariate regression to examine the number of state reported at-fault crashes between groups of low (14,000km) self-reported annual distance over five years. Additionally, key factors of interest including age, gender, and population density were examined as predictors. The sample included 519 healthy older adults aged 65-90 (M=73.17, SD=5.56) across five sites in the United States. 12% of participants experienced a crash across five years, and among those who crashed, the majority (87%) experienced one crash (range 0-3 crashes). After controlling for age, gender and testing site, people in the high annual mileage group had a greater number of crashes compared to the low mileage group (β=.14, t(513)=2.37, p=.02). There was not a significant difference in number of prospective crashes between the low and medium group. Also, people who drove in sites with low population density had more crashes than those who in high population density sites (β=.10, t(513)=2.24, p=.03). Higher age was associated with a greater number of prospective crashes (β=.01, t(513)=3.67, p =.002); however, gender was not a significant predictor of crashes. Our results highlight the importance of examining prospective crashes over time, and taking mileage and population density into consideration. Future research should examine trajectories of driving exposure in relation to prospective crashes using multilevel modeling.

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Effects of bilateral arm training on upper extremity function in right and left hemispheric stroke

Journal of the Pakistan Medical Association ◽

10.47391/jpma.593 ◽

2020 ◽

pp. 1-9

Author(s):

Humera Ambreen ◽

Hina Tariq ◽

Imran Amjad

Keyword(s):

Upper Extremity ◽

Motor Function ◽

Recovery Of Function ◽

Hand Function ◽

Group Analysis ◽

Stroke Patients ◽

Hemispheric Stroke ◽

Beneficial Effects ◽

Significant Difference ◽

Bilateral Arm Training

Abstract Objective: This experimental study on 24 stroke patients aimed at evaluating and comparing the effects of bilateral arm training on upper extremity (UE) motor function between right and left hemispheric chronic stroke patients. Methods: Both groups received the same intervention involving 5 functional tasks for 1 hour, 3 days per week, for a total of 6 weeks. Fugl-Meyer Assessment-Upper Extremity and Wolf-Motor Function Test were applied as outcome measures at baseline and after 6 weeks of training to assess the recovery of function in the affected area. Results: Intra-group analysis showed no significant improvement in the wrist and hand function in the left hemispheric stroke (LHS) (p>0.05), while right hemispheric stroke (RHS) patients did not improve significantly in the coordination/speed domain (p>0.05). Inter-group analysis showed no significant difference between right and left hemispheric stroke patients (p>0.05). Conclusion: Bilateral arm training showed beneficial effects in improving UE function in both RHS and LHS patients. Distal UE function in LHS and coordination and speed of movement in RHS patients did not show any significant improvement. Key Words: Stroke, Upper extremity, Recovery of function, Bilateral arm training. Continuous...

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Acute Exercise as an Intervention to Trigger Motor Performance and EEG Beta Activity in Older Adults

Neural Plasticity ◽

10.1155/2018/4756785 ◽

2018 ◽

Vol 2018 ◽

pp. 1-20 ◽

Cited By ~ 9

Author(s):

Lena Hübner ◽

Ben Godde ◽

Claudia Voelcker-Rehage

Keyword(s):

Older Adults ◽

Motor Control ◽

Memory Consolidation ◽

Acute Exercise ◽

Motor Memory ◽

Fine Motor ◽

Fine Motor Control ◽

Short Term ◽

Healthy Older Adults ◽

Frontal Brain

Acute bouts of exercise have been shown to improve fine motor control performance and to facilitate motor memory consolidation processes in young adults. Exercise effects might be reflected in EEG task-related power (TRPow) decreases in the beta band (13–30 Hz) as an indicator of active motor processing. This study aimed to investigate those effects in healthy older adults. Thirty-eight participants (65–74 years of age) were assigned to an experimental (EG, acute exercise) or a control group (CG, rest). Fine motor control was assessed using a precision grip force modulation (FM) task. FM performance and EEG were measured at (1) baseline (immediately before acute exercise/rest), (2) during practice sessions immediately after, (3) 30 minutes, and (4) 24 hours (FM only) after exercise/rest. A marginal significant effect indicated that EG revealed more improvement in fine motor performance immediately after exercise than CG after resting. EG showed enhanced consolidation of short-term and long-term motor memory, whereas CG revealed only a tendency for short-term motor memory consolidation. Stronger TRPow decreases were revealed immediately after exercise in the contralateral frontal brain area as compared to the control condition. This finding indicates that acute exercise might enhance cortical activation and thus, improves fine motor control by enabling healthy older adults to better utilize existing frontal brain capacities during fine motor control tasks after exercise. Furthermore, acute exercise can act as a possible intervention to enhance motor memory consolidation in older adults.

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Regional Brain Volume, Brain Reserve and MMSE Performance in Healthy Aging From the NEUROAGE Cohort: Contributions of Sex, Education, and Depression Symptoms

Frontiers in Aging Neuroscience ◽

10.3389/fnagi.2021.711301 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 13 ◽

Author(s):

Eva Pettemeridou ◽

Eleni Kallousia ◽

Fofi Constantinidou

Keyword(s):

Higher Education ◽

Older Adults ◽

Cognitive Aging ◽

Brain Volume ◽

Magnetic Resonance Images ◽

Anterior Cingulate ◽

Aging Brain ◽

Depression Symptoms ◽

Healthy Older Adults ◽

Brain Reserve

Objective: The aim of this study was twofold. First, to investigate the relationship between age, gray matter (GM), white matter (WM), and cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) volumes, brain reserve (BR), and specific regions of interest (ROIs) with global cognitive function in healthy older adults participating in a longitudinal study on aging in the island country of Cyprus. Second, to assess the contribution of important demographic and psychosocial factors on brain volume. Specifically, the effects of sex and years of education and the association between depression symptoms on brain volume were also explored in this Mediterranean cohort.Methods: Eighty-seven healthy older adults (males = 37, females = 50) scoring ≥24 on the Mini-Mental State Examination (MMSE) were included, with a mean age of 72.75 years and a mean educational level of 10.48 years. The Geriatric Depression Scale was used to assess depression. T1-weighted magnetic resonance images were used to calculate global and regional volumes.Results: Age was negatively correlated with GM, WM, BR, MMSE scores, and ROIs, including the hippocampus, amygdala, entorhinal cortex, prefrontal cortex, anterior cingulate gyrus, and positively with CSF. Higher MMSE scores positively correlated with GM volume. Women exhibited greater levels of depression than men. Depression was also negatively correlated with GM volume and MMSE scores. Men had greater ventricular size than women and participants with higher education had greater ventricular expansion than those with fewer years in education.Conclusions: The reported structural changes provide evidence on the overlap between age-related brain changes and healthy cognitive aging and suggest that these age changes affect certain regions. Furthermore, sex, depressive symptomatology, and education are significant predictors of the aging brain. Brain reserve and higher education accommodate these changes and works against the development of clinical symptoms.

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Harvesting the Radial Artery: Does It Affect Early Postoperative Hand Function?

The Heart Surgery Forum ◽

10.1532/hsf.930 ◽

2005 ◽

Vol 6 (2) ◽

pp. 12 ◽

Cited By ~ 3

Author(s):

R. A. Sankey ◽

A. P. Rumian ◽

W. Jackson ◽

M. Osborne ◽

R. DeL. Stanbridge

Keyword(s):

Coronary Artery ◽

Coronary Artery Bypass Grafting ◽

Coronary Artery Bypass ◽

Radial Artery ◽

Artery Bypass ◽

Hand Function ◽

Fine Motor ◽

Bypass Grafting ◽

Significant Difference ◽

Grip Power

Background: The radial artery (RA) is increasingly being used as a conduit for coronary artery bypass grafting. Previous studies have demonstrated that there is no significant deterioration in hand function in the long term. The aim of this study was to assess whether removal of the RA caused any alteration in the function or power of the hand 5 days postoperatively that would affect the patient's ability for self care on returning home. Methods: A consecutive series of 37 patients undergoing RA harvesting was assessed over a period of 12 months from August 2000 to July 2001 as part of a prospective controlled trial. Grip power and fine motor skills in the operated hand were assessed preoperatively with an elasticated grip strength tester and an 18-hole peg board. This test was repeated 5 days postoperatively. The results were analyzed with a paired-sample t test to assess whether there was a significant difference between preoperative and postoperative hand function. Results: The analysis showed that there was no statistically significant difference in fine motor function or grip power following surgery to harvest the RA. Conclusion: This study provides evidence to suggest that the RA can be safely harvested for use as a conduit in coronary artery bypass grafting, with no significant short-term deterioration in hand function.

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Neural Plastic Effects of Cognitive Training on Aging Brain

Neural Plasticity ◽

10.1155/2015/535618 ◽

2015 ◽

Vol 2015 ◽

pp. 1-9 ◽

Cited By ~ 19

Author(s):

Natalie T. Y. Leung ◽

Helena M. K. Tam ◽

Leung W. Chu ◽

Timothy C. Y. Kwok ◽

Felix Chan ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Older Adults ◽

Working Memory ◽

Cognitive Decline ◽

Cognitive Training ◽

Training Group ◽

Cognitive Status ◽

Control Group ◽

Aging Brain ◽

Visual Spatial ◽

Significant Difference

Increasing research has evidenced that our brain retains a capacity to change in response to experience until late adulthood. This implies that cognitive training can possibly ameliorate age-associated cognitive decline by inducing training-specific neural plastic changes at both neural and behavioral levels. This longitudinal study examined the behavioral effects of a systematic thirteen-week cognitive training program on attention and working memory of older adults who were at risk of cognitive decline. These older adults were randomly assigned to the Cognitive Training Group (n=109) and the Active Control Group (n=100). Findings clearly indicated that training induced improvement in auditory and visual-spatial attention and working memory. The training effect was specific to the experience provided because no significant difference in verbal and visual-spatial memory between the two groups was observed. This pattern of findings is consistent with the prediction and the principle of experience-dependent neuroplasticity. Findings of our study provided further support to the notion that the neural plastic potential continues until older age. The baseline cognitive status did not correlate with pre- versus posttraining changes to any cognitive variables studied, suggesting that the initial cognitive status may not limit the neuroplastic potential of the brain at an old age.

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