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06 Mar 2024
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Not fleeting but lasting: Limited influence of aging on implicit adaptative motor learning and its short-term retention

Does aging affect implicit motor adaptation?

Recommended by based on reviews by Kevin Trewartha and Marit Ruitenberg
Motor adaptation to environmental perturbations (such as visuomotor rotations and force fields) is thought to be achieved through the interaction of  implicit and explicit processes [1]. However, the extent to which these processes are affected by aging is unclear, partly because of differences in experimental protocols. In this paper, Hermans et al. [2] address the question of whether the implicit component of learning is affected in older adults. 
 
Using a force-field adaptation paradigm, the authors examine implicit adaptation and spontaneous recovery in healthy young and older adults. Overall, the authors found that both total adaptation and implicit adaptation was not affected in older adults. They also found evidence that spontaneous recovery was associated with implicit adaptation, but was not affected in older adults. 
 
These results are noteworthy because they challenge some prior work in the field [3], but are also consistent with results from other experimental paradigms [4]. A main strength of the current paper is the rigor applied to testing this question. The authors provide robust, converging evidence from multiple analyses and statistical methods, and control for confounds both statistically and experimentally.
 
Readers might want to note that this is a ‘conceptual’ replication of the previous study [3], and there are some potentially important differences in experimental details, which are clearly outlined. The sensitivity of the findings to such experimental parameters needs further testing. More broadly, these results highlight the need for greater understanding of how age differences observed in other motor learning tasks [5] are reflective of deficits in learning mechanisms.
 
References
1.     Taylor, J. A., & Ivry, R. B. (2011). Flexible cognitive strategies during motor learning. PLoS computational biology, 7(3), e1001096. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pcbi.1001096
2.     Hermans, P., Vandevoorde, K., & Orban de Xivry, J. J. (2024). Not fleeting but lasting: Limited influence of aging on implicit adaptative motor learning and its short-term retention. bioRxiv, ver.2, peer-reviewed and recommended by PCI Health & Movement Sciences. https://doi.org/10.1101/2023.08.30.555501
3.     Trewartha, K. M., Garcia, A., Wolpert, D. M., & Flanagan, J. R. (2014). Fast but fleeting: adaptive motor learning processes associated with aging and cognitive decline. The Journal of neuroscience : the official journal of the Society for Neuroscience, 34(40), 13411–13421. https://doi.org/10.1523/JNEUROSCI.1489-14.2014
4.     Vandevoorde, K., & Orban de Xivry, J. J. (2019). Internal model recalibration does not deteriorate with age while motor adaptation does. Neurobiology of aging, 80, 138–153. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.neurobiolaging.2019.03.020
5.     Voelcker-Rehage, C. (2008). Motor-skill learning in older adults—a review of studies on age-related differences. European review of aging and physical activity 5, 5–16. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11556-008-0030-9
 
Not fleeting but lasting: Limited influence of aging on implicit adaptative motor learning and its short-term retentionPauline Hermans, Koen Vandevoorde, Jean-Jacques Orban de Xivry<p>In motor adaptation, learning is thought to rely on a combination of several processes. Two of these are implicit learning (incidental updating of the sensory prediction error) and explicit learning (intentional adjustment to reduce target erro...Sensorimotor ControlRajiv Ranganathan Marit Ruitenberg, Kevin Trewartha2023-09-02 13:23:44 View
15 Jun 2024
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Kinesiophobia and physical activity: A systematic review and meta-analysis

Evidence of the Association between Kinesiophobia and Physical Inactivity

Recommended by ORCID_LOGO based on reviews by Paquito Bernard and 1 anonymous reviewer

This article (Goubran et al., 2024) presents a comprehensive systematic review and meta-analysis examining the relationship between kinesiophobia and physical activity. The inclusion of multiple health conditions and diverse measures of physical activity and kinesiophobia provides a broad perspective on the issue. 

Kinesiophobia (i.e., an excessive, irrational, and debilitating fear of movement) is thought to contribute to negative affective associations towards physical activity and avoidance behaviors, leading to decreased engagement in physical activity. Thus, the relationship between kinesiophobia and physical activity merits further investigation, particularly in health conditions where physical activity has a preventative and/or therapeutic role. 

The results of this meta-analysis (k = 83, n = 12,278) indicate a small-to-moderate negative correlation between kinesiophobia and physical activity (r = −0.19; 95% CI: −0.26 to −0.13; I2 = 85.5%; p < 0.0001.) Substantial heterogeneity and publication bias were noted, but p-curve analysis suggested true effects. Notably, this finding was consistent across studies using both self-report and objective device-based measures, and there was no evidence of a moderating effect of different measurement instruments or physical activity outcomes. 

Subgroup analyses revealed that the negative association between kinesiophobia and physical activity is significant in patients with cardiac, rheumatologic, neurologic, or pulmonary conditions but not in those with chronic or acute pain. This latter finding underscores the need to distinguish kinesiophobia from pain. Understanding that the fear of pain, injury, or aggravating an underlying condition, rather than actual pain, is associated with physical inactivity is important to consider when developing interventions to promote physical activity. Tailored interventions that address kinesiophobia specific to different health conditions could enhance physical activity levels and improve health outcomes. Further research is needed to explore the mechanisms underlying kinesiophobia and evaluate the efficacy of targeted interventions to mitigate its impact. 

This article makes an important contribution to our understanding of the relationship between kinesiophobia and physical activity. It provides evidence that fear of movement can be a barrier to physical activity in certain health conditions and highlights the need for condition-specific approaches to address this issue. This work is highly relevant for clinicians, researchers, and public health policymakers aiming to improve physical activity levels and overall health outcomes in a variety of populations.

 

References

Goubran, M., Farajzadeh, A., Lahart, I.M., Bilodeau, M. & Boisgontier, M.P. (2024). Physical activity and kinesiophobia: A systematic review and meta-analysis. MedRxiv, version. 3 peer-reviewed and recommended by Peer Community in Health and Movement Science. https://doi.org/10.1101/2023.08.17.23294240

Kinesiophobia and physical activity: A systematic review and meta-analysisGoubran M, Farajzadeh A, Lahart IM, Bilodeau M, Boisgontier MP<p><strong>Objective. </strong>Physical activity contributes to the primary, secondary, and tertiary prevention of multiple diseases. However, in some patients, an excessive, irrational, and debilitating fear of movement (i.e., kinesiophobia) is t...Exercise & Sports Psychology, Health & Disease, Physical Activity, RehabilitationJasmin Hutchinson Paquito Bernard2023-08-21 07:07:46 View