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Motor Output Variability Impairs Driving Ability in Older Adults
- Title
- Motor Output Variability Impairs Driving Ability in Older Adults
- Authors
- Lodha, Neha; Moon, Hwasil; Kim, Changki; Onushko, Tanya; Christou, Evangelos A.
- Ewha Authors
- 문화실
- SCOPUS Author ID
- 문화실
- Issue Date
- 2016
- Journal Title
- JOURNALS OF GERONTOLOGY SERIES A-BIOLOGICAL SCIENCES AND MEDICAL SCIENCES
- ISSN
- 1079-5006
1758-535X
- Citation
- JOURNALS OF GERONTOLOGY SERIES A-BIOLOGICAL SCIENCES AND MEDICAL SCIENCES vol. 71, no. 12, pp. 1676 - 1681
- Keywords
- Driving issues; Functional performance; Motor control; Physical function; Motor output variability
- Publisher
- OXFORD UNIV PRESS INC
- Indexed
- SCIE; SSCI; SCOPUS
- Document Type
- Article
- Abstract
- Background: The functional declines with aging relate to deficits in motor control and strength. In this study, we determine whether older adults exhibit impaired driving as a consequence of declines in motor control or strength. Methods: Young and older adults performed the following tasks: (i) maximum voluntary contractions of ankle dorsiflexion and plantarflexion; (ii) sinusoidal tracking with isolated ankle dorsiflexion; and (iii) a reactive driving task that required responding to unexpected brake lights of the car ahead. We quantified motor control with ankle force variability, gas position variability, and brake force variability. We quantified reactive driving performance with a combination of gas pedal error, premotor and motor response times, and brake pedal error. Results: Reactive driving performance was similar to 30% more impaired (t = 3.38; p<.01) in older adults compared with young adults. Older adults exhibited greater motor output variability during both isolated ankle dorsiflexion contractions (t = 2.76; p<.05) and reactive driving (gas pedal variability: t = 1.87; p<.03; brake pedal variability: t = 4.55; p<.01). Deficits in reactive driving were strongly correlated to greater motor output variability (R-2=.48; p<.01) but not strength (p>.05). Conclusions: This study provides novel evidence that age-related declines in motor control but not strength impair reactive driving. These findings have implications on rehabilitation and suggest that interventions should focus on improving motor control to enhance driving-related function in older adults.
- DOI
- 10.1093/gerona/glw013
- Appears in Collections:
- 신산업융합대학 > 체육과학부 > Journal papers
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