Bimanual motor impairments in older adults

an updated systematic review and meta-analysis

Authors

  • Nyeonju Kang Division of Sport Science, Health Promotion Center, & Sport Science Institute, Incheon National University, Incheon, South Korea; Neuromechanical Rehabilitation Research Laboratory, Incheon National University, Incheon, South Korea https://orcid.org/0000-0001-5185-9139
  • Do Kyung Ko Division of Sport Science, Health Promotion Center, & Sport Science Institute, Incheon National University, Incheon, South Korea; Neuromechanical Rehabilitation Research Laboratory, Incheon National University, Incheon, South Korea https://orcid.org/0000-0003-3529-1533
  • James H. Cauraugh Motor Behavior Laboratory, Department of Applied Physiology and Kinesiology, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL, 32611-8206, USA. Phone: 352-294-1623, Fax: 352-392-0316, E-mail: cauraugh@ufl.edu https://orcid.org/0000-0002-1919-8059

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.17179/excli2022-5236

Keywords:

aging, bimanual movement, motor impairment, meta-analysis

Abstract

This updated systematic review and meta-analysis further examined potential effects of aging on bimanual movements. Forty-seven qualified studies that compared bimanual motor performances between elderly and younger adults were included in this meta-analysis. Moderator variable analyses additionally determined whether altered bimanual motor performances in older adults were different based on the task types (i.e., symmetry vs. asymmetry vs. complex) or outcome measures (i.e., accuracy vs. variability vs. movement time). The random effects model meta-analysis on 80 comparisons from 47 included studies revealed significant negative overall effects indicating more bimanual movement impairments in the elderly adults than younger adults. Moderator variable analyses found that older adults showed more deficits in asymmetrical bimanual movement tasks than symmetrical and complex tasks, and the bimanual movement impairments in the elderly adults included less accurate, more variable, and greater movement execution time than younger adults. These findings suggest that rehabilitation programs for improving motor actions in older adults are necessary to focus on functional recovery of interlimb motor control including advanced motor performances as well coordination.

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Published

2022-08-16

How to Cite

Kang, N., Ko, D. K., & Cauraugh, J. H. (2022). Bimanual motor impairments in older adults: an updated systematic review and meta-analysis. EXCLI Journal, 21, 1068–1083. https://doi.org/10.17179/excli2022-5236

Issue

Vol. 21 (2022)

Section

Review articles

Categories

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Copyright (c) 2022 Nyeonju Kang, Do Kyung Ko, James H. Cauraugh

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