The effects of ageing and cognitive impairment on on-line and off-line motor learning

Abstract

Skilled performance is a collective function of practice-related experiences (online learning) and post-practice memory consolidation during sleep (offline learning). This study examines the effects of ageing and cognitive impairment on the on-and offline learning of a point-to-point arm movement. In a 3-day experiment, older adults (cognitively normal or impaired) and young adults (YAs) were randomly assigned to practice or no-practice conditions. Changes in the dependent measures of movement time and timing error were analysed within and between conditions across days. The findings suggest that both age and cognitive function affect skill learning. YAs improved performance via both on-and offline learning whereas older adults with normal cognitive capacities appeared to learn the movement skill primarily in an online mode. Cognitive impairments were found to hinder both types of skill learning. Implications for motor skill acquisition and rehabilitation are briefly discussed. © 2009 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.