Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

Aging affects the predictive control of grip force during object manipulation

  • Research Article
  • Published:
Experimental Brain Research Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

We examined the effects of aging on the predictive control of grip force during object manipulation under various external force fields. Participants rhythmically moved a hand-held object (m = 0.4 kg) in the horizontal plane under three experimental conditions: (1) with an elastic cord attached to the upper arm (ARM), (2) with the elastic cord attached to the object (OBJECT), and (3) without any elastic cord (NO ELAST). Performance was evaluated in terms of both metric and spectral characteristics of the grip force (GF) profile, in relation to the movement-induced variations in load at the object-finger interface (LFO). The performance of a group of 12 older adults (mean age = 66.3 years) was compared to the performance of a group of 12 young adults (mean age = 25.0 years), whose metric characteristics were reported earlier (Exp. Brain Res. 172:331, 2006). Although elderly participants exerted a larger mean GF, a tight linear coupling between GF and LFO was found for both groups in OBJECT. In ARM and NO ELAST, coefficients of cross-correlations were markedly lower, the more so for the elderly participants. Adjustments in GF occurred slightly in advance of variations in LFO in young adults (+7 ms) and somewhat delayed in the elderly (−26 ms). Spectral analyses revealed that in OBJECT, LFO and GF varied primarily at the frequency of movement. In ARM and NO ELAST, where LFO varied at twice this frequency, GF modulations contained a substantial frequency component at the frequency of movement, with this effect being more pronounced for the elderly participants. We conclude that both young and older adults demonstrate a predictive control of GF, capable of separating external force fields acting on the arm or on object–finger interface. However, in the presence of variations in LFO occurring at twice the frequency of movement, the spectral profile of GF exhibits a non-functional component of variation at the frequency of movement. Aging amplifies this latter effect, thereby affecting the efficiency of the predictive control of grip force.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Fig. 1
Fig. 2
Fig. 3
Fig. 4
Fig. 5
Fig. 6
Fig. 7

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  • Barry BK, Riek S, Carson RG. (2005) Muscle coordination in rapid force production by young and older adults. J Gerontology (med sci) 60A:232–240

    Google Scholar 

  • Bemben MG, Massey BH, Bemben DA, Misner JE, Boileau RA (1996) Isometric intermittent endurance of four muscle groups in men aged 20–74 yr. Med Sci Sports Exerc 28:145–154

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Blakemore SJ, Goodbody SJ, Wolpert DM (1998) Predicting the consequences of our own actions: The role of sensorimotor context estimation. J Neurosci 18:7511–7518

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Blank R, Breitenbach A, Nitschke M, Heizer W, Letzgus S, Hermsdorfer J (2001) Human development of grip force modulation relating to cyclic movement-induced inertial loads. Exp Brain Res 138:193–199

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Burstedt MKO, Flanagan RL, Johansson RS (1999) Control of grasp stability in humans under different frictional conditions during multi-digit manipulation. J Neurophysiol 82:2393–2405

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Bleuse S, Cassim F, Blatt JL, Labyt E, Derambure P, Guieu JD, Defebvre L (2006) Effect of age on anticipatory postural adjustments in unilateral arm movement. Gait Posture 24:203–210

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Cole KJ (1991) Grasp force control in older adults. J Mot Behav 23:251–258

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Cole KJ, Abbs JH (1988) Grip force adjustments evoked by load force perturbations of a grasped object. J Neurophysiol 60:1513–1522

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Cole KJ, Rotella DL (2001) Old age affects fingertip forces when restraining an unpredictably loaded object. Exp Brain Res 136:535–542

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Cole KJ, Rotella DL (2002) Old age impairs the use of arbitrary visual cues for predictive control of fingertip forces during grasp. Exp Brain Res 143:35–41

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Cole KJ, Rotella DL, Harper JG (1998) Tactile impairments cannot explain the effect of age on a grasp and lift task. Exp Brain Res 121:263–269

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Cole KJ, Rotella DL, Harper JG (1999) Mechanisms for age-related changes of fingertip forces during precision gripping and lifting in adults. J Neurosci 19:3238–3247

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Danion F (2004) How dependent are grip force and arm actions during holding an object? Exp Brain Res 158:109–119

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • De Guzman GC, Kelso JA (1991) Multifrequency behavioral patterns and the phase attractive circle map. Biol Cybern 64:485–495

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Descoins M, Danion F, Bootsma RJ (2006) Predictive control of grip force when moving object with an elastic load applied on the arm. Exp Brain Res 172:331–342

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Falconer J, Hughes SL, Naughton BJ, Singer R, Chang RW, Sinacore JM (1991) Self report and performance-based hand function tests as correlates of dependency in the elderly. J Am Geriatr Soc 39:695–699

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Flanagan JR, Wing AM (1995) The stability of precision grip forces during cyclic arm movements with a hand-held load. Exp Brain Res 105:455–464

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Flanagan RJ, Wing AM (1997) The role of internal models in motion planning and control: evidence from grip force adjustments during movements of hand-held loads. J Neurosci 17:1519–1528

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Flanagan JR, Vetter P, Johansson RS, Wolpert DM (2003) Prediction precedes control in motor learning. Curr Biol 13:146–150

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Gilles MA, Wing AM (2003) Age-related changes in grip force and dynamics of hand movement. J Mot Behav 35:79–85

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Guiard Y (1997) Fitts’ law in the discrete versus continuous paradigm. Hum Mov Sci 16:97–131

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Johansson RS, Cole KJ (1992) Sensory-motor coordination during grasping and manipulative actions. Curr Opin Neurobiol 2:815–823

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Kallman DA, Plato CC, Tobin JD (1990) The role of muscle loss in the age-related decline of grip strength: cross-sectional and longitudinal perspectives. J Gerontol 45:82–88

    Google Scholar 

  • Kelso JAS (1995) Dynamic patterns: the self-organization of brain and behavior. MIT, Bradford

    Google Scholar 

  • Kenshalo DR (1986) Somesthetic sensitivity in young and elderly humans. J Gerontol 41:732–742

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Kinoshita H, Francis PR (1996) A comparison of prehension force control in young and elderly individuals. Eur J Appl Physiol Occup Physiol 74:450–460

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Lowe BD (2001) Precision grip force control of older and younger adults, revisited. J Occup Rehabil 11:267–279

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Mattay VS, Fera F, Tessitore A, Hariri AR, Das S, Callicott JH, Weinberger DR (2002) Neurophysiological correlates of age-related changes in human motor function. Neurology 58:630–635

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Mottet D, Bootsma RJ (1999) The dynamics of goal-directed rhythmical aiming. Biol Cybern 80:235–245

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Nowak DA, Hermsdorfer J (2003) Digit cooling influences grasp efficiency during manipulative tasks. Eur J Appl Physiol 89:127–33

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Ohki Y, Edin BB, Johansson RS (2002) Predictions specify reactive control of individual digits in manipulation. J Neurosci 22:600–610

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Ranganathan VK, Siemionow V, Sahgal V, Yue GH (2001) Effects of aging on hand function. J Am Geriatr Soc 49:1478–1484

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Serrien DJ, Swinnen SP, Stelmach GE (2000) Age-related deterioration of coordinated interlimb behavior. J Gerontol B (Psychol Sci Soc Sci) 55:295–303

    Google Scholar 

  • Shinohara M, Scholz JP, Zatsiorsky VM, Latash ML (2004) Finger interaction during accurate multi-finger force production tasks in young and elderly persons. Exp Brain Res 156:282–292

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Voelcker-Rehage C, Alberts JL (2005) Age-related changes in grasping force modulation. Exp Brain Res 166:61–70

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Ward NS, Frackowiak RSJ (2003) Age-related changes in the neural correlates of motor performance. Brain 123:873–888

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • White O, McIntyre J, Augurelle AS, Thonnard JL (2005) Do novel gravitational environments alter the grip-force/load-force coupling at the fingertips? Exp Brain Res 163:324–334

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Wishart LR, Lee TD, Murdoch JE, Hodges NJ (2000) Effects of aging on automatic and effortful processes in bimanual coordination. J Gerontol B (Psychol Sci Soc Sci) 55:85–94

    Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. CNRS, Faculté des Sciences du Sport, Université de la Méditerranée, UMR 6152 “Mouvement et Perception”, 163 avenue de Luminy, 13288, Marseille cedex 09, France

    Frédéric Danion, Médéric Descoins & Reinoud J. Bootsma

Authors
  1. Frédéric Danion
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. Médéric Descoins
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  3. Reinoud J. Bootsma
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Frédéric Danion.

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Danion, F., Descoins, M. & Bootsma, R.J. Aging affects the predictive control of grip force during object manipulation. Exp Brain Res 180, 123–137 (2007). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00221-006-0846-3

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Accepted:

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00221-006-0846-3

Keywords

Search

Navigation