De we need cognition for upright standing and force control? Effects of age and neural correlates.

In previous studies we have characterised the way older adults show flexibility in resource allocation, by showing that they recruit cognitive resources when posture becomes highly unstable, thereby protecting posture control and avoiding the danger of a fall accident. Although we have identified changes in postural stability due to cognitive involvement in dual-task performance, little is known about the nature of these changes, and the specific differences between young and older adults. This project aims to identify the detailed nature of changes in postural control as a consequence of aging and cognitive involvement. A critical aspect of aging is flexibility in resource allocation in dual-task performance, and whether this is specific to the posture task due to its ecological validity, or whether it extends to other motor tasks, for example finger force control, which is necessary for fine motor actions such as grasping and lifting, and declines with age. The final aim of the project is to assess the neural correlates of dual task performance of sensorimotor and cognitive tasks using TMS over the motor cortex.

Keywords:Multi-tasking

Disciplines:Animal experimental and comparative psychology, Applied psychology, Human experimental psychology, Developmental psychology and ageing, Biological and physiological psychology, General psychology, Other psychology and cognitive sciences