Cognition in Motion: Evidence for Intact Action Control with Healthy Aging

Abstract

Objectives: Healthy aging is associated with impairments in motor functioning. Such functioning is not limited to the physical execution of actions, but also involves cognitive processes that allow for goal-directed behavior. The present study examined whether aging affects 2 of such cognitive components that control motor functioning, namely action planning and action adaptation, and whether age effects are associated across components. Method: A group of 103 participants aged 18-82 years performed 2 tasks that have previously been linked to action planning and adaptation, respectively. Results: Despite observations that aging was associated with slower and less accurate responses, Bayesian models showed evidence indicating that older age was not associated with poorer action planning and conflict adaptation. Discussion: These findings challenge the view that healthy aging is associated with a general deficit in motor functioning and suggest that some cognitive aspects of motor control may be relatively spared.