MOTOR-PERFORMANCE AND MOTOR LEARNING AS A FUNCTION OF AGE AND FITNESS

Past studies have shown, that electroencephalographic alpha activity i ncreases as people learn to perform a novel motor task. Additionally, if has been suggested that motor performance and learning decline as p eople age beyond 60 years, and it has been hypothesized that physical fitness may attenuate this decline through its impact on the cerebral environment. This study was designed to replicate past research by ass essing changes in alpha activity as a function of learning and to exte nd past research by examining differences in motor performance, motor learning, and alpha activity as a function of age and fitness. VO(2)ma x was assessed in 41 older (ages 60-80 years) and 42 younger (ages 20- 30 years) participants. Participants were randomly assigned to experim ental or control conditions, which differed in the amount of practice received. Participants performed trials on the mirror star trace on bo th an acquisition and a retention day. Results indicated that younger participants performed better and had greater learning than older part icipants. Fitness was not found to impact either performance or learni ng. Participants in the experimental group improved more than those in the control group and maintained this difference at retention, which suggests that learning occurred. Associated with these improvements in performance capabilities was an increase in alpha power.