what are the connective tissue changes with aging?
- altered ability to maintain and repair
- decrease water concentration
- collagen and elation become more stiff and brittle
what are the cartilage changes with aging?
- calcification
- decreased water content
- intervertebral discs shrink and crack
– increased the load on other structured (facets)
what is the result of connective tissue and cartilage changes with aging?
- decreased load and energy absorption
- increased risk of injury
- functional implications
what are the skeletal muscle changes with aging?
- sarcopenia: loss of muscle strength and functional quality
- 1-3% per year >50
- decrease in number and diameter of mm fibers
- muscle fibers –> fat or collagen
- maximize reserve before loss of function
what are the bone changes with aging?
- decrease subchondral bones
- osteopenia
– increased osteoclast activity and decreased osteoblast
what are the functional implications of musculoskeletal changes with aging?
- loss of ROM
- pain
- postural management
- decreased load tolerance and absorption
- decreased strength and force production
- morbidity and mortality
– 1 year mortality rate after hip fx: 20-30%
what are the cardiovascular changes with aging?
- structural changes seen in heart and vascular system
– reduced contractility, valve dysfunction, fibrosis
– decreased heart rate max –> not altered by exercise - thorax is stiffer
- increased kyphosis diminishing rib cage ability
- diminished elastic recoil of the lung –> decreased lung volume –> less oxygen reaching tissues
what are the sensory changes with aging?
- decline in somatic senses (fine touch, pressure, vibration)
– loss of sensory receptors - dizziness/vertigo leads to increased risk for falls
– lose hair and nerve cells - visual/hearing declines rapidly between 60-80 y/o
– decreased acuity, contrast sensitivity, depth perception
– cataracts, macular degeneration - decreased taste/smell after 60 y/o
what happens with a decline in brain weight/volume?
- neuronal atrophy/cell death –> loss of gray matter
- axonal loss and decreased myelination –> loss of white matter
- loss is not uniform in distribution
– prefrontal cortex, striatum, temporal lobe, cerebellum, hippocampus most impacted
– implications: decline in higher level executive function, memory, motor control, motor learning
what are the information processing and attention changes with aging?
- decreased sensory input –> reduces processing speed
- slower rxn time
– accuracy vs speed (speed is reduced but accuracy is good)
– repetition in a closed environment - decreased attentional capacity
- decreased ability to divide attention
– better with repetition in a closed environment - increased dual tasks costs
what are the memory changes with aging?
- working memory: shorter “chunks”
- episodic memory: hippocampus, retrieval declines
- semantic and remote memory: less age-related decline
what are the changes in steady state control?
- increased sway during steady state
- reduced limits of stability
- true capacity better determined with increased challenge (eyes closed, decreased BOS)
what are the changes in anticipatory postural control?
- slower activation of both postural (activation prior to movement) and mover muscles
- decreased ability to stabilize the body in advance of voluntary movements
what are the changes in reactive postural control?
- impaired timing of muscles
- hip>ankle
– ankle mm weakness or sensory changes - take >1 step
– shorter step, slower step velocity, more co-activation - lateral stepping
– less likely to cross over - sustain more limb collisions
what are the age related changes that may contribute to falls risk?
- muscle weakness
- sensory impairments
- slower nerve conduction
- postural alignment
- slower/less effective anticipatory/reactive postural control
- slower processing and response
what are the psychosocial aspects of aging?
- adjustment to retirement
- loss of lifetime roles
- isolation
- loss of other close to them (spouse, friends)
- loss of independence
- depression
what are the task demands for motor learning with aging?
- simple – similar yo younger adults
- complex – more age related differences
- task specific and functional
- part practice may reduce processing demands
- whole practice may produce a better movement quality
what are the practice conditions for motor learning with aging?
- learning is slower compared to younger adults
– increased repetition - mental practice of a newly learned motor task enhances retention
- random practice may decrease performance but enhances retention
- distributed practice may decrease performance but enhances retention and reduces risk of injury
what kind of feedback is best for motor learning with aging?
- older adults rely on visual feedback
- sensory information processing is reduced with age
- implicit learning may be better for older adults
- attentional cost of explicit learning may have negative effect (or use vision)
is KR or KP preferred for motor learning with aging?
- KR is better
– same as in younger adults
– improved learning
– reduced frequency is better (20% vs 100%) - KP
– 66% better than 100% or 33%
what are the benefits of older adults being actively healthy?
- body systems do not degrade as much in active individuals
- reaction time is similar to younger adults
- executive functions
- brain volume is better
– exercise is critical for prevention of cognitive decline - intentional exercise, motor learning, and cortical plasticity closely related
