The Effect of Spatial Working Memory Deterioration on Strategic Visuomotor Learning across Aging.
OBJECTIVE
To evaluate the effect of age-related cognitive changes in a visuomotor learning task that depends on strategic control and contrast it with the effect in a task principally depending on visuomotor recalibration.


METHODS
Participants performed a ball throwing task while donning either a reversing dove prism or a displacement wedge prism, which mainly depend on strategic control or visuomotor recalibration, respectively. Visuomotor performance was then analysed in relation to rule acquisition and reversal, recognition memory, visual memory, spatial planning, and spatial working memory with tasks from the Cambridge Neuropsychological Test Automated Battery (CANTAB).


RESULTS
The results confirmed previous works showing a detrimental effect of age on visuomotor learning. The analyses of the cognitive changes observed across age showed that both strategic control and visuomotor recalibration had significant negative correlations only with the number of errors in the spatial working memory task. However, when the effect of aging was controlled, the only significant correlation remaining was between the reversal adaptation magnitude and spatial working memory.


CONCLUSIONS
These results suggest that spatial working memory decline across aging could contribute to age-dependent deterioration in both visuomotor learning processes. However, spatial working memory integrity seems to affect strategic learning decline even after controlling for aging.
Program in Neuroethology, University of Veracruz, 91190 Xalapa, VER, Mexico.
Luis A
LA
Uresti-Cabrera
Laboratory of Neuropsychology, Department of Physiology, Faculty of Medicine, National Autonomous University of Mexico, Coyoacán, 04510 Mexico City, DF, Mexico.
Rosalinda
R
Diaz
Laboratory of Neuropsychology, Department of Physiology, Faculty of Medicine, National Autonomous University of Mexico, Coyoacán, 04510 Mexico City, DF, Mexico.
Israel
I
Vaca-Palomares
Program in Neuroethology, University of Veracruz, 91190 Xalapa, VER, Mexico ; Laboratory of Neuropsychology, Department of Physiology, Faculty of Medicine, National Autonomous University of Mexico, Coyoacán, 04510 Mexico City, DF, Mexico.
Juan
J
Fernandez-Ruiz
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D000375:Aging / Q000502:physiology*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007858:Learning / Q000502:physiology*; D008297:Male; D008570:Memory, Short-Term / Q000502:physiology*; D008875:Middle Aged; D011597:Psychomotor Performance / Q000502:physiology*; D065852:Spatial Memory / Q000502:physiology*; D055815:Young Adult