title: Motor Learning and Movement Performance: Older versus Younger Adults.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Motor skills play an important role during life span, and older adults need to learn or relearn these skills. The purpose of this study was to investigate how aging affects induction of improved movement performance by motor training.
  
  
  METHODS
  Serial Reaction Time Test (SRTT) was used to assess movement performance during 8 blocks of motor training. Participants were tested in two separate dates, 48 hours apart. First session included 8 blocks of training (blocks 1-8) and second session comprised 2 blocks (blocks 9, 10).
  
  
  RESULTS
  Analyses of data showed that reaction times in both online and offline learning were significantly shorter in older adults compared to younger adults (P<0.001). Young adults demonstrated both online and offline learning (P<0.001), but older adults only showed online learning (P<0.001) without offline learning (P=0.24).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The result of the current study provides evidence that the healthy older adults are able to improve their performance with practice and learn motor skill successfully in the form of online learning.
authors.affiliation: Neuromuscular Rehabilitation Research Center, Semnan University of Medical Sciences and Health Services, Semnan, Iran. ; Department of Physiotherapy, University of Social Welfare and Rehabilitation Sciences, Tehran, Iran.
authors.forename: Fatemeh
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Ehsani
authors.affiliation: Department of Physiotherapy, University of Social Welfare and Rehabilitation Sciences, Tehran, Iran.
authors.forename: Iraj
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Abdollahi
authors.affiliation: Iranian Research Centre on Ageing, Department of Physiotherapy, University of Social Welfare and Rehabilitation Sciences, Tehran, Iran. ; University Institute of Physical Therapy, Faculty of Allied Health Sciences, University of Lahore, Lahore, Pakistan.
authors.forename: Mohammad Ali
authors.initials: MA
authors.lastname: Mohseni Bandpei
authors.affiliation: Department of Physiotherapy, University of Social Welfare and Rehabilitation Sciences, Tehran, Iran.
authors.forename: Nahid
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Zahiri
authors.affiliation: Department of Physiotherapy, Faculty of Medicine, Nursing and Health Sciences, Monash University, Melbourne, Australia.
authors.forename: Shapour
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Jaberzadeh
keywords: Ageing; Learning; Perceptual motor performance