Normal Aging and Motor Imagery Vividness: Implications for Mental Practice Training in Rehabilitation

Malouin F, Richards CL, Durand A. Normal aging and motor imagery vividness: implications for mental practice training in rehabilitation.ObjectiveTo investigate the effects of normal aging on motor imagery vividness and working memory.DesignDescriptive study with 3 groups.SettingLaboratory of a university-affiliated research rehabilitation center.ParticipantsA sample of healthy persons (N=80) divided into 3 age groups: young (26±5.0y), intermediate (53.6±5.4y), and elderly (67.6±4.6y).InterventionsNot applicable.Main Outcome MeasuresThe kinesthetic and visual imagery scores of the Kinesthetic and Visual Imagery Questionnaire and scores from 3 domains of working memory (visuospatial, kinesthetic, verbal).ResultsResults revealed that visual motor imagery scores were higher than kinesthetic scores (imagery effect: P=.001); however, there was also a significant imagery × group interaction (P=.017). Post hoc analyses showed that only the young and intermediate groups had higher visual than kinesthetic motor imagery scores (P=.005 and .001, respectively), indicating a loss of visual motor imagery dominance in the elderly group. There was no group effect (P=.963) signifying that the level of motor imagery vividness was comparable between age groups. Significant decreases (17.3% and 22.5%, respectively) in visuospatial working memory scores were found in the intermediate (P=.011) and elderly (P=.001) groups, whereas a significant reduction (P=.01) in kinesthetic working memory scores was observed only in the elderly group (26.7%). There was also an age-related significant decline of visuospatial (r= −.50) and kinesthetic (r=−.34) working memory.ConclusionsThe level of motor imagery vividness does not diminish with age, but the quality changes. The dominance of visual motor imagery lessens with aging resulting in motor imagery modality-equivalence. These motor imagery alterations are associated with an age-related decline in visuospatial and kinesthetic working memory.