Selective Age Effects on Visual Attention and Motor Attention during a Cued Saccade Task

Objective. Visual information is often used to guide purposeful movement. However, older adults have impaired responses to visual information, leading to increased risk for injuries and potential loss of independence. We evaluated distinct visual and motor attention contributions to a cued saccade t...

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Main Authors: Wendy E. Huddleston, Brad E. Ernest, Kevin G. Keenan
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Wiley 2014-01-01
Series:Journal of Ophthalmology
Online Access:http://dx.doi.org/10.1155/2014/860493
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author Wendy E. Huddleston
Brad E. Ernest
Kevin G. Keenan
author_facet Wendy E. Huddleston
Brad E. Ernest
Kevin G. Keenan
author_sort Wendy E. Huddleston
collection DOAJ
description Objective. Visual information is often used to guide purposeful movement. However, older adults have impaired responses to visual information, leading to increased risk for injuries and potential loss of independence. We evaluated distinct visual and motor attention contributions to a cued saccade task to determine the extent to which aging selectively affects these processes. Methods. Nineteen healthy young (18–28 years) and 20 older (60–90 years) participants performed a cued saccade task under two conditions. We challenged motor attention by changing the number of possible saccade targets (1 or 6). Results. Older adults had difficulty in inhibiting unwanted eye movements and had greater eye movement inaccuracy in the hard condition when compared to the younger adults and to the easy condition. Also, an inverse relation existed between performance on the visual and motor components of the task in older adults, unlike younger adults. Conclusions. Older adults demonstrated difficulty in both inhibiting irrelevant saccade targets and selecting correct saccade endpoints during more complex tasks. The shift in relations among attention measures between the younger and older participants may indicate a need to prioritize attentional resources with age. These changes may impact an older adult’s ability to function in complex environments.
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spelling doaj-art-34fc177a184d42df8e66554e593ac9032025-08-20T03:55:06ZengWileyJournal of Ophthalmology2090-004X2090-00582014-01-01201410.1155/2014/860493860493Selective Age Effects on Visual Attention and Motor Attention during a Cued Saccade TaskWendy E. Huddleston0Brad E. Ernest1Kevin G. Keenan2Department of Kinesiology, University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee, PT-PAV 350, P.O. Box 413, Milwaukee, WI 53201-0413, USADepartment of Kinesiology, University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee, PT-PAV 350, P.O. Box 413, Milwaukee, WI 53201-0413, USADepartment of Kinesiology, University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee, PT-PAV 350, P.O. Box 413, Milwaukee, WI 53201-0413, USAObjective. Visual information is often used to guide purposeful movement. However, older adults have impaired responses to visual information, leading to increased risk for injuries and potential loss of independence. We evaluated distinct visual and motor attention contributions to a cued saccade task to determine the extent to which aging selectively affects these processes. Methods. Nineteen healthy young (18–28 years) and 20 older (60–90 years) participants performed a cued saccade task under two conditions. We challenged motor attention by changing the number of possible saccade targets (1 or 6). Results. Older adults had difficulty in inhibiting unwanted eye movements and had greater eye movement inaccuracy in the hard condition when compared to the younger adults and to the easy condition. Also, an inverse relation existed between performance on the visual and motor components of the task in older adults, unlike younger adults. Conclusions. Older adults demonstrated difficulty in both inhibiting irrelevant saccade targets and selecting correct saccade endpoints during more complex tasks. The shift in relations among attention measures between the younger and older participants may indicate a need to prioritize attentional resources with age. These changes may impact an older adult’s ability to function in complex environments.http://dx.doi.org/10.1155/2014/860493
spellingShingle Wendy E. Huddleston
Brad E. Ernest
Kevin G. Keenan
Selective Age Effects on Visual Attention and Motor Attention during a Cued Saccade Task
Journal of Ophthalmology
title Selective Age Effects on Visual Attention and Motor Attention during a Cued Saccade Task
title_full Selective Age Effects on Visual Attention and Motor Attention during a Cued Saccade Task
title_fullStr Selective Age Effects on Visual Attention and Motor Attention during a Cued Saccade Task
title_full_unstemmed Selective Age Effects on Visual Attention and Motor Attention during a Cued Saccade Task
title_short Selective Age Effects on Visual Attention and Motor Attention during a Cued Saccade Task
title_sort selective age effects on visual attention and motor attention during a cued saccade task
url http://dx.doi.org/10.1155/2014/860493
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