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Cirquin_19191700_2022.pdf
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- Throughout their life, humans manipulate objects. Reaching, grasping and lifting an object underpins many activities of daily living. However, healthy aging is associated with widespread brain changes as well as a diminished tactile sensibility. A combination of motor and sensory systems is nevertheless required to properly accomplish dexterous manipulations. The present study compared the adaptation to weight and friction changes in 12 elderly and 15 young adult individuals, during a grip-lifting task of a manipulandum by using precision grip. Between trials, the friction and the weight changed unexpectedly. Through force sensors, the forces applied by thumb and index fingers were recorded. Moreover, an optical system enabled to register fingerpad images throughout the experiment. The obtained data allowed to compare the behaviour and the adaptation of each age group to changes. Results suggested that elderly subjects exerted higher forces than young ones, which could partly be due to skin slipperiness. They seemed to faster adapt to friction condition than to weight condition. It also emerged that they adapted less quickly to weight than young subjects. Two different strategies seemed to stand out: young participants tried to minimize the energy spent while elderly ones exerted more force than needed.