Detection of Difference in Neural Activity During Visuomotor Finger-Tapping Task by the Elderly: An fMRI Study

Sachiko Kiyama¹, Mitsunobu Kunimi¹, Tetsuya Iidaka², Toshiharu Nakai¹

This study examined the applicability of a cognitive performance task for the elderly, focusing on visuomotor coordination of bimanual finger movements. In order to detect difference of the elderlyfs neural activity, an fMRI study was conducted during bimanual finger-tapping task on elderly and younger adults. Group analyses revealed that movement frequency of this task influenced on activation in left cuneus and bilateral IFG, whereas the tapping mode (i.e., symmetrical/asymmetrical) did not differentiate their activity. This result suggests that movement velocity of visuomotor finger-tapping task, rather than its mode difference, may work as a detector of difference in the elderlyfs cognitive performance.