Effects of sleep on motor sequence learning by motor imagery in young and older adults
Description: Theoretical framework Motor sequence learning requires repeated practice, which may be exhausting for older adults, especially during rehabilitation. Among less physically demanding interventions to preserve/enhance motor functions in elderly people, motor imagery (MI) training has gained attention. However, we do not know whether MI training might benefit from sleep in older adults, as shown in young adults. Research questions This project will focus on four research questions: (1) Does acquisition of a fine and a gross motor task supported by MI training differ between young and older adults? (2) Does the effects of sleep versus wakefulness on consolidation after MI training differ between these tasks and age groups? (3) How does EEG activity (mu rhythm; 7-13Hz) during MI of these two tasks differ from rest, and does it change after learning in the two populations? (4) How is EEG activity (sleep spindle, slow wave activity) during sleep associated with the consolidation process of the two tasks and in the two age groups? Methods We will test 120 young (20-35 years) and 120 older adults (65-80 years). Their sleep-wake cycle will be monitored with sleep logs and actigraphy for one week. Polysomnography will be recorded during an adaptation night and during the night following training. A classical finger-tapping task (FTT), and a new whole-body task (WBT) will be used. Within each population (young, older) participants will be randomly assigned (six groups) to one of two tasks (FTT, WBT), training conditions (MI training, no-training) and times of the day (AM, PM). Training will be either followed by a consolidation interval of 12h containing sleep (PM groups) or wakefulness (AM groups). MI training should be beneficial compared to no-training for both tasks and age groups, but the impact of sleep on motor memory consolidation should be different. More specifically: (i) for both tasks the level of consolidation after MI training should be greater in young adults compared to older ones; (ii) sleep-dependent consolidation should be observed in both tasks for the young but only in the WBT for the elderly; (iii) a desynchronization of the EEG mu rhythm during MI of the two tasks should be found after learning, but the degree of modulation of mu rhythm could differ between tasks and age groups; (iv) young adults should show higher correlations between sleep spindles and slow wave activity during sleep and motor memory consolidation over sleep, than older adults. Innovation and involved researchers This project notably innovates by the use of a new – ecological but still controlled – sequential WBT. It will provide significant advances in our understanding of the neural underpinnings of motor learning by MI and sleep, and could directly lead to – cost-effective – applications in geriatric rehabilitation. Dr. Saimpont from the University of Lyon (France), and Dr. Hoedlmoser from the University of Salzburg (Austria) will be responsible for this project.
Funder: Agence Nationale de la Recherche
Amount: €263,500
Funding type: research
Funder scheme: AAPG2022
Start date: 2023-02-01
Investigator: Arnaud SAIMPONT
Institution: Laboratoire Interuniversitaire de biologie de la Motricité
Subfield: Cognitive Neuroscience
Field: Neuroscience
Domain: Life Sciences
Funded outputs count: 1
Funder award ID: ANR-22-CE91-0004
OpenAlex ID: G3692280973