Perceptual-cognitive training improves biological motion perception evidence for transferability of training in healthy aging

Perceptual cognitive training improves biological motion perception evidence for transferability of training in healthy aging

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Aging

May 2012

in

NeuroReports

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Aim

To investigate if the decline in biological motion perception associated with healthy aging can be reversed with a short NeuroTracker training intervention.

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Method

13 participants completed 3-hours of NeuroTracker training over 5-weeks, and 28 control participants did either experimental training or no training (overall mean age of 67 years old). Pre-post assessments of biological motion perception was assessed with a VR walker (point like display) at 4m and 16m.

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Result

Pre-NeuroTracker training participants displayed significantly lower performance for interpreting human movement at 4m, compared to 16m. Controls showed no change post-training, whereas the NeuroTracker trained group's performance at 4m rose to the level of their performance at 16m. As biological motion perception abilities are deemed to be important for social skills, as well as critical for collision avoidance at 4m, the researchers concluded that the results demonstrate NeuroTracker to be a useful form of generic training for helping older people deal with socially relevant dynamic scenes.

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