Motor factors in age-related decline of spatial abilities – MOTORAGE

The 21st century is marked by a demographic “graying” of the global population and by 2040 the functionally dependent older population in France will increase by over 34% according to INSEE. Preventing the loss of autonomy and preserving the functional capacities of seniors is thus a major health issue that must be anticipated. In this context, spatial abilities such as navigation, provide an ideal experimental framework to study the multidimensional aspects of aging. Indeed, navigation is an essential, yet complex activity of daily life, encompassing perceptual, cognitive, and motor processes and older adults exhibit prominent impairments in their capacity to reorient and navigate in unfamiliar environments or to update their wayfinding plans when faced with obstructed paths. These changes in spatial abilities reduce older adults’ mobility and autonomy which can further exacerbate age-related disorders. In the literature, spatial deficits are traditionally ascribed to memory impairments or reduced attentional capabilities, often neglecting the impact of motor aging. However, the appropriate use of our body to explore and interact with our environment is an essential aspect of safe and efficient goal-directed behavior in daily life, also severely impacted by aging. The ANR-JCJC project MOTORAGE aims to investigate the impact of motor impairments on spatial abilities in healthy aging using a highly multidisciplinary approach. It combines a precise, multidimensional screening of motor capabilities of young and older adults with behavioral and neural observations from experimental paradigms where participants perform motor actions such as reaching objects or reorienting and navigating in the environment. This project aims to identify early motor factors influencing spatial abilities to prevent and counteract the loss of autonomy, paving the way for the development of innovative personalized solutions to improve quality of life in the aging population.