A clinicophysiological investigation of motor control was carried out in 199 apparently healthy, socially active elderly (aged 60–69 years) and long-living (90 years and over) subjects in order to establish the peculiarities of the motor sphere specific to age-related changes of the nervous system. Analyzing the experimentally induced state of readiness (intention) before a spontaneous movement, we found an increase with age in the latent period of the muscle intentional activity (IA) parallel to an increase in the latent period of the spontaneous movement, a decrease in IA amplitude with more frequent structural deviations of the EMG in the prestarting period and a reduction of the required IA selectiveness. The described changes in the organization of readiness for a spontaneous movement seemed to be related with age impairment of supraspinal (mainly corticospinal) influences and may be used for an explanation of a number of clinical peculiarities of human motor control in late ontogenesis.

Keywords:
Human motor control, Spontaneous movement, Muscle intentional activity, Electromyogram, Corticospinal influences
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© 1982 S. Karger AG, Basel
1982
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