Individualised COgnitive and Motor learning for the Elderly (ICOME): A guiding framework for enhancing motor learning performance

Abstract

As we approach a future whereby elder adults aged >65 make up more than 50% of the population in many developed countries, the ability to retain and relearn motor functions is a key outcome of health and wellbeing to maintain an active quality of life. We consider a generic approach for learning and managing motor functions less effective for the wide-ranging differences in motor capacities in the ageing population and hypothesise an increased beneficial influence of using an individualised learning approach instead. In this theory and hypothesis manuscript, we present evidence, provide neurobiologically plausible mechanisms and formulate predictions to support our approach. Firstly, we outline the neurobiology of aging and cover the cognitive control considerations from well-established theoretical motor learning frameworks. Differences in motor sequence learning between elder adults and younger adults are also outlined. An important consideration is that different states of cognitive control can be induced, and we specifically explain why open-monitoring meditation is a suitable approach in the case of elder adults. Combining these, we then present our modelling guidelines for sensorimotor rhythms of synchronisation and desynchronisation of alpha and beta bandwidths during motor sequence learning. Lastly, we formulate specific hypotheses and predictions based on the presented information to support the direction of our Individualised COgnitive and Motor learning for the Elderly (ICOME) research program. **This is an early first final draft of the manuscript, circa early 2021**