Mirror Neurons in Older Participants

In the absence of physical activity, age-related impairments in the neuromuscular system result in muscle weakness and functional declines. Our laboratory is interested in better understanding the nervous system’s role in muscle strength/weakness in the older adult population. This study is being done to determine whether observing an action performed by another influences muscular strength or weakness in older adults. This research question will be answered by having participants perform muscular strength tests of the hand and wrist after watching short videos of someone else performing movements of the hand and wrist. A brain stimulation technique known as transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS) will be used to assess corticospinal activity. The study requires older adults from the UCF community to visit the Neuromuscular Plasticity Laboratory on four separate occasions. Our findings could benefit individuals who cannot regularly strength train, such as those with mobility limitations or undergoing immobilization due to illness or injury.