Differences in motor inhibition in young and older musicians and non-musicians at rest

Patricia Izbicki; Tessa Mendoza; Andrew Zaman; Elizabeth L Stegemöller

doi:10.3389/fnagi.2023.1230865

Differences in motor inhibition in young and older musicians and non-musicians at rest

Front Aging Neurosci. 2023 Sep 8:15:1230865. doi: 10.3389/fnagi.2023.1230865. eCollection 2023.

Authors

Patricia Izbicki¹, Tessa Mendoza¹, Andrew Zaman², Elizabeth L Stegemöller¹

Affiliations

¹ Department of Kinesiology, Iowa State University, Ames, IA, United States.
² Hussman Institute for Human Genomics, Miller School of Medicine, University of Miami, Miami, FL, United States.

Abstract

Introduction: Older adults experience a decline in motor inhibition. These declines have been implicated in instrumental activities of daily living. However, studies have revealed that older musicians have behavioral and neurophysiological enhancements in various motor domains compared to non-musicians. This suggests that music training may delay the decline in motor inhibition with aging. Nevertheless, motor inhibition has not been studied in young or older musicians and non-musicians. Thus, the present study aimed to investigate the neurophysiological differences in motor inhibition in aging musicians and non-musicians.

Methods: A total of 19 healthy young adult musicians, 16 healthy young non-musicians, 13 healthy older adult musicians, and 16 healthy older adult non-musicians were recruited for the study. Transcranial magnetic stimulation single-pulse (SP) and short interval cortical inhibition (SICI) were performed at rest and then converted into inhibition percentage.

Results: We did not observe significant differences between young and older musicians and non-musicians in resting SP MEP. Older adults had lower resting SICI MEP than young adults. Older adults (36%) had a greater percentage of inhibition than young adults (16%). However, when controlling for background EMG activity, musicians had a lower inhibition percentage than non-musicians.

Discussion: The results revealed that, despite the greater use of spinal mechanisms, decreased SICI, and increased inhibition percentage in older adults, motor inhibitory circuitry remains intact and functional in both young and older musicians and non-musicians. Future studies will reveal whether there are differences in motor inhibition during movement in musicians across a person's lifespan.

Keywords: aging; inhibitory control; motor inhibition; music training; musicians.

Grants and funding

This study was supported by the Iowa State University College of Human Sciences Graduate Scholarship, the Iowa Woman of Innovation Collegian Innovation and Leadership Scholarship, and the Iowa State University Helen Easter Graduate Scholarship.