The Effects of Implicit Motor Imagery in Aging using the Hand Laterality Judgment Task

Cognitive states like motor imagery (MI; simulating actions without overtly executing them) share a close correspondence with action execution, and hence, activate the motor system in a similar way. However, as people age, reductions in specific cognitive abilities like motor action simulation and action planning/prediction are commonly experienced. Using the Hand Laterality Judgement Task (HLJT), the present study examined the influence of aging on implicit simulation processes for both typical and challenging upper-limb movements.