How an Age Simulation Suit affects Motor and Cognitive Performance and Self-perception in Younger Adults

Abstract

Background/Study Context We assessed the influence of wearing an Age Simulation Suit (GERT) on gross motor, fine motor and cognitive performance in healthy young adults.

Methods In a within-subjects design, we tested 20 young adults (M age = 22.3 years) with and without the Age Simulation Suit. We assessed gross motor (Functional Fitness test) and fine motor (Purdue Pegboard test) functioning, cognitive performance (Digit Symbol Substitution test), and questionnaires on perceived physical state and mood. Gross and fine motor tests provided norms for large samples of older adults.

Results Wearing the Age Simulation Suit leads to significant performance reductions in all task dimensions, with large effect sizes. Depending on the subtest, participants’ performances were reduced to the level of mid-50- to 85-years-olds for almost all tests of gross and fine motor performance. Mood and perceived physical state also declined while wearing the suit.

Conclusion We argue that the GERT suit offers an attractive possibility to experimentally simulate the effects of aging-related sensory and motor losses and propose future studies with this paradigm, in the context of cognitive-motor dual-tasking or motor learning.