Aging is associated with modifications of several brain structures and functions. These modifications then manifest as modified behaviors. It has been proposed that some brain function modifications may compensate for some other deteriorated ones, thus maintaining behavioral performance. Through the concept of compensation versus deterioration, this article reviews the literature on motor function in healthy and pathological aging. We first highlight mechanistic studies that used paradigms, allowing us to identify precise compensation mechanisms in healthy aging. Subsequently, we review studies investigating motor function in two often-associated neurological conditions, i.e., mild cognitive impairment and Alzheimer’s disease. We point out the need to expand the knowledge gained from descriptive studies with studies targeting specific motor control processes. Teasing apart deteriorated versus compensating processes represents precious knowledge that could significantly improve the prevention and rehabilitation of age-related loss of mobility.

The hypothesis of hemispheric specialization for feedforward and feedback control has been developed and is still debated. Here, taking advantage of recent knowledge on optimal planning and control of arm movements in the gravity field, we recorded kinematics and electromyographic activities during vertical arm movements performed with the dominant and nondominant arms. Our results reveal that the nondominant arm takes advantage of gravity effects to minimize muscle effort, but less than the dominant arm.

Background: Dementia is a growing health concern that affects millions of people worldwide. Gait and mobility disorders are often present and represent a major risk factor for falls. The purpose of this study was to investigate the effectiveness of tango-therapy in gait speed, functional mobility, balance, falls, ability to perform activities of daily living and quality of life. Methods: A randomised controlled trial with 31 participants living in a specialised dementia unit, aged 65 to 93 years old, who were randomly assigned to tango group (IG) or physical exercise group (CG). The primary outcome was gait speed and Timed Up and Go test. The secondary outcomes include the Short Physical Performance Battery, the ability to perform activities of daily living (Katz Index) and quality of life (Quality of life in Alzheimer Disease). Measurements were performed at baseline, and after one and three months of training. Results: After 3 months, IG improved gait speed ( p = 0.016), implying a statistically significant difference between groups in favour of IG ( p = 0.003). CG significantly worsened the time to complete the TUG ( p = 0.039). Both groups declined in their ability to perform activities of daily living, being statistically significant only in the CG ( p < 0.001). Conclusion: Tango interventions showed efficacy in improving gait speed and in mitigating the decline in functional mobility and ADL skill capacities. Allowing older people with dementia access to non-pharmacological interventions may be a successful strategy to prevent functional decline. Trial registration: Registered at ClinicalTrials.gov (ID: NCT05744011).

Increasing disability-free life expectancy is a crucial issue to optimize active ageing and to reduce the burden of evitable medical costs. One of the main challenges is to develop pragmatic and personalized prevention strategies in order to prevent frailty, counteract adverse outcomes such as falls and mobility disability, and to improve quality of life. Strong evidence reports the effectiveness of exercise interventions to improve various physical parameters and muscle function that are cornerstones of frailty. Other findings also suggest that the interactions between nutrition and physical exercise with or without health behavior promotion prevent the development of frailty. Multimodal programs, including structured exercise, adequate dietary intervention and health behavior promotion, appear increasingly consensual. However, in order for implementation in real-life settings, some pitfalls need to be addressed. In this perspective, structuring and tailoring feasible, acceptable and sustainable interventions to optimize exercise training responses are essential conditions to warrant short, medium and long-term individual benefits. The different components of exercise programs appear to be fairly consensual and effective. However, specific composition of the programs proposed (frequency, intensity, type, time, volume and progressiveness) have to be tailored to individual characteristics and objectives in order to improve exercise responses. The intervention approaches, behavioral strategies and indications for these programs also need to be refined and framed. The main objective of this work is to guide the actions of healthcare professionals and enable them to widely and effectively implement multimodal programs including exercise, nutrition and behavioral strategies in real-life settings.

Cognitive impairment in older adults is associated with poor gait performance, physical decline, falls and poor quality of life. This paper analyzes the feasibility and efficacy of tango-based intervention in older people living in nursing homes with and without cognitive impairment. A multicenter study, with pre- and post-test, was carried out. Intervention attendance, well-being, physical abilities (short physical performance battery), walking performance, functional capacities (Katz Index) and quality of life (quality of life in Alzheimer’s disease) were assessed. Fifty-four participants (84.9 ± 6.7 years, mini mental state examination 14.5 ± 7.4) completed the protocol. Intervention attendance was 92%, and the mean subjective well-being after each session was 4.5 ± 0.5 (on a five-point scale). A statistically significant improvement was found in the quality of life (p = 0.030). Non-statistically significant changes were found in walking performance (p = 0.159), physical abilities (p = 0.876) and in functional capacities (p = 0.253). This study shows feasibility and suggests evidence for the effects of tango therapy on well-being and quality of life. Further studies are necessary to contrast these findings and to support the role of tango interventions as a holistic approach to prevent functional decline in older people with cognitive impairment.