Age-independent Decline in Manual Dexterity of Middle-aged and Older Adults

The objective of the clinical trial is to evaluate the mediating influence of force control on the pegboard times of adults (50-89 years) who are stratified into groups of faster and slower pegboard times. The hypothesis is that practice of either a pegboard test or a force-control task will reduce pegboard times, but the decrease will be greater and less similar after the two practice interventions for the slower group of participants. The outcomes are expected to demonstrate that force control is a modifiable mediator of pegboard times for this cohort, but the effect will be stronger for the group with faster pegboard times.

Study Overview

• Status: Withdrawn
• Conditions: Aging
• Intervention / Treatment: Other: Pegboard practice; Other: Force control practice

Detailed Description

The study will involve a randomized, cross-over design with a one-week washout between arms. The two arms (3 weeks each) will comprise practice of the grooved pegboard test and practice of steady contractions while lifting and lowering light loads with a hand muscle. Randomization into practice order will be accomplished with a block approach (block size = 4) for each of the two groups. The outcome assessors will be blinded to practice order. The outcomes will comprise three tests of manual dexterity and the measurement of force control during submaximal contractions. The outcomes will be obtained before and after the six sessions in each practice arm.

• Study Type: Interventional
• Phase: Not Applicable

Contacts and Locations

Study Locations

• United States
  • Colorado
    • Boulder, Colorado, United States, 80309
      • University of Colorado Boulder

Participation Criteria

Eligibility Criteria

• Ages Eligible for Study: 50 years to 89 years (Adult, Older Adult)
• Accepts Healthy Volunteers: Yes
• Genders Eligible for Study: All

Description

Inclusion Criteria:

• Able to read, write, and speak English
• Able to arrange transportation to the Boulder campus

Exclusion Criteria:

• Cognitive impairment
• Major psychiatric condition
• Unstable depressive disorder
• Progressive neurological, muscular, cardiovascular, or skeletal disorder
• Chronic pain condition
• Currently taking medication known to influence neuromuscular function
• Recent hospitalization
• Unable to attend 12 practice sessions in 6 weeks

Study Plan

How is the study designed?

Design Details

• Primary Purpose: Basic Science
• Allocation: Randomized
• Interventional Model: Crossover Assignment
• Masking: Single

Number of Arms

2

Arms and Interventions

Participant Group / Arm	Intervention / Treatment
Experimental: Faster; This group will comprise participants who complete the grooved pegboard test at baseline with a time of less than 71 seconds. One half of the members in this group will perform the two interventions in the order of pegboard practice and then force control practice, whereas the other half of the group will perform the two practice interventions in the opposite order.	Other: Pegboard practice; Practice of the grooved pegboard test; Other: Force control practice; Practice performing steady muscle contractions
Experimental: Slower; This group will comprise participants who complete the grooved pegboard test at baseline with a time of greater than 70 seconds. One half of the members in this group will perform the two interventions in the order of pegboard practice and then force control practice, whereas the other half of the group will perform the two practice interventions in the opposite order.	Other: Pegboard practice; Practice of the grooved pegboard test; Other: Force control practice; Practice performing steady muscle contractions

What is the study measuring?

Primary Outcome Measures

Outcome Measure	Measure Description	Time Frame
Grooved pegboard test	Time to complete the test as quickly as possible	Changes from baseline (week 1) at weeks 4 and 7
9-hole pegboard test	Time to complete the test as quickly as possible	Changes from baseline (week 1) at weeks 4 and 7
Jebsen Hand Function test	Time to complete the test as quickly as possible	Changes from baseline (week 1) at weeks 4 and 7
Force control	The coefficient of variation for force when subjects exert a constant submaximal force	Changes from baseline (week 1) at weeks 4 and 7

Secondary Outcome Measures

Outcome Measure	Measure Description	Time Frame
EMG amplitude	Absolute amplitude of the electromyographic (EMG) signal for the involved muscles during the steady contractions	Changes from baseline (week 1) at weeks 4 and 7
MVC force	The peak force exerted during a maximal isometric contractions	Changes from baseline (week 1) at weeks 4 and 7
1-RM load	The maximal weight that can be lifted once	Changes from baseline (week 1) at weeks 4 and 7
Index finger acceleration	The average standard deviation of index finger acceleration in the abduction-adduction plane when a light load is being lifted and lowered during the practice intervention	Changes from baseline (week 1) at weeks 4 and 7
Motor unit discharge rates	The discharge times of action potentials by motor units during the steady submaximal contractions	Changes from baseline (week 1) at weeks 4 and 7

Collaborators and Investigators

• Sponsor: University of Colorado, Boulder
• Investigators: Principal Investigator: Roger Enoka, PhD, University of Colorado, Boulder

Study record dates

Study Major Dates

• Study Start (Anticipated): August 1, 2025
• Primary Completion (Anticipated): November 1, 2025
• Study Completion (Anticipated): July 1, 2026

Study Registration Dates

• First Submitted: January 10, 2019
• First Submitted That Met QC Criteria: January 10, 2019
• First Posted (Actual): January 14, 2019

Study Record Updates

• Last Update Posted (Actual): November 16, 2021
• Last Update Submitted That Met QC Criteria: November 12, 2021
• Last Verified: November 1, 2021

More Information

Terms related to this study

• Keywords: Manual dexterity
• Other Study ID Numbers: 18-0269

Plan for Individual participant data (IPD)

• Plan to Share Individual Participant Data (IPD)?: NO

Drug and device information, study documents

• Studies a U.S. FDA-regulated drug product: No
• Studies a U.S. FDA-regulated device product: No