DFG Plasticity

Motor behavior in modern society often requires multitasking, e.g., when driving a car or crossing a street. Multitask performance, however, declines with increasing age, which might cause problems for everyday life in the context of an aging society. It is still not clear how training regimes need to be designed to effectively and efficiently improve multitask performance also transferable to everyday life. One assumption is that executive functions might contribute towards multitasking, particularly in old age; and that training of these executive functions might therefore positively influence multitask performance. Thus, we aim to investigate whether and which executive functions contribute to everyday-like multitasking and whether this contribution differs between young and older adults. Further we investigate whether training interventions that strengthen executive functions might gain beneficial and transferable effect on multitasking in ecologically valid contexts. We propose three complementary work packages .WP1 evaluates the role of executive functions for multitasking in young versus older adults, WP2 explores the neuronal correlates of this contribution, and WP3 addresses the training-induced plasticity of multitasking in older persons. Both applicants bring unique expertise to the project, and our work will therefore span the areas of movement science, cognitive psychology, neuroscience and gerontology.