A recent study by University of Waterloo researchers found that aging warps our perception of time due to the fact that older adults have more difficulty combining stimuli that they see and hear. The results could have implications for areas of research that focus on rapid decision-making tasks such as driving in older adults.
The study found that compared to younger adults, seniors have a harder time distinguishing the order of events. When presented with a light and a sound at either the same or different time, both groups could determine whether they occurred simultaneously. However, younger adults could also distinguish which occurred first, whereas older adults had a more difficult time.
"To make sense of the world around us, the brain has to rapidly decide whether to combine different sources of information," said Michael Barnett-Cowan, senior author on the paper, in a press release. "Older adults often experience problems processing multisensory information, which in turn can affect everyday tasks from following conversations, to driving, to maintaining balance."
This study marks the first time that researchers have tested multiple ways in which younger and older people integrate sensory information in time. The findings may helps scientists discover how to strengthen the connection between these brain processes with age using brain stimulation or video games.
"Health professionals are able to address many changes in our vision and hearing as we age using corrective lenses and hearing aids, for example. But these interventions don't help with changes in the brain's ability to combine sensory information," said Barnett-Cowan. "If we can identify and address impaired timing of events in the elderly, we could potentially improve the quality of life, safety and independence for many older people."
The findings were published in the Oct. 16 issue of Experimental Brain Research.
