A lifespan study on body schema and perceived reaching distance.

Participants across all age groups showed reduced distance estimation between tactile stimuli on the forearm regardless of tool-use training.

• 84 participants spanning ages 12-80 years old participated in two experimental sessions
• Tactile distance judgment test was administered on the forearm in the proximodistal orientation
• The reduction in tactile distance estimates was observed across all age groups tested
• This effect occurred independent of tool-use training condition

Tool-use training did not produce any significant changes in tactile distance judgments on the forearm.

• A well-established tool-use paradigm was used to manipulate objects within both near and far spaces
• Tactile distance judgment was assessed before and after tool-use training
• No significant changes in tactile distance perception were found following tool-use training
• This null effect was consistent across all age groups from 12 to 80 years old

Tool-use training produced no significant changes in perceived reaching distance for either near or far distances.

• A reaching distance estimation task was employed to evaluate perceived reaching distance prior to and after tool-use training
• Participants utilized tools to manipulate objects within both near and far spaces
• No significant changes in perceived reaching distance were found after tool-use training
• The null effect held for both near space and far space conditions

The fundamental integration of tools into body representation appears to remain stable across the lifespan despite age-related changes in tool-use proficiency.

• Participants ranged from 12 to 80 years old, spanning various age groups
• The study explored how age influences plasticity of body schema during short-term tool-use training
• Tool-use proficiency was noted to improve with age
• The body schema plasticity in response to short-term tool use did not show significant age-dependent variation

Brief tool-use exposure may be insufficient to induce lasting sensorimotor adaptations, and more prolonged or immersive training may be required.

• The study used short-term tool-use training in two experimental sessions
• Neither tactile distance perception nor perceived reaching distance changed significantly after training
• The authors contrast their findings with 'a large body of prior literature' that reports tool-use effects on body representational plasticity
• The authors suggest that 'more prolonged or immersive training may be required' to produce measurable effects