Age-related changes have been identified in neural and motor level. A prominent change is reduced asymmetry in cortical activation as well as motor performance. Cortical activation models have been established based on cognitive research utilizing neuroimaging techniques to explain age-related effects on neural recruitment and reduced brain asymmetry. Recently, researchers in motor behaviour attempted to apply the models to explain motor pattern changes in aging and proposed compensation as the mechanism of the reduced motor asymmetry in older adults. Age-related alterations in movement patterns and brain activations seem to be correlated. However, based on the literature search result, no direct evidence substantiates the connection between reduced brain asymmetry and motor asymmetry in older adults. Therefore, a theoretical gap was identified. The theoretical gap exists because either neuroimaging studies have not considered motor asymmetry or motor asymmetry studies have not integrated neuroimaging techniques into study designs. Answering the research question can be valuable to both research and clinical practice. With the mechanisms of brain activation patterns during motor tasks in an aging population being better understood, protocols developed upon the new understandings can be applied to current motor interventions and better maintain the longevity of motor function of older adults.

在神经和运动水平上已经发现了与年龄有关的变化。一个显着的变化是减少了皮层激活的不对称性以及运动功能。在认知研究的基础上，利用神经影像技术建立了皮质激活模型，以解释年龄相关的对神经募集和减少的脑不对称的影响。最近，运动行为的研究人员试图应用该模型来解释衰老中的运动模式变化，并提出补偿作为降低老年人运动不对称性的机制。与年龄相关的运动方式改变和大脑激活似乎是相关的。然而，根据文献检索结果，没有直接的证据证实老年人脑部不对称性降低和运动不对称性之间的联系。因此，确定了理论上的差距。之所以存在理论上的差距，是因为要么神经影像学研究没有考虑运动不对称性，要么运动不对称性研究没有将神经影像学技术整合到研究设计中。回答研究问题对于研究和临床实践都可能是有价值的。通过更好地理解老年人群在运动任务期间的大脑激活模式的机制，可以将根据新的理解而开发的协议应用于当前的运动干预措施，并更好地保持老年人运动功能的寿命。