-
Journal of Bodywork and Movement... Jul 2024Cerebral palsy (CP) is the most common childhood motor disability, and the Cerebral Palsy Follow-Up Program (CPUP) in Nordic countries uses a traffic light system for...
Limited associations between passive range of motion and gross motor function in ambulant/semi-ambulant children and adolescents with cerebral palsy: A cross-sectional study.
BACKGROUND AND AIM
Cerebral palsy (CP) is the most common childhood motor disability, and the Cerebral Palsy Follow-Up Program (CPUP) in Nordic countries uses a traffic light system for passive range of motion (ROM) assessment to aid interpretation and guide decisions regarding interventions. However, the arbitrary chosen ROM threshold values and their potential clinical impact are uncertain. We investigated whether lower extremity ROM values were positively associated with gross motor function and whether gross motor function scores differ between the CPUP ROM thresholds.
METHODS
This was a cross-sectional analysis of CPUP data for 841 ambulatory children and adolescents with CP, at a mean (SD) age of 9 (3). Regression analyses were employed to explore the relationship between gross motor capacity and performance (using the Gross Motor Function Measure (GMFM-66) and the Functional Mobility Scale (FMS) 5/50/500 m, respectively) and lower extremity ROM, measured with a goniometer. ROM was assessed both as continuous and categorical variables.
RESULTS
We found that two out of ten continuous ROM measures were positively associated with gross motor function. Limited differences in gross motor function between the ROM thresholds were seen for seven out of ten ROM measures. The CPUP traffic light thresholds primarily differentiated gross motor function between the red and green categories, predominantly for the subgroup of participants with bilateral spastic CP.
CONCLUSION
Limited associations between passive ROM and gross motor function in children and adolescents with CP were observed, indicating that there is more to consider than ROM when identifying whether interventions are needed.
Topics: Humans; Cerebral Palsy; Cross-Sectional Studies; Child; Male; Female; Adolescent; Range of Motion, Articular; Lower Extremity; Motor Skills
PubMed: 38876622
DOI: 10.1016/j.jbmt.2024.02.030 -
JMIR Human Factors Jun 2024Cognitive functional ability affects the accessibility of IT and is thus something that should be controlled for in user experience (UX) research. However, many...
BACKGROUND
Cognitive functional ability affects the accessibility of IT and is thus something that should be controlled for in user experience (UX) research. However, many cognitive function assessment batteries are long and complex, making them impractical for use in conventional experimental time frames. Therefore, there is a need for a short and reliable cognitive assessment that has discriminant validity for cognitive functions needed for general IT tasks. One potential candidate is the Trail Making Test (TMT).
OBJECTIVE
This study investigated the usefulness of a digital TMT as a cognitive profiling tool in IT-related UX research by assessing its predictive validity on general IT task performance and exploring its discriminant validity according to discrete cognitive functions required to perform the IT task.
METHODS
A digital TMT (parts A and B) named Axon was administered to 27 healthy participants, followed by administration of 5 IT tasks in the form of CAPTCHAs (Completely Automated Public Turing tests to Tell Computers and Humans Apart). The discrete cognitive functions required to perform each CAPTCHA were rated by trained evaluators. To further explain and cross-validate our results, the original TMT and 2 psychological assessments of visuomotor and short-term memory function were administered.
RESULTS
Axon A and B were administrable in less than 5 minutes, and overall performance was significantly predictive of general IT task performance (F=6.352; P=.001; Λ=0.374). This result was driven by performance on Axon B (F=3.382; P=.02; Λ=0.529), particularly for IT tasks involving the combination of executive processing with visual object and pattern recognition. Furthermore, Axon was cross-validated with the original TMT (P=.001 and P=.017 for A and B, respectively) and visuomotor and short-term memory tasks.
CONCLUSIONS
The results demonstrate that variance in IT task performance among an age-homogenous neurotypical population can be related to intersubject variance in cognitive function as assessed by Axon. Although Axon's predictive validity seemed stronger for tasks involving the combination of executive function with visual object and pattern recognition, these cognitive functions are arguably relevant to the majority of IT interfaces. Considering its short administration time and remote implementability, the Axon digital TMT demonstrates the potential to be a useful cognitive profiling tool for IT-based UX research.
Topics: Humans; Trail Making Test; Male; Female; Adult; Task Performance and Analysis; Cognition; Reproducibility of Results; Empirical Research
PubMed: 38875007
DOI: 10.2196/49992 -
European Journal of Sport Science Jun 2024The purpose of this study was to clarify the temporal coordination between gaze, head, and arm movements during forehand rallies in table tennis. Collegiate male table...
The purpose of this study was to clarify the temporal coordination between gaze, head, and arm movements during forehand rallies in table tennis. Collegiate male table tennis players (n = 7) conducted forehand rallies at a constant tempo (100, 120, and 150 bpm) using a metronome. In each tempo condition, participants performed 30 strokes (a total of 90 strokes). Gaze, head, and dominant arm (shoulder, elbow, and wrist) movements were recorded with an eye-tracking device equipped with a Gyro sensor and a 3-D motion capture system. The results showed that the effect of head movements relative to gaze movements was significantly higher than that of eye movements in the three tempo conditions. Our results indicate that head movements are closely associated with gaze movements during rallies. Furthermore, cross-correlation coefficients (CCs) between head and arm movements were more than 0.96 (maximum coefficient: 0.99). In addition, head and arm movements were synchronized during rallies. Finally, CCs between gaze and arm movements were more than 0.74 (maximum coefficient: 0.99), indicating that gaze movements are temporally coordinated with arm movements. Taken together, head movements could play important roles not only in gaze tracking but also in the temporal coordination with arm movements during table tennis forehand rallies.
Topics: Humans; Male; Arm; Young Adult; Head Movements; Tennis; Psychomotor Performance; Eye Movements; Movement; Head
PubMed: 38874996
DOI: 10.1002/ejsc.12098 -
NeuroImage Aug 2024Even though actions we observe in everyday life seem to unfold in a continuous manner, they are automatically divided into meaningful chunks, that are single actions or...
Even though actions we observe in everyday life seem to unfold in a continuous manner, they are automatically divided into meaningful chunks, that are single actions or segments, which provide information for the formation and updating of internal predictive models. Specifically, boundaries between actions constitute a hub for predictive processing since the prediction of the current action comes to an end and calls for updating of predictions for the next action. In the current study, we investigated neural processes which characterize such boundaries using a repertoire of complex action sequences with a predefined probabilistic structure. Action sequences consisted of actions that started with the hand touching an object (T) and ended with the hand releasing the object (U). These action boundaries were determined using an automatic computer vision algorithm. Participants trained all action sequences by imitating demo videos. Subsequently, they returned for an fMRI session during which the original action sequences were presented in addition to slightly modified versions thereof. Participants completed a post-fMRI memory test to assess the retention of original action sequences. The exchange of individual actions, and thus a violation of action prediction, resulted in increased activation of the action observation network and the anterior insula. At U events, marking the end of an action, increased brain activation in supplementary motor area, striatum, and lingual gyrus was indicative of the retrieval of the previously encoded action repertoire. As expected, brain activation at U events also reflected the predefined probabilistic branching structure of the action repertoire. At T events, marking the beginning of the next action, midline and hippocampal regions were recruited, reflecting the selected prediction of the unfolding action segment. In conclusion, our findings contribute to a better understanding of the various cerebral processes characterizing prediction during the observation of complex action repertoires.
Topics: Humans; Magnetic Resonance Imaging; Male; Female; Adult; Young Adult; Brain Mapping; Brain; Psychomotor Performance
PubMed: 38871038
DOI: 10.1016/j.neuroimage.2024.120687 -
PloS One 2024Transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS) has been shown to modify excitability of the primary motor cortex (M1) and influence online motor learning. However,... (Randomized Controlled Trial)
Randomized Controlled Trial
Transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS) has been shown to modify excitability of the primary motor cortex (M1) and influence online motor learning. However, research on the effects of tDCS on motor learning has focused predominantly on simplified motor tasks. The purpose of the present study was to investigate whether anodal stimulation of M1 over a single session of practice influences online learning of a relatively complex rhythmic timing video game. Fifty-eight healthy young adults were randomized to either a-tDCS or SHAM conditions and performed 2 familiarization blocks, a 20-minute 5 block practice period while receiving their assigned stimulation, and a post-test block with their non-dominant hand. To assess performance, a performance index was calculated that incorporated timing accuracy elements and incorrect key inputs. The results showed that M1 a-tDCS enhanced the learning of the video game based skill more than SHAM stimulation during practice, as well as overall learning at the post-test. These results provide evidence that M1 a-tDCS can enhance acquisition of skills where quality or success of performance depends on optimized timing between component motions of the skill, which could have implications for the application of tDCS in many real-world contexts.
Topics: Humans; Transcranial Direct Current Stimulation; Male; Video Games; Female; Learning; Young Adult; Motor Cortex; Adult; Motor Skills
PubMed: 38870202
DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0295373 -
PloS One 2024Talking to oneself using the second-person pronoun ["you" has been shown to enhance performance and autonomous motivation in English speakers. However, there is a lack...
Talking to oneself using the second-person pronoun ["you" has been shown to enhance performance and autonomous motivation in English speakers. However, there is a lack of evidence on whether it can be replicated for speakers of other languages, such as Japanese, in which the grammatical subject is usually omitted in daily conversation. Based on self-determination theory, the present study examined the effects of second-person self-talk for a sample of Japanese individuals on task performance, intrinsic motivation, and three styles of extrinsically motivated regulations: identified, introjected, and external. We randomly assigned 411 undergraduate students to either an experimental group (second-person self-talk, first-person self-talk, and non-subject self-talk) or a control group. An anagram task was used to assess performance. No significant difference was found between the four groups in intrinsic motivation or performance. For extrinsic regulations, the results showed that first-person self-talk led to higher external regulation than non-subject self-talk and the control group. The possible reason for contradictory findings with our hypothesis and implications have been discussed.
Topics: Humans; Motivation; Male; Female; Young Adult; Japan; Adult; Personal Autonomy; Asian People; Language; Task Performance and Analysis; Adolescent; East Asian People
PubMed: 38870201
DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0305251 -
Cell Communication and Signaling : CCS Jun 2024Huntington's disease (HD) is a neurological disorder caused by a CAG expansion in the Huntingtin gene (HTT). HD pathology mostly affects striatal medium-sized spiny...
Huntington's disease (HD) is a neurological disorder caused by a CAG expansion in the Huntingtin gene (HTT). HD pathology mostly affects striatal medium-sized spiny neurons and results in an altered cortico-striatal function. Recent studies report that motor skill learning, and cortico-striatal stimulation attenuate the neuropathology in HD, resulting in an amelioration of some motor and cognitive functions. During physical training, extracellular vesicles (EVs) are released in many tissues, including the brain, as a potential means for inter-tissue communication. To investigate how motor skill learning, involving acute physical training, modulates EVs crosstalk between cells in the striatum, we trained wild-type (WT) and R6/1 mice, the latter with motor and cognitive deficits, on the accelerating rotarod test, and we isolated their striatal EVs. EVs from R6/1 mice presented alterations in the small exosome population when compared to WT. Proteomic analyses revealed that striatal R6/1 EVs recapitulated signaling and energy deficiencies present in HD. Motor skill learning in R6/1 mice restored the amount of EVs and their protein content in comparison to naïve R6/1 mice. Furthermore, motor skill learning modulated crucial pathways in metabolism and neurodegeneration. All these data provide new insights into the pathogenesis of HD and put striatal EVs in the spotlight to understand the signaling and metabolic alterations in neurodegenerative diseases. Moreover, our results suggest that motor learning is a crucial modulator of cell-to-cell communication in the striatum.
Topics: Huntington Disease; Animals; Extracellular Vesicles; Disease Models, Animal; Motor Skills; Corpus Striatum; Learning; Mice; Male; Mice, Transgenic; Mice, Inbred C57BL
PubMed: 38863004
DOI: 10.1186/s12964-024-01693-9 -
BMC Musculoskeletal Disorders Jun 2024Sit-to-stand (STS) is one of the most commonly performed functional movements in a child's daily life that enables the child to perform functional activities such as...
BACKGROUND
Sit-to-stand (STS) is one of the most commonly performed functional movements in a child's daily life that enables the child to perform functional activities such as independent transfer and to initiate walking and self-care. Children with cerebral palsy (CP) often have reduced STS ability. The aim of this study was to describe STS performance in a national based total population of children with CP and its association with age, sex, Gross Motor Function Classification System (GMFCS) level, and CP subtype.
METHODS
This cross-sectional study included 4,250 children (2,503 boys, 1,747 girls) aged 1-18 years from the Swedish Cerebral Palsy Follow-Up Program (CPUP). STS performance was classified depending on the independence or need for support into "without support," "with support," or "unable." "With support" included external support from, e.g., walls and furniture. Physical assistance from another person was classified as "unable" (dependent). Ordinal and binary logistic regression analyses were used to identify associations between STS and age, GMFCS level, and CP subtype.
RESULTS
60% of the children performed STS without support, 14% performed STS with support, and 26% were unable or needed assistance from another person. STS performance was strongly associated with GMFCS level and differed with age and subtype (p < 0.001). For all GMFCS levels, STS performance was lowest at age 1-3 years. Most children with GMFCS level I (99%) or II (88%) performed STS without support at the age of 4-6 years. In children with GMFCS level III or IV, the prevalence of independent STS performance improved throughout childhood. CP subtype was not associated with STS performance across all GMFCS levels when adjusted for age.
CONCLUSIONS
Independent STS performance in children with CP is associated with GMFCS level and age. Children with CP acquire STS ability later than their peers normally do. The proportion of children with independent STS performance increased throughout childhood, also for children with GMFCS level III or IV. These findings suggest the importance of maintaining a focus on STS performance within physiotherapy strategies and interventions for children with CP, including those with higher GMFCS level.
Topics: Humans; Cerebral Palsy; Cross-Sectional Studies; Male; Female; Child; Child, Preschool; Adolescent; Sweden; Infant; Sitting Position; Standing Position; Motor Skills; Activities of Daily Living
PubMed: 38862936
DOI: 10.1186/s12891-024-07557-0 -
PloS One 2024In response to the adverse impacts of the COVID-19 lockdown measures Move Well, Feel Good (MWFG) was developed as a school intervention using improvement of motor...
BACKGROUND
In response to the adverse impacts of the COVID-19 lockdown measures Move Well, Feel Good (MWFG) was developed as a school intervention using improvement of motor competence as a mechanism for promoting positive mental health. Study objectives were to evaluate the feasibility and acceptability of MWFG and to describe changes in child-level outcomes.
METHODS
Five northwest England primary schools were recruited. MWFG was delivered over 10-weeks through physical education (PE) lessons, which were supplemented by optional class-time, break-time, and home activities. The intervention focused on development of 9-10 year-old children's motor competence in locomotor, object control, and stability skills, and psychosocial skills. Feasibility was evaluated against nine pre-defined criteria using surveys, interviews (teachers), and focus groups (children). Pre- and post-intervention assessments of motor competence, mental health, prosocial behaviour, wellbeing, and 24-hour movement behaviours were also completed.
RESULTS
The five recruited schools represented 83% of the target number, 108 children consented (54% of target) with teachers recruited in all schools (100% of target). Intervention dose was reflected by 76% of the 45 scheduled PE lessons being delivered, and adherence was strong (>85% of children attending ≥75% of lessons). Positive indicators of acceptability were provided by 86% of children, 83% of PE teachers, and 90% of class teachers. Data collection methods were deemed acceptable by 91% of children and 80% of class teachers, and children spoke positively about participating in the data collection. Child-level outcome data collection was completed by 65%-97% of children, with a 3%-35% attrition rate at post-intervention, depending on measure. Favourable changes in motor competence (+13.7%), mental health difficulties (-8.8%), and prosocial behaviour (+7.6%) were observed.
CONCLUSIONS
MWFG is an acceptable and feasible motor competence intervention to promote positive mental health. Content and delivery modifications could inform progression to a pilot trial with a more robust design.
Topics: Humans; Child; Male; Female; Mental Health; Feasibility Studies; Schools; COVID-19; Motor Skills; Physical Education and Training; England; Health Promotion; SARS-CoV-2
PubMed: 38861557
DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0303033 -
Journal of Vision Jun 2024When interacting with the environment, humans typically shift their gaze to where information is to be found that is useful for the upcoming action. With increasing age,...
When interacting with the environment, humans typically shift their gaze to where information is to be found that is useful for the upcoming action. With increasing age, people become slower both in processing sensory information and in performing their movements. One way to compensate for this slowing down could be to rely more on predictive strategies. To examine whether we could find evidence for this, we asked younger (19-29 years) and older (55-72 years) healthy adults to perform a reaching task wherein they hit a visual target that appeared at one of two possible locations. In separate blocks of trials, the target could appear always at the same location (predictable), mainly at one of the locations (biased), or at either location randomly (unpredictable). As one might expect, saccades toward predictable targets had shorter latencies than those toward less predictable targets, irrespective of age. Older adults took longer to initiate saccades toward the target location than younger adults, even when the likely target location could be deduced. Thus we found no evidence of them relying more on predictive gaze. Moreover, both younger and older participants performed more saccades when the target location was less predictable, but again no age-related differences were found. Thus we found no tendency for older adults to rely more on prediction.
Topics: Humans; Aged; Middle Aged; Adult; Male; Female; Saccades; Aging; Young Adult; Fixation, Ocular; Reaction Time; Photic Stimulation; Psychomotor Performance; Eye Movements; Age Factors
PubMed: 38856982
DOI: 10.1167/jov.24.6.8