Increased androgenic sensitivity in the hind limb muscular system marks the evolution of a derived gestural display

Physical gestures are prominent features of many species’ multimodal displays, yet how evolution incorporates body and leg movements into animal signaling repertoires is unclear. Androgenic hormones modulate the production of reproductive signals and sexual motor skills in many vertebrates; therefore, one possibility is that selection for physical signals drives the evolution of androgenic sensitivity in select neuromotor pathways. We examined this issue in the Bornean rock frog (Staurois parvus, family: Ranidae). Males court females and compete with rivals by performing both vocalizations and hind limb gestural signals, called “foot flags.” Foot flagging is a derived display that emerged in the ranids after vocal signaling. Here, we show that administration of testosterone (T) increases foot flagging behavior under seminatural conditions. Moreover, using quantitative PCR, we also find that adult male S. parvus maintain a unique androgenic phenotype, in which androgen receptor (AR) in the hind limb musculature is expressed at levels ∼10× greater than in two other anuran species, which do not produce foot flags (Rana pipiens and Xenopus laevis). Finally, because males of all three of these species solicit mates with calls, we accordingly detect no differences in AR expression in the vocal apparatus (larynx) among taxa. The results show that foot flagging is an androgen-dependent gestural signal, and its emergence is associated with increased androgenic sensitivity within the hind limb musculature. Selection for this novel gestural signal may therefore drive the evolution of increased AR expression in key muscles that control signal production to support adaptive motor performance.

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Efficacy of Mental Imagery in Enhancing Mental Rehearsal of Motor Skills

Journal of Sport Psychology ◽

10.1123/jsp.4.1.41 ◽

1982 ◽

Vol 4 (1) ◽

pp. 41-51 ◽

Cited By ~ 31

Author(s):

E. Dean Ryan ◽

Jeff Simons

Keyword(s):

Cognitive Style ◽

Mental Imagery ◽

Motor Skills ◽

Motor Performance ◽

Visual Images ◽

Single Session ◽

Physical Practice ◽

Mental Rehearsal ◽

Learning Improvement ◽

Better Than

To investigate the mental imagery aspect of mental rehearsal, 80 male traffic officers from the California Highway Patrol learned a novel balancing task during a single session. Based on a pretest questionnaire, subjects were categorized as imagers, nonimagers, or occasional imagers and assigned to one of six groups accordingly: imagers asked to use imagery in mental rehearsal, imagers asked to try not to use imagery, nonimagers asked not to use imagery, nonimagers asked to try to use imagery, physical practice, or no practice. It was hypothesized that a person's preferred cognitive style would prove most effective for use in mental rehearsal and that using another style would cause a decrement in learning. Improvement scores indicated no differences between subjects who initially reported typically using imagery and those reported typically not using it, but groups asked to use imagery in mental rehearsal were superior to those asked not to (p<.001). Overall, physical practice was better than the grouped mental rehearsal conditions, and both were better than no practice. Subjects reporting strong visual imagery were superior to those with weak visual images (p<.03), and those reporting strong kinesthetic imagery were superior to those with weak kinesthetic images (p<.03). Regardless of one's typical cognitive style, the use of vivid imagery appears quite important for enhancement of motor performance through mental rehearsal.

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Assessing Motor Performance in Preschool Children: The Zurich Neuromotor Assessment-2 and the Movement Assessment Battery for Children-2

Perceptual and Motor Skills ◽

10.1177/00315125211025246 ◽

2021 ◽

pp. 003151252110252

Author(s):

Gerda van der Veer ◽

Erica Kamphorst ◽

Alexander Minnaert ◽

Marja Cantell ◽

Tanja H. Kakebeeke ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Preschool Children ◽

Young Children ◽

Motor Skills ◽

Motor Performance ◽

Assessment Tools ◽

Fine Motor ◽

Assessment Battery ◽

Movement Assessment ◽

Zurich Neuromotor Assessment ◽

Pearson Correlations

Comparing motor assessment tools that are available for young children is important in order to select the most appropriate clinical and research tools. Hence, this study compared motor performance assessed with the Zurich Neuromotor Assessment-2 (ZNA-2) to the Movement Assessment Battery for Children-2 (MABC-2). The sample consisted of 169 children, aged 3–5 years (87 boys; 51%). We used Pearson correlations to examine relationships between the ZNA-2 and MABC-2 component and total scores. In addition, Pearson correlations were performed between individual fine motor and balance items of the ZNA-2 and MABC-2. Results were that the total scores of the ZNA-2 and MABC-2 correlated moderately ( r = .40, p < .001). Non-significant to moderate correlations were found between components ( r = −.00 to .47) and between individual items of fine motor skills ( r = .04 to .38) and balance ( r = −.12 to .38). Thus, the ZNA-2 and MABC-2 measure partly similar and partly different aspects of motor performance.

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Efficacy of fine motor and balance exercises on fine motor skills in children with sensorineural hearing loss

Restorative Neurology and Neuroscience ◽

10.3233/rnn-211156 ◽

2021 ◽

pp. 1-10

Author(s):

Elsayed S. Mehrem ◽

Lamyaa A. Fergany ◽

Said A. Mohamed ◽

Hany M. Fares ◽

Roshdy M. Kamel

Keyword(s):

Hearing Loss ◽

Sensorineural Hearing Loss ◽

Motor Skills ◽

Motor Performance ◽

Fine Motor ◽

Control Group ◽

Fine Motor Skills ◽

Significant Difference ◽

Balance Exercises ◽

Fine Motor Performance

Background: Childhood hearing impairment is a major disability associated with delayed motor development. The affected Fine motor performance in children with sensorineural hearing loss (SNHL) could be due to dynamic balance deficits and visual-motor incoordination. Objective: This study was designed to investigate the effects of fine motor exercises with or without balancing exercises on fine motor skills in children with SNHL. Methods: One hundred and eighty (180) children their age ranged from 8 to 18 years old diagnosed with SNHL were selected. They were divided into three groups, 60 children (control group) practiced only their ordinary activities of daily living, 60 children (fine motor exercises group) practiced fine motor exercises, and 60 children (fine motor and balance exercise) group practiced fine motor and balance exercises. The outcomes were assessed by the Bruininks Oseretsky Test of the motor proficiency second edition scale (BOT-2). Results: Generally, there was a statistically significant difference between control group and fine motor exercises group where (p < 0.05), besides, there was a statistically significant difference between control group and fine motor and balance exercises group where (p < 0.05). But, there was no statistically significant difference between fine motor exercises group and fine motor and balance exercises group where (p > 0.05). Conclusions: The Fine Motor performance of children with SNHL has been improved by Fine motor with or without balancing exercises according to (BOT-2).

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A brief review on motor development: fundamental motor skills as a basis for motor skill learning

Brazilian Journal of Motor Behavior ◽

10.20338/bjmb.v15i5.257 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 15 (5) ◽

pp. 342-355

Author(s):

Rodolfo N. Benda ◽

Nádia F. S. Marinho ◽

Marcelo G. Duarte ◽

Patrick C. Ribeiro-Silva ◽

Paloma R. Ortigas ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Motor Skills ◽

Motor Development ◽

Motor Performance ◽

Development Process ◽

Skill Learning ◽

Motor Skill Learning ◽

Motor Competence ◽

Fundamental Motor Skills ◽

Motor Activities ◽

The Relationship

In this study, we review the relationship between motor development and motor learning, and present a new metaphor that represents the sequence of motor development, which highlights fundamental motor skills as an important phase in the process. As one of the most relevant phases of motor development, several studies that analyzed fundamental motor skills were reviewed in typical developing children as well as in children with disabilities. Most studies revealed motor performance levels below expected since proficiency was not observed. We discuss these results considering fundamental motor skills as essential for the motor development process. Such results raise the awareness of the need to offer children conditions to explore and experience motor activities in order to enhance motor competence.

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Motor Skills and Advanced Gross Motor Performance Correlate with White Matter Microstructure in Adults With Very Low Birth Weight

Pediatric Research ◽

10.1038/pr.2011.532 ◽

2011 ◽

Vol 70 ◽

pp. 307-307

Author(s):

K A Evensen ◽

S Lund ◽

A Olsen ◽

L Eikenes ◽

A Håberg ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Birth Weight ◽

White Matter ◽

Low Birth Weight ◽

Motor Skills ◽

Motor Performance ◽

Very Low Birth Weight ◽

Gross Motor ◽

White Matter Microstructure ◽

Gross Motor Performance

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INFLUÊNCIA DO TREINAMENTO CONCORRENTE DE CAPOEIRA E ATLETISMO NO DESEMPENHO MOTOR DE CRIANÇAS PRATICANTES DE FUTSAL

Revista de Educação Física / Journal of Physical Education ◽

10.37310/ref.v81i155.474 ◽

1970 ◽

Vol 81 (155) ◽

Author(s):

Evaldo Maciel Pinto ◽

Diogo Guimarães ◽

Athos Henrique Rocha Villaça ◽

Sebastião Lobo Da Silva ◽

Bibiano Madrid

Keyword(s):

Weight Gain ◽

Motor Skills ◽

Repeated Measures ◽

Motor Performance ◽

Concurrent Training ◽

Motor Proficiency ◽

Repeated Measures Anova ◽

Kolmogorov Smirnov ◽

Study Participants ◽

Post Hoc

This study aimed to determine the influence of concurrent training and athletic capoeira levels of motor performance in children aged 7 to 10 years indoor football. Study participants were children (n = 39) were male. The subjects were divided into two groups, submitted to concurrent training, the AF group (n = 20) underwent the training of soccer and athletics and FC group (n = 19) soccer and capoeira. To study and evaluate the level of motor performance of the two sample groups, we applied a battery of tests for statistical analysis and checked the normality of the data (Kolmogorov-Smirnov) and applied repeated measures ANOVA with post hoc Bonferroni. We used the statistical packages SPSS (12.0) and Instat (3.0). The results note that in terms of motor proficiency children who practiced FC compared to children who practiced FA had equal values in the components of motor skills, however, both groups showed a trend in weight gain in their motor skills.

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Comparative study between school and motor performance in children aged 6 to 11 years according to teachers’ perceptions

Fisioterapia em Movimento ◽

10.1590/1980-5918.032.ao12 ◽

2019 ◽

Vol 32 ◽

Author(s):

Glória Maria Vilella-Cortez ◽

Heloisa Helena Marrara Ferreira ◽

Geruza Perlato Bella

Keyword(s):

School Performance ◽

Motor Skills ◽

Motor Development ◽

Motor Performance ◽

Chronological Age ◽

General Motor ◽

Chi Square ◽

Poor School Performance ◽

Chi Square Test ◽

Poor School

Abstract Introduction: Motor skills are enlarged during schooling age, with possible relation between motor and school performance. Objective: Compare motor skills of children with good and poor school performance, according to the teacher’s perception in the classroom. Method: School children aged 6 to 11 years were divided into two groups; poor school performance (PSP) and good school performance (GSP) and evaluated using the Motor Development Scale (MDS). The chronological age, general motor age and the motor quotient of each area evaluated were compared between the groups using the Mann-Whitney Test. The Chi-square test was used to associate the motor performance classification and the school performance. Results: Chronological age was similar between groups, although the general motor age was smaller in the PSP. The general motor quotient and the motor quotients in the areas of body scheme, spatial and temporal organization were significantly smaller in PSP. Most children were classified by the MDS as Low Normal or Medium Normal motor skills in both groups; however in the GSP, 27.5% of the children had a High Normal or Superior motor development and only 2.5% were classified as Very Inferior or Inferior. In the PSP, 12.5% had a Very Inferior or Inferior performance and only 6.25% had a High Normal or Superior performance (p < 0.05 - chi-square test). Conclusion: Results show a direct connection between poor school performance and motor skill difficulties, which illustrates the relation between motor and cognitive skills.

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Rewards interact with explicit knowledge to enhance skilled motor performance

Journal of Neurophysiology ◽

10.1152/jn.00575.2019 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 123 (6) ◽

pp. 2476-2490 ◽

Cited By ~ 2

Author(s):

Sean P. Anderson ◽

Tyler J. Adkins ◽

Bradley S. Gary ◽

Taraz G. Lee

Keyword(s):

Motor Skills ◽

Motor Performance ◽

Explicit Knowledge ◽

Motor Planning ◽

Motor Tasks

Offering people rewards and incentives typically improves their performance on skilled motor tasks. However, the mechanisms by which motivation impacts motor skills remains unclear. In two experiments, we show that motivation impacts motor sequencing skills in two separate ways. First, the prospect of reward speeds up the execution of all actions. Second, rewards provide an additional boost to motor planning when explicit skill knowledge can be used to prepare movements in advance.

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