scholarly journals Dorsal and Ventral Stream Function in Children With Developmental Coordination Disorder

2021 ◽  
Vol 15 ◽  
Author(s):  
Serena Micheletti ◽  
Fleur Corbett ◽  
Janette Atkinson ◽  
Oliver Braddick ◽  
Paola Mattei ◽  
...  

Dorsal stream cortical networks underpin a cluster of visuomotor, visuospatial, and visual attention functions. Sensitivity to global coherence of motion and static form is considered a signature of visual cortical processing in the dorsal stream (motion) relative to the ventral stream (form). Poorer sensitivity to global motion compared to global static form has been found across a diverse range of neurodevelopmental disorders, suggesting a “dorsal stream vulnerability.” However, previous studies of global coherence sensitivity in Developmental Coordination Disorder (DCD) have shown conflicting findings. We examined two groups totalling 102 children with DCD (age 5–12 years), using the “Ball in the Grass” psychophysical test to compare sensitivity to global motion and global static form. Motor impairment was measured using the Movement-ABC (M-ABC). Global coherence sensitivity was compared with a typically developing control group (N = 69) in the same age range. Children with DCD showed impaired sensitivity to global motion (p = 0.002), but not global form (p = 0.695), compared to controls. Within the DCD group, motor impairment showed a significant linear relationship with global form sensitivity (p < 0.001). There was also a significant quadratic relationship between motor impairment and global motion sensitivity (p = 0.046), where poorer global motion sensitivity was only apparent with greater motor impairment. We suggest that two distinct visually related components, associated with global form and global motion sensitivity, contribute to DCD differentially over the range of severity of the disorder. Possible neural circuitry underlying these relationships is discussed.

Author(s):  
Janette Atkinson

Human visual development is a complex dynamic psychological/neurobiological process, being part of the developing systems for cognition, action, and attention. This article reviews current knowledge and methods of study of human visual development in infancy and childhood, in relation to typical early visual brain development, and how it can change in developmental disorders, both acquired (e.g., related to at-risk births) and genetic disorders. The newborn infant starts life with a functioning subcortical visual system which controls newborn orienting to nearby high contrast objects and faces. Although visual cortex may be active from birth, its characteristic stimulus selectivity and control of visual responses is generally seen to emerge around six to twelve weeks after birth. By age six months the infant has adequate acuity and contrast sensitivity in nearby space, and operating cortical mechanisms for discriminating colors, shapes, faces, movement, stereo depth, and distance of objects, as well as the ability to focus and shift attention between objects of interest. This may include both feedforward and feedback pathways between cortical areas and between cortical and subcortical areas. Two cortical streams start to develop and become interlinked, the dorsal stream underpinning motion, spatial perception and actions, and the ventral stream for recognition of objects and faces. The neural systems developing control and planning of actions include those for directed eye movements, reaching and grasping, and the beginnings of locomotion, with these action systems being integrated into the other developing subcortical and cortical visual networks by one year of age. Analysis of global static form (pattern) and global motion processing allows the development of dorsal and ventral streams to be monitored from infancy through childhood. The development of attention, visuomotor control and spatial cognition in the first years show aspects of function related to the developing dorsal stream, and their integration with the ventral stream. The milestones of typical visual development can be used to characterize visual and visuo-cognitive disorders early in life, such as in infants with perinatal brain injuries and those born very prematurely. The concept of “dorsal stream vulnerability” is outlined. It was initially based on deficits in global motion sensitivity relative to static form sensitivity, but can be extended to the planning and execution of visuomotor actions and problems of attention, together with visuospatial and numerical cognition. These problems are found in the phenotype of children with both genetic developmental disorders (e.g., Williams syndrome, autism, fragile-X, and dyslexia), and in acquired developmental disorders related to very preterm birth, or in children with abnormal visual input such as congenital cataract, refractive errors, or amblyopia. However, there are subtle differences in the manifestation of these disorders which may also vary considerably across individuals. Development in these clinical conditions illustrates the early, but limited, plasticity of visual brain mechanisms, and provides a challenge for the future in designing successful intervention and treatment.


2020 ◽  
Vol 100 (4) ◽  
pp. 633-644 ◽  
Author(s):  
Anjana Narayan Bhat

Abstract Background Motor impairments are pervasive in Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD); however, children with ASD rarely receive a dual diagnosis of Developmental Coordination Disorder (DCD). The Simons Foundation SPARK study engaged families affected by ASD through an online study. Objectives The DCD parent questionnaire (DCDQ) was used to assess the prevalence of a risk for motor impairment or DCD in children with ASD between 5 and 15 years of age. Design This study utilizes parent reports from a large database of children with ASD. Methods A total of 16,705 parents of children with ASD completed the DCDQ. We obtained our final SPARK dataset (n = 11,814) after filtering out invalid data, using stronger cut-offs to confirm ASD traits, and excluding children with general neuromotor impairments/intellectual delays. We compared DCDQ total and subscale scores from the SPARK dataset with published norms for each age between 5 and 15 years. Results The proportion of children with ASD at risk for a motor impairment was very high at 86.9%. Children with ASD did not outgrow their motor impairments and continued to present with a risk for DCD even into adolescence. Yet, only 31.6% of children were receiving physical therapy services. Limitations Our analysis of a large database of parent-reported outcomes using the DCDQ did not involve follow-up clinical assessments. Conclusions Using a large sample of children with ASD, this study shows that a risk for motor impairment or DCD was present in most children with ASD and persists into adolescence; however, only a small proportion of children with ASD were receiving physical therapist interventions. A diagnosis of ASD must trigger motor screening, evaluations, and appropriate interventions by physical and occupational therapists to address the functional impairments of children with ASD while also positively impacting their social communication, cognition, and behavior. Using valid motor measures, future research must determine if motor impairment is a fundamental feature of ASD.


Author(s):  
Nadja Schott ◽  
Nancy Getchell

Background: Children with developmental coordination disorder (DCD) frequently have difficulties performing gross motor skills such as the overarm throw. Our study examines the differences in both qualitative and quantitative characteristics of overarm throwing for accuracy between typically developing (TD) and children with DCD. Methods: A total of 74 children (36 females/38 males) aged between 7 and 11 years, participated in this study. The authors used the Movement Assessment Battery for Children—second edition to assess motor impairment. In total, 37 (50%) met the criteria for DCD. Each participant completed 10 overarm throws for accuracy at a target. The authors assessed movement quality using the component approach (Roberton & Halverson, 1984) and quantity using target accuracy. Results: The analyses revealed significantly lower throwing accuracy in DCD versus TD children. Children with DCD also demonstrated fewer component combinations and lower developmental levels than their TD peers. Finally, product scores tracked with process scores. Discussion: Both qualitative and quantitative measures clearly showed that children with DCD are at a disadvantage in controlling a ball during overarm throwing. They used stability profiles that limited coordination variability. TD participants performed more combinations of higher developmental levels to achieve more accurate throws, suggesting they controlled variability to optimize the accuracy of their throws.


2008 ◽  
Vol 107 (2) ◽  
pp. 457-472 ◽  
Author(s):  
Chia-Liang Tsai ◽  
Sheng-Kuang Wu

The study explored the relations of visual perceptual deficits and motor impairments in 60 children with Developmental Coordination Disorder (120.8 ± 4.0 mo.) and 60 controls (121.0 ± 5.3 mo.), who were matched by sex (29 boys and 31 girls) and age. They were separately assessed on fine and gross motor-dexterity tasks of the Movement Assessment Battery for Children, static balance and reaction time of lower extremities with eyes open or closed, and the Test of Visual-Perceptual Skills–Revised. Analysis showed the children with Developmental Coordination Disorder performed significantly worse than the control group, but only the visual perception and motor skills with timed responses were significantly correlated. When visual information was controlled, no significant correlation was noted, so motor-free visual perception appears to be significantly related to motor performance having a speed component in these children.


2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jenna Lee ◽  
Emily Farran ◽  
Kathryn E Bates ◽  
Elisabeth L. Hill ◽  
Hayley C. Leonard ◽  
...  

•Background: The prevalence of motor impairment is high in ADHD, but we do not know if this stems from infancy.•Aims: 1) to compare the acquisition of motor milestones across three groups: Typically Developing (TD), Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) and Developmental Coordination Disorder (DCD); 2) to determine the relationship between current motor ability and ADHD characteristics in children with ADHD. •Methods and Procedures: The parents of children aged 8-16 years (ADHD, N=100; DCD, N=66; TD, N=40) completed three online questionnaires: Motor milestone questionnaire; Developmental Coordination Disorder Questionnaire (DCDQ’07) (concurrent motor ability); Conners 3 Parent Rating Scale Long Form (ADHD characteristics). •Outcome and Results: When considered as a group, the ADHD group achieved motor milestones within a typical timeframe, despite concurrent motor impairments. Motor ability was not associated with ADHD characteristics. Latent Profile Analysis demonstrated that 56% of the ADHD group and 48% of the DCD group shared the same profile of motor milestone achievement, concurrent motor ability and ADHD characteristics. •Outcomes and Conclusions: Unlike children with DCD, the motor impairment often observed in ADHD is not evident from infancy. It is also not part of the ADHD phenotype. Individual differences analysis demonstrated the broad heterogeneity of the ADHD phenotype.


2020 ◽  
Vol 11 (4) ◽  
pp. 6375-6378
Author(s):  
Ganapathy Sankar U ◽  
Monisha R

Developmental coordination disorder is marked by difficulty in participation in sports as well as in academic activities; they experience difficulty in planning any event, sequencings and implementing any motor tasks. Women engaged in employment as well as responsible for children with motor impairment were referred to as a sandwich generation. 5% of women were found to have a dual-role and it is expected that it is more common among urban localities. They experience difficulty in balancing work as well as home, and it is expected that they experience low quality of life. Literature review over the past ten years resulted with inconclusive evidence, and no documents exist in considering the role on balance outcomes for working sandwich generation women with a Developmental Coordination Disorder child. The aim of the current study was attained by the use of a questionnaire to 20 mothers in Kancheepuram district, and they should full fill the criteria as a working sandwich generation women. Data were summarized, and descriptive statistics, as well as correlation coefficient, was used to find out that they experience neither balance nor imbalance in their quality of life. It has been concluded that between role conflict and role interaction were the factors affecting role balance.


2016 ◽  
Vol 28 (12) ◽  
pp. 1897-1908 ◽  
Author(s):  
Oliver Braddick ◽  
Janette Atkinson ◽  
Erik Newman ◽  
Natacha Akshoomoff ◽  
Joshua M. Kuperman ◽  
...  

Sensitivity to global visual motion has been proposed as a signature of brain development, related to the dorsal rather than ventral cortical stream. Thresholds for global motion have been found to be elevated more than for global static form in many developmental disorders, leading to the idea of “dorsal stream vulnerability.” Here we explore the association of global motion thresholds with individual differences in children's brain development, in a group of typically developing 5- to 12-year-olds. Good performance was associated with a relative increase in parietal lobe surface area, most strongly around the intraparietal sulcus and decrease in occipital area. In line with the involvement of intraparietal sulcus, areas in visuospatial and numerical cognition, we also found that global motion performance was correlated with tests of visuomotor integration and numerical skills. Individual differences in global form detection showed none of these anatomical or cognitive correlations. This suggests that the correlations with motion sensitivity are unlikely to reflect general perceptual or attentional abilities required for both form and motion. We conclude that individual developmental variations in global motion processing are not linked to greater area in the extrastriate visual areas, which initially process such motion, but in the parietal systems that make decisions based on this information. The overlap with visuospatial and numerical abilities may indicate the anatomical substrate of the “dorsal stream vulnerability” proposed as characterizing neurodevelopmental disorders.


Author(s):  
Christopher Gillberg ◽  
Elisabeth Fernell ◽  
I. Carina Gillberg ◽  
Björn Kadesjö

ADHD is often comorbid with other psychiatric/neurodevelopmental disorders, and is associated with developmental coordination disorder (DCD) in about half of all cases. Therefore, clinicians who are working with patients with ADHD need to be aware of the very strong association with motor impairment and should be able to diagnose motor control problems. There are evidence-based interventions for DCD, which makes it important for clinicians to be able to provide adequate assessment and early diagnosis. Several well-researched screening instruments are available, in particular the test of motor impairment, the movement assessment battery for children, and the screening devices designed by a Swedish group.


2020 ◽  
Vol 4 (1) ◽  
pp. e000633
Author(s):  
Karoliina Uusitalo ◽  
Leena Haataja ◽  
Anna Nyman ◽  
Liisi Ripatti ◽  
Mira Huhtala ◽  
...  

ObjectiveTo evaluate the rate of developmental coordination disorder (DCD) and its correlation to cognition and self-experienced health-related quality of life (HRQoL) in children born very preterm.DesignProspective follow-up study.SettingRegional population of children born very preterm in Turku University Hospital, Finland, in 2001–2006.PatientsA total of 170 children born very preterm were followed up until 11 years of age.Main outcome measuresMotor and cognitive outcomes were evaluated using the Movement Assessment Battery for Children - Second Edition (Movement ABC-2) and the Wechsler Intelligence Scale for Children - Fourth Edition, respectively, and HRQoL using the 17-Dimensional Illustrated Questionnaire (17D). The Touwen neurological examination was performed to exclude other neurological conditions affecting the motor outcome.ResultsEighteen children born very preterm (17 boys) (11.3%) had DCD, defined as Movement ABC-2 total test score ≤5th percentile. A positive correlation between motor and cognitive outcome (r=0.22, p=0.006) was found. Children born very preterm with DCD had lower cognitive scores than those without DCD (Full-Scale IQ mean 76.8 vs 91.6, p=0.001). Moreover, children born very preterm with DCD reported lower HRQoL than children born very preterm without motor impairment (17D mean 0.93 vs 0.96, p=0.03). However, HRQoL was higher in this group of children born very preterm compared with population-based normative test results (p<0.001).ConclusionsDCD was still common at 11 years of age in children born very preterm in 2000s. DCD associated with adverse cognitive development and lower self-experienced HRQoL. However, this group of children born very preterm reported better HRQoL in comparison with Finnish norms.


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