Aberrant Auditory and Visual Memory Development of Children with Upper Limb Motor Disorders

The current study aimed to compare differences in the cognitive development of children with and without upper limb motor disorders. The study involved 89 children from 3 to 15 years old; 57 children with similar upper limb motor disorders and 32 healthy children. Our results showed that motor disorders could impair cognitive functions, especially memory. In particular, we found that children between 8 and 11 years old with upper limb disorders differed significantly from their healthy peers in both auditory and visual memory scales. These results can be explained by the fact that the development of cognitive functions depends on the normal development of motor skills, and the developmental delay of motor skills affects cognitive functions. Correlation analysis did not reveal any significant relationship between other cognitive functions (attention, thinking, intelligence) and motor function. Altogether, these findings point to the need to adapt general habilitation programs for children with motor disorders, considering the cognitive impairment during their development. The evaluation of children with motor impairment is often limited to their motor dysfunction, leaving their cognitive development neglected. The current study showed the importance of cognitive issues for these children. Moreover, early intervention, particularly focused on memory, can prevent some of the accompanying difficulties in learning and daily life functioning of children with movement disorders.

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Sensory-Based Priming for Upper Extremity Hemiparesis After Stroke: A Scoping Review

OTJR Occupation Participation and Health ◽

10.1177/15394492211032606 ◽

2021 ◽

pp. 153944922110326

Author(s):

Mary E. Stoykov ◽

Courtney Heidle ◽

Shamshir Kang ◽

Lisa Lodesky ◽

Lindsay E. Maccary ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Electrical Stimulation ◽

Motor Skills ◽

Upper Limb ◽

Scoping Review ◽

Web Of Science ◽

Motor Impairment ◽

Cochrane Collaboration ◽

Prisma Statement ◽

Meta Analyses ◽

The Cochrane Collaboration

Sensory priming is a technique to facilitate neuroplasticity and improve motor skills after injury. Common sensory priming modalities include peripheral nerve stimulation/somatosensory electrical stimulation (PNS/SES), transient functional deafferentation (TFD), and vibration. The aim of this study was to determine whether sensory priming with a motor intervention results in improved upper limb motor impairment or function after stroke. PubMed, Cumulative Index to Nursing and Allied Health Literature (CINAHL), Web of Science, and EMBASE were the databases used to search the literature in July 2020. This scoping review followed the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) statement and recommendations for the Cochrane collaboration. In total, 30 studies were included in the analysis: three studies examined TFD, 16 examined PNS/SES, 10 studied vibration, and one combined the three stimulation techniques. Most studies reported significant improvements for participants receiving sensory priming. Given the low risk, it may be advantageous to use sensory-based priming prior to or concurrent with upper limb training after stroke.

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Relation Between Sensorimotor Rhythm During Motor Attempt/Imagery and Upper-Limb Motor Impairment in Stroke

Clinical EEG and Neuroscience ◽

10.1177/15500594211019917 ◽

2021 ◽

pp. 155005942110199

Author(s):

Shugeng Chen ◽

Xiaokang Shu ◽

Jie Jia ◽

Hewei Wang ◽

Li Ding ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Upper Limb ◽

Motor Impairment ◽

Motor Dysfunction ◽

Motor Tasks ◽

Rehabilitation Technology ◽

Modified Ashworth Scale ◽

Sensorimotor Rhythm ◽

The Relationship ◽

Ashworth Scale ◽

Wrist Flexors

Motor attempt (MA)/motor imagery (MI)-based brain–computer interface (BCI) is a newly developing rehabilitation technology for motor impairment. This study aims to explore the relationship between electroencephalography sensorimotor rhythm and motor impairment to provide reference for a BCI design. Twenty-eight stroke survivors with varying levels of motor dysfunction and spasticity status in the subacute or chronic stage were enrolled in the study to perform MA and MI tasks. Event-related desynchronization (ERD)/event-related synchronization (ERS) during and immediately after motor tasks were calculated. The Fugl–Meyer assessment scale (FMA) and the modified Ashworth scale (MAS) were applied to characterize upper-limb motor dysfunction and spasticity. There was a positive correlation between FMA total scores and ERS in the contralesional hemisphere in the MI task ( P < .05) and negative correlations between FMA total scores and ERD in both hemispheres in the MA task ( P < .05). Negative correlations were found between MAS scores of wrist flexors and ERD in the ipsilesional hemisphere ( P < .05) in the MA task. It suggests that motor dysfunction may be more correlated to ERS in the MI task and to ERD in the MA task while spasticity may be more correlated to ERD in the MA task.

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Association of Locus Coeruleus and Substantia Nigra Pathology With Cognitive and Motor Functions in Patients With Parkinson Disease

Neurology ◽

10.1212/wnl.0000000000012444 ◽

2021 ◽

pp. 10.1212/WNL.0000000000012444

Author(s):

Jannik Prasuhn ◽

Michelle Prasuhn ◽

Anja Fellbrich ◽

Robert Strautz ◽

Felicitas Lemmer ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Substantia Nigra ◽

Locus Coeruleus ◽

Cognitive Functions ◽

Intraclass Correlation ◽

Clinical Signs ◽

Motor Impairment ◽

Signs And Symptoms ◽

Motor Dysfunction ◽

Good Reliability ◽

Rater Reliability

Objective.To investigate the contribution of substantia nigra (SN) and locus coeruleus (LC) pathology to clinical signs and symptoms in Parkinson’s disease (PD) by applying neuromelanin-weighted imaging.Methods.Forty-seven patients with PD and 53 matched controls underwent motor assessment, a neuropsychological test battery and neuromelanin-weighted MRI. Patients with PD have been enrolled after fulfilling the criteria for ‘clinically established PD’ as defined by the Movement Disorders Society Clinical Diagnostic Criteria. Two independent raters identified SN and LC and calculated the contrast-to-noise ratio (CNR).Results.The intra-rater reliability demonstrated a good reliability between raters with an intraclass correlation coefficient of .88 (p<.001) and an inter-rater reliability of .80 (p<.001). Both, SN and LC CNRs were lower in patients with PD (p≤.001) compared to controls. The CNR of SN but not of LC was strongly correlated with disease duration (p≤.001). Neuromelanin pathology of the pars compacta-containing dorso-lateral SN correlated with MDS-UPDRS I, II and III but not cognitive functions. In contrast, neuromelanin pathology of LC was associated with cognitive functions in all tested domains but not with motor impairment or activities of daily living. No such associations were present in controls.Conclusions.Neuromelanin imaging of the SN and LC is well-suited to map neurodegeneration in PD. Neuromelanin pathology of the SN correlates with motor dysfunction whereas LC pathology is related to cognitive impairment. Neuromelanin-weighted imaging of the LC could thus serve as an imaging marker of executive and other cognitive dysfunctions in PD.Classification of Evidence:This study provides Class I evidence that neuromelanin-weighted imaging was associated with the severity of various signs and symptoms in patients with PD.

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Developing and Validating a New Web-Based Tapping Test for Measuring Distal Bradykinesia in Parkinson’s Disease

10.1101/2020.06.30.20141572 ◽

2020 ◽

Author(s):

Noreen Akram ◽

Haoxuan Li ◽

Aaron Ben-Joseph ◽

Caroline Budu ◽

David Gallagher ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Parkinson’S Disease ◽

Parkinson's Disease ◽

Upper Limb ◽

Characteristic Curve ◽

Motor Impairment ◽

Motor Fluctuation ◽

Motor Dysfunction ◽

Upper Limb Function ◽

Travelling Time ◽

User Friendly

ABSTRACTBackgroundDisability in Parkinson’s disease (PD) is measured by standardised scales including the MDS-UPDRS, which are subject to high inter and intra-rater variability and fail to capture subtle motor impairment. The BRadykinesia Akinesia INcoordination (BRAIN) test is a previously validated keyboard tapping test, evaluating proximal upper-limb motor impairment. Here, a new Distal Bradykinesia Tapping (DBT) test was developed to assess distal upper-limb function. Kinetic parameters of the test include kinesia score (KS20, key taps over 20 seconds), akinesia time (AT20, mean dwell-time on each key) and incoordination score (IS20, variance of travelling time between key taps).ObjectiveTo develop and validate a new keyboard-tapping test to assess distal motor function in PD patients.MethodsThe DBT test was validated in 45 PD patients and 24 controls, alongside the BRAIN test. Test scores were compared between groups and correlated with MDS-UPDRS-III scores. 10 additional PD patients were recruited to assess the DBT test in monitoring motor fluctuations.ResultsAll three parameters discriminated between patients and controls, with KS20 performing best, yielding 75% sensitivity for 85% specificity; area under the receiver operating characteristic curve (AUC) = 0.87. Combination of both the DBT and BRAIN tests improved discrimination (AUC=0.91). KS20 and AT20 correlated with MDS-UPDRS-III (Pearson’s r=-0.49, p<0.001 and r=0.54, p<0.001, respectively). The DBT test detected subtle changes in motor fluctuation states, which were not reflected clearly by MDS-UPDRS-III sub-scores.ConclusionThe DBT test is a user-friendly method of assessing distal motor dysfunction in PD, possibly permitting longitudinal monitoring of PD motor complications.

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ANALISA ALAT PERMAINAN EDUKATIF ANAK

STEAM Engineering ◽

10.37304/jptm.v1i2.717 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 1 (2) ◽

pp. 91-96

Author(s):

Wiyogo

Keyword(s):

Cognitive Development ◽

Engineering Education ◽

Motor Skills ◽

Mechanical Engineering ◽

Research Data ◽

Educational Game ◽

User Needs ◽

Initial Questionnaire ◽

Design And Manufacturing ◽

Index Value

Abstrak: Alat permainan edukatif memiliki manfaat penting dalam perkembangan kognitif anak, keterampilan motorik, dan kebugaran anak. Desain dan pembuatan yang dilakukan di Laboratorium Pendidikan Teknik Mesin Universitas Palangka Raya perlu dianalisis untuk mengetahui sejauh mana alat ini berguna. Hal pertama yang harus dilakukan adalah mempelajari literatur dan kemudian mengidentifikasi variabel penelitian yang bertujuan mendapatkan gambaran tentang apa yang dibutuhkan pengguna. Dari hasil kuesioner awal, tiga variabel diperoleh, yaitu desain, permainan mudah, dan keamanan. Data penelitian lebih lanjut yang telah diperoleh dengan nilai indeks dari produk yang diperoleh adalah 94,83%. Abstract: Educational game tools have important benefits in a child's cognitive development, motor skills, and children's fitness. The design and manufacturing done at the Mechanical Engineering Education Laboratory of Palangka Raya University needs to be analyzed to find out how far the tool is useful. The first thing to do is to study the literature and then identify research variables aimed at getting a picture of what the user needs. From the results of the initial questionnaire, three variables were obtained, namely design, easy game and safety. Further research data that have been obtained with an index value of the products obtained are 94.83%.

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Parkinson’s Disease Motor Symptom Progression Slowed with Multisensory Dance Learning over 3-Years: A Preliminary Longitudinal Investigation

Brain Sciences ◽

10.3390/brainsci11070895 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 11 (7) ◽

pp. 895

Author(s):

Karolina A. Bearss ◽

Joseph F. X. DeSouza

Keyword(s):

Parkinson’S Disease ◽

Parkinson's Disease ◽

Daily Living ◽

Rating Scale ◽

Motor Impairment ◽

Motor Dysfunction ◽

Motor Symptom ◽

Significant Group ◽

Rate Of Decline ◽

Symptom Progression

Parkinson’s disease (PD) is a neurodegenerative disease that has a fast progression of motor dysfunction within the first 5 years of diagnosis, showing an annual motor rate of decline of the Movement Disorder Society Unified Parkinson’s Disease Rating Scale (MDS-UPDRS) between 5.2 and 8.9 points. We aimed to determine both motor and non-motor PD symptom progression while participating in dance classes once per week over a period of three years. Longitudinal data was assessed for a total of 32 people with PD using MDS-UPDRS scores. Daily motor rate of decline was zero (slope = 0.000146) in PD-Dancers, indicating no motor impairment, whereas the PD-Reference group showed the expected motor decline across three years (p < 0.01). Similarly, non-motor aspects of daily living, motor experiences of daily living, and motor complications showed no significant decline. A significant group (PD-Dancers and PD-Reference) by days interaction showed that PD who train once per week have less motor impairment (M = 18.75) than PD-References who do not train (M = 24.61) over time (p < 0.05). Training is effective at slowing both motor and non-motor PD symptoms over three years as shown in decreased scores of the MDS-UPDRS.

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Twin-To-Twin Transfusion Syndrome Donor and Recipient and Their Subsequent Cognitive Functioning in Late Childhood as Juvenile Athletes—A Case Study

International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health ◽

10.3390/ijerph18052545 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 18 (5) ◽

pp. 2545

Author(s):

Ilona Bidzan-Bluma

Keyword(s):

Cognitive Functioning ◽

Motor Skills ◽

Cognitive Functions ◽

Late Childhood ◽

Semantic Fluency ◽

Motor Functioning ◽

Gross Motor Skills ◽

History Of

Objective: It is estimated that twin-to-twin transfusion syndrome (TTTS) occurs in 10–15% of monochorionic twin pregnancies. One of the fetuses takes on the role of donor and the other of recipient. The treatment administered involves serial amnioreduction and laser photocoagulation of the communicating blood vessels. After TTTS, children may have deficiencies in psychomotor functioning, in particular in cognitive functions, expressive language, and motor skills. Few scientific reports indicate that twins after TTTS do not demonstrate significant differences in tests which measure intellectual functioning. Methods: The cognitive functioning of twins in the late childhood period was compared using the following tools: an analysis of their medical history, an interview with their parents, and neuropsychological tests allowing the evaluation of their whole profile of cognitive functions. Case Study: Cognitive functioning in the late childhood period was analyzed in a pair of 11-year-old male twins (juvenile athletes), a donor and a recipient, who had developed TTTS syndrome in the prenatal period. Results: Comparison of the cognitive functioning profile of the donor and recipient revealed that children with a history of TTTS develop normally in terms of cognitive and motor functioning in late childhood. A comparative analysis of the donor and recipient was more favorable for the recipient, who had a higher level of general intelligence, visual–motor memory, and semantic fluency. Conclusions: The fact that both the donor and the recipient chose to pursue athletics suggests that gross motor skills are their strongest suit. Playing sports as a method of rehabilitation of cognitive function of children born prematurely after TTTS could contribute to the improvement of cognitive functioning.

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Comparison of motor outcomes between preschool children with univentricular and biventricular critical heart disease not diagnosed with cerebral palsy or acquired brain injury

Cardiology in the Young ◽

10.1017/s1047951121000895 ◽

2021 ◽

pp. 1-8

Author(s):

M. Florencia Ricci ◽

Alastair Fung ◽

Diane Moddemann ◽

Victoria Micek ◽

Gwen Y. Bond ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Cerebral Palsy ◽

Heart Disease ◽

Preschool Children ◽

Brain Injury ◽

Standard Deviation ◽

Motor Skills ◽

Odds Ratio ◽

Motor Impairment ◽

Acquired Brain Injury ◽

Manual Dexterity

Abstract This comparison study of two groups within an inception cohort aimed to compare the frequency of motor impairment between preschool children with univentricular and biventricular critical congenital heart disease (CHD) not diagnosed with cerebral palsy/acquired brain injury, describe and compare their motor profiles and explore predictors of motor impairment in each group. Children with an intellectual quotient <70 or cerebral palsy/acquired brain injury were excluded. Motor skills were assessed with the Movement Assessment Battery for Children-2. Total scores <5th percentile indicated motor impairment. Statistical analysis included χ2 test and multiple logistic regression analysis. At a mean age of 55.4 (standard deviation 3.77) months, motor impairment was present in 11.8% of those with biventricular critical CHD, and 32.4% (p < 0.001) of those with univentricular critical CHD. The greatest difference between children with biventricular and univentricular CHD was seen in total test scores 8.73(2.9) versus 6.44(2.8) (p < 0.01) and in balance skills, 8.84 (2.8) versus 6.97 (2.5) (p = 0.001). Manual dexterity mean scores of children with univentricular CHD were significantly below the general population mean (>than one standard deviation). Independent odds ratio for motor impairment in children with biventricular critical CHD was presence of chromosomal abnormality, odds ratio 10.9 (CI 2.13–55.8) (p = 0.004); and in children with univentricular critical CHD odds ratio were: postoperative day 1–5 highest lactate (mmol/L), OR: 1.65 (C1.04–2.62) (p = 0.034), and dialysis requirement any time before the 4.5-year-old assessment, OR: 7.8 (CI 1.08–56.5) (p = 0.042). Early assessment of motor skills, particularly balance and manual dexterity, allows for intervention and supports that can address challenges during the school years.

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Effect of post-stroke spasticity on voluntary movement of the upper limb

Journal of NeuroEngineering and Rehabilitation ◽

10.1186/s12984-021-00876-6 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 18 (1) ◽

Author(s):

Hadar Lackritz ◽

Yisrael Parmet ◽

Silvi Frenkel-Toledo ◽

Melanie C. Baniña ◽

Nachum Soroker ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Upper Limb ◽

Target Location ◽

Distance Measure ◽

Movement Time ◽

Motor Impairment ◽

Reach To Grasp ◽

Motion Patterns ◽

Post Stroke ◽

The Impact ◽

Elbow Motion

Abstract Background Hemiparesis following stroke is often accompanied by spasticity. Spasticity is one factor among the multiple components of the upper motor neuron syndrome that contributes to movement impairment. However, the specific contribution of spasticity is difficult to isolate and quantify. We propose a new method of quantification and evaluation of the impact of spasticity on the quality of movement following stroke. Methods Spasticity was assessed using the Tonic Stretch Reflex Threshold (TSRT). TSRT was analyzed in relation to stochastic models of motion to quantify the deviation of the hemiparetic upper limb motion from the normal motion patterns during a reaching task. Specifically, we assessed the impact of spasticity in the elbow flexors on reaching motion patterns using two distinct measures of the ‘distance’ between pathological and normal movement, (a) the bidirectional Kullback–Liebler divergence (BKLD) and (b) Hellinger’s distance (HD). These measures differ in their sensitivity to different confounding variables. Motor impairment was assessed clinically by the Fugl-Meyer assessment scale for the upper extremity (FMA-UE). Forty-two first-event stroke patients in the subacute phase and 13 healthy controls of similar age participated in the study. Elbow motion was analyzed in the context of repeated reach-to-grasp movements towards four differently located targets. Log-BKLD and HD along with movement time, final elbow extension angle, mean elbow velocity, peak elbow velocity, and the number of velocity peaks of the elbow motion were computed. Results Upper limb kinematics in patients with lower FMA-UE scores (greater impairment) showed greater deviation from normality when the distance between impaired and normal elbow motion was analyzed either with the BKLD or HD measures. The severity of spasticity, reflected by the TSRT, was related to the distance between impaired and normal elbow motion analyzed with either distance measure. Mean elbow velocity differed between targets, however HD was not sensitive to target location. This may point at effects of spasticity on motion quality that go beyond effects on velocity. Conclusions The two methods for analyzing pathological movement post-stroke provide new options for studying the relationship between spasticity and movement quality under different spatiotemporal constraints.

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