Motor Behavior in Down Syndrome: Atypical Sensoriomotor Control

The goal of this study was to evaluate the performance of gross motor skills of individuals with Down syndrome (DS) older than 10 years of age. Nine individuals with DS between 14 and 20 years (17.89±2.20) were recruited from “Centro de Ação Social Espaço Livre”, São Paulo, SP. They were videotaped performing six locomotor skills (running, galloping, hoping, leaping, horizontal jumping, sliding) and six object control skills (striking a stationary ball, stationary dribbling, catching, kicking, overhand throwing, underhand rolling) on one occasion at the same place where they were recruited. All performed skills were analyzed by three trained evaluators according to specific criteria to determine their age equivalent for both locomotor and object control skills. All participants presented age equivalent under their chronological age for all skills. According to these results, we conclude that individuals with DS above 10 years old present a developmental delay on gross motor skills. We also suggest that future investigations take into account an intervention protocol to DS individuals older than 10 years of age in order to verify its effects of it on these individuals’ motor behavior.

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Electromyographic evaluation of the lower limbs of patients with Down syndrome in hippotherapy

Acta Scientiarum Health Sciences ◽

10.4025/actascihealthsci.v39i1.28868 ◽

2017 ◽

Vol 39 (1) ◽

pp. 17 ◽

Cited By ~ 3

Author(s):

Mariane Fernandes Ribeiro ◽

Ana Paula Espindula ◽

Alex Abadio Ferreira ◽

Luciane Aparecida Pascucci Sande de Souza ◽

Vicente De Paula Antunes Teixeira

Keyword(s):

Down Syndrome ◽

Muscle Activation ◽

Motor Behavior ◽

Vastus Lateralis ◽

Rectus Femoris ◽

Gluteus Medius ◽

Biceps Femoris ◽

Functional Results ◽

Lower Limbs ◽

Tensor Fasciae Latae

Hippotherapy is a therapeutic method that uses the horse’s movement to achieve functional results in practitioners with Down syndrome (DS), who present motor and neurophysiological changes that affect the musculoskeletal system. Evaluating the motor behavior related to the control and the improvement of muscle activation in practitioners with Down syndrome subjected to hippotherapy. 10 practitioners were divided into two groups: Down Group (DG) – practitioners with DS, and Healthy Group (HG) – practitioners with no physical impairment. The muscles gluteus medius, tensor fasciae latae, rectus femoris, vastus medialis, vastus lateralis, biceps femoris, tibialis anterior and gastrocnemius were evaluated by electromyography using gross RMS values, which correspond to muscle activation; the evaluations were performed on the 1st and 10th hippotherapy sessions (frequency: once a week), and after 2 months interval without treatment, they were performed on the 1st and 10th hippotherapy sessions (frequency: twice a week). It was noted that activation of the studied muscles increased with the passing of sessions, regardless the weekly frequency of attendance; however, the period without treatment resulted in reduction of this effect. Practitioners with DS presented satisfactory changes in muscle activation pattern, in learning and in motor behavior during hippotherapy sessions.

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Analysis of patterns of motor behavior in gamers with down syndrome

CVPR 2011 WORKSHOPS ◽

10.1109/cvprw.2011.5981673 ◽

2011 ◽

Cited By ~ 3

Author(s):

Jeremy Svendsen ◽

Alexandra Branzan Albu ◽

Naznin Virji-Babul

Keyword(s):

Down Syndrome ◽

Motor Behavior

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Effects of hippotherapy on posture in individuals with Down Syndrome

Fisioterapia em Movimento ◽

10.1590/1980-5918.029.003.ao07 ◽

2016 ◽

Vol 29 (3) ◽

pp. 497-506 ◽

Cited By ~ 2

Author(s):

Ana Paula Espindula ◽

Mariane Fernandes Ribeiro ◽

Luciane Aparecida Pascucci Sande de Souza ◽

Alex Abadio Ferreira ◽

Mara Lúcia da Fonseca Ferraz ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Down Syndrome ◽

Statistical Analysis ◽

Musculoskeletal System ◽

Motor Behavior ◽

Descriptive Analysis ◽

Lower Limbs ◽

P Value ◽

Postural Alignment ◽

Before And After ◽

Qualitative Descriptive

Abstract Introduction: Individuals with Down syndrome (DS) have alterations that affect the musculoskeletal system, causing abnormal patterns, and alter the morphological anatomical and mechanical axes that provide intrinsic stability to the skeleton, and can trigger misalignments and orthopedic disorders in adulthood. Objective: The objective of student to evaluate posture and postural alignment before and after the hippotherapyin individuals with DS. Methods: Posture of five individuals with DS was evaluated by the software SAPO before and after 27 sessions the hippotherapy. Data were subjected to qualitative descriptive analysis using cluster and statistical analysis with the aid of the software Sigma Stat 2.0, considering differences as statistically significant at p-value < 5%. Results: Improvements were achieved for the alignment of shoulder, head, hip, and lower limbs, in addition to decrease in kyphosis and head protrusion. Conclusion: Patients with DS demonstrated satisfactory changes in motor behavior reflected in improved static posture after treatment with hippotherapy.

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Neuropsychiatric Symptoms of Alzheimer’s Disease in Down Syndrome and Its Impact on Caregiver Distress

Journal of Alzheimer s Disease ◽

10.3233/jad-201009 ◽

2021 ◽

pp. 1-20

Author(s):

Luciana Mascarenhas Fonseca ◽

Guilherme Prado Mattar ◽

Glenda Guerra Haddad ◽

Burduli Ekaterina ◽

Sterling M. McPherson ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Down Syndrome ◽

Symptom Severity ◽

Motor Behavior ◽

Neuropsychiatric Symptoms ◽

Caregiver Distress ◽

Neuropsychiatric Inventory ◽

Point Increase ◽

Behavior Disturbances ◽

Behavior Disturbance ◽

Prodromal Dementia

Background: Neuropsychiatric symptoms (NPS) are non-cognitive manifestations common to dementia and other medical conditions, with important consequences for the patient, caregivers, and society. Studies investigating NPS in individuals with Down syndrome (DS) and dementia are scarce. Objective: Characterize NPS and caregiver distress among adults with DS using the Neuropsychiatric Inventory (NPI). Methods: We evaluated 92 individuals with DS (≥30 years of age), divided by clinical diagnosis: stable cognition, prodromal dementia, and AD. Diagnosis was determined by a psychiatrist using the Cambridge Examination for Mental Disorders of Older People with Down’s Syndrome and Others with Intellectual Disabilities (CAMDEX-DS). NPS and caregiver distress were evaluated by an independent psychiatrist using the NPI, and participants underwent a neuropsychological assessment with Cambridge Cognitive Examination (CAMCOG-DS). Results: Symptom severity differed between-groups for delusion, agitation, apathy, aberrant motor behavior, nighttime behavior disturbance, and total NPI scores, with NPS total score being found to be a predictor of AD in comparison to stable cognition (OR for one-point increase in the NPI = 1.342, p = 0.012). Agitation, apathy, nighttime behavior disturbances, and total NPI were associated with CAMCOG-DS, and 62% of caregivers of individuals with AD reported severe distress related to NPS. Caregiver distress was most impacted by symptoms of apathy followed by nighttime behavior, appetite/eating abnormalities, anxiety, irritability, disinhibition, and depression (R2 = 0.627, F(15,76) = 8.510, p < 0.001). Conclusion: NPS are frequent and severe in individuals with DS and AD, contributing to caregiver distress. NPS in DS must be considered of critical relevance demanding management and treatment. Further studies are warranted to understand the biological underpinnings of such symptoms.

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A Functional Systems Approach to Movement Pathology

Adapted Physical Activity Quarterly ◽

10.1123/apaq.10.4.312 ◽

1993 ◽

Vol 10 (4) ◽

pp. 312-323 ◽

Cited By ~ 4

Author(s):

Digby Elliott ◽

Daniel J. Weeks

Keyword(s):

Down Syndrome ◽

Systems Approach ◽

Motor Behavior ◽

Specific Model ◽

Functional Systems ◽

Mental Age ◽

Movement Organization ◽

Rules And Principles ◽

Initial Work ◽

And Control

Discussed in this paper is the application of a neurobehavioral, functional systems approach to the understanding of verbal-motor integration difficulties experienced by persons with Down syndrome. In initial work, noninvasive neuropsychological techniques were used to examine both the similarities and differences in cerebral organization and perceptual-motor behavior between persons with Down syndrome and control subjects of the same chronological and/or mental age. This group-difference research led to the development of a specific model of brain-behavior relations in persons with Down syndrome. The main feature of the model is the neuroanatomical disconnection of the brain areas responsible for speech perception and movement organization. The basic tenets of the model are described, and efforts to test and refine it are discussed. This approach exemplifies how general neurobehavioral rules and principles can be harnessed to understand the exceptions to those rules often encountered with special populations.

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