Could Motor Development Be an Emergent Property of Vestibular Stimulation and Primary Reflex Inhibition? A Tentative Approach to Sensorimotor Therapy

Abstract Background: At birth the vestibular system is fully mature, and primitive reflexes are functional whilst higher order sensory processing is yet to develop in the full-term neonate. Sequential motor development driven by primitive survival reflexes sets the appropriate framework for development of sensory processing including multisensory processing and sensorimotor integration.Results and conclusions: The current paper lays out a putative theoretical framework to account for the role vestibular stimulation may have driving multisensory and sensorimotor integration. Accordingly, vestibular stimulation, by activating the parieto-insular vestibular cortex, and/or the posterior parietal cortex may provide the cortical input for multisensory neurons in the superior colliculus that is needed for multisensory processing. Furthermore, we propose that primitive survival reflex-driven motor development, by inducing change of reference frames, may shape the receptive field of multisensory neurons. This, by leading to lack of spatial contingency between formally contingent stimuli, may cause degradation of prior motor responses, hence lead to integration of reflexes. Integration of primitive survival reflexes is mandatory prerequisite for cortically controlled motor responses to emerge. Additionally, we offer a testable hypothesis explaining the beneficial effect of sensory integration therapies regarding attentional processes. Key concepts of a sensorimotor integration therapy (e.g. targeted sensorimotor therapy (TSMT)) are also put into a neurological context. TSMT utilizes specific tools and instruments. It is administered in 8-weeks long successive treatment regimes, each gradually increasing vestibular and postural stimulation, so sensory-motor integration is facilitated, primitive reflexes are inhibited, and muscle strength is increased. Empirically TSMT is indicated for various diseases. Theoretical foundations of this sensorimotor therapy are discussed.

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Vestibular Stimulation May Drive Multisensory Processing: Principles for Targeted Sensorimotor Therapy (TSMT)

Brain Sciences ◽

10.3390/brainsci11081111 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 11 (8) ◽

pp. 1111

Author(s):

Brigitta Tele-Heri ◽

Karoly Dobos ◽

Szilvia Harsanyi ◽

Judit Palinkas ◽

Fanni Fenyosi ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Motor Development ◽

Sensorimotor Integration ◽

Posterior Parietal Cortex ◽

Reference Frames ◽

Multisensory Processing ◽

Vestibular Stimulation ◽

Testable Hypothesis ◽

Vestibular Cortex ◽

Cortical Input ◽

Treatment Regimens

At birth, the vestibular system is fully mature, whilst higher order sensory processing is yet to develop in the full-term neonate. The current paper lays out a theoretical framework to account for the role vestibular stimulation may have driving multisensory and sensorimotor integration. Accordingly, vestibular stimulation, by activating the parieto-insular vestibular cortex, and/or the posterior parietal cortex may provide the cortical input for multisensory neurons in the superior colliculus that is needed for multisensory processing. Furthermore, we propose that motor development, by inducing change of reference frames, may shape the receptive field of multisensory neurons. This, by leading to lack of spatial contingency between formally contingent stimuli, may cause degradation of prior motor responses. Additionally, we offer a testable hypothesis explaining the beneficial effect of sensory integration therapies regarding attentional processes. Key concepts of a sensorimotor integration therapy (e.g., targeted sensorimotor therapy (TSMT)) are also put into a neurological context. TSMT utilizes specific tools and instruments. It is administered in 8-weeks long successive treatment regimens, each gradually increasing vestibular and postural stimulation, so sensory-motor integration is facilitated, and muscle strength is increased. Empirically TSMT is indicated for various diseases. Theoretical foundations of this sensorimotor therapy are discussed.

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Vestibular stimulation influence on motor development in infants

Science ◽

10.1126/science.300899 ◽

1977 ◽

Vol 196 (4295) ◽

pp. 1228-1229 ◽

Cited By ~ 73

Author(s):

D. Clark ◽

Kreutzberg ◽

F. Chee

Keyword(s):

Motor Development ◽

Vestibular Stimulation

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Physiologic Studies Provide New Perspectives on Early Speech Development

Perspectives on Speech Science and Orofacial Disorders ◽

10.1044/ssod20.2.29 ◽

2010 ◽

Vol 20 (2) ◽

pp. 29-36

Author(s):

Erin M. Wilson ◽

Ignatius S. B. Nip

Keyword(s):

Motor Control ◽

Motor Development ◽

Motion Tracking ◽

Speech Development ◽

Speech Motor Control ◽

Therapeutic Approaches ◽

Facial Motion ◽

Disordered Speech ◽

Speech Motor ◽

Physiologic Data

Abstract Although certain speech development milestones are readily observable, the developmental course of speech motor control is largely unknown. However, recent advances in facial motion tracking systems have been used to investigate articulator movements in children and the findings from these studies are being used to further our understanding of the physiologic basis of typical and disordered speech development. Physiologic work has revealed that the emergence of speech is highly dependent on the lack of flexibility in the early oromotor system. It also has been determined that the progression of speech motor development is non-linear, a finding that has motivated researchers to investigate how variables such as oromotor control, cognition, and linguistic factors affect speech development in the form of catalysts and constraints. Physiologic data are also being used to determine if non-speech oromotor behaviors play a role in the development of speech. This improved understanding of the physiology underlying speech, as well as the factors influencing its progression, helps inform our understanding of speech motor control in children with disordered speech and provide a framework for theory-driven therapeutic approaches to treatment.

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