Determination of flexibility and mobility levels for female physical education students and motor asymmetry analysis

Background and Study Aim. The aim of the study is the determination of flexibility and mobility levels (norm values) for female physical education students and analyses of the motor asymmetry. Material and Methods. In the study, 10 female physical education and sport students whose mean body weight was 59.3 kg and body height were 167.7 centimeters were included. Flexibility and mobility performance was measured by using tests such as a Forward-Backward Split (FBS0), Leg Raise forward (LRF0), Leg Raise Sideward (LRS0), Side Spit (SS0), Arm-Trunk Angle (AT0), Seat and reach hip angle degree (SRHA0). Data analysis in the study was made by using the IBM SPSS statistics 26 program. To handle the results of the study, the Independent-samples T-test and percentile(s) statistics were used. Norm values were given in four categories (20th, 40th, 60th, 80th) and middle fifty (50th). Calculation of the angle degrees was made by using the Kinovea-0.9.4-x64.exe program. Results. The findings have shown that the forward-backward split and leg raise forward angle degree when the right leg was ahead is significantly higher (better flexibility) than the forward-backward split and leg raise forward angle degree when the left leg was ahead (p<0.05). However, differences in the leg raise sideward angle degree in the right and left leg were not statistically significant (p>0.05). Conclusions. The study determined the level (norm values) of flexibility and mobility of female physical education students. The right leg flexibility and mobility level resulted to be significantly higher in comparison to the left leg.

The α-Synuclein Origin and Connectome Model (SOC Model) of Parkinson’s Disease: Explaining Motor Asymmetry, Non-Motor Phenotypes, and Cognitive Decline

A new model of Parkinson’s disease (PD) pathogenesis is proposed, the α-Synuclein Origin site and Connectome (SOC) model, incorporating two aspects of α-synuclein pathobiology that impact the disease course for each patient: the anatomical location of the initial α-synuclein inclusion, and α-synuclein propagation dependent on the ipsilateral connections that dominate connectivity of the human brain. In some patients, initial α-synuclein pathology occurs within the CNS, leading to a brain-first subtype of PD. In others, pathology begins in the peripheral autonomic nervous system, leading to a body-first subtype. In brain-first cases, it is proposed that the first pathology appears unilaterally, often in the amygdala. If α-synuclein propagation depends on connection strength, a unilateral focus of pathology will disseminate more to the ipsilateral hemisphere. Thus, α-synuclein spreads mainly to ipsilateral structures including the substantia nigra. The asymmetric distribution of pathology leads to asymmetric dopaminergic degeneration and motor asymmetry. In body-first cases, the α-synuclein pathology ascends via the vagus to both the left and right dorsal motor nuclei of the vagus owing to the overlapping parasympathetic innervation of the gut. Consequently, the initial α-synuclein pathology inside the CNS is more symmetric, which promotes more symmetric propagation in the brainstem, leading to more symmetric dopaminergic degeneration and less motor asymmetry. At diagnosis, body-first patients already have a larger, more symmetric burden of α-synuclein pathology, which in turn promotes faster disease progression and accelerated cognitive decline. The SOC model is supported by a considerable body of existing evidence and may have improved explanatory power.

Conceptual Scheme of Motor Asymmetry Control in Aerobic Cyclic Sports

In this article, based on well-known literary data, the motor asymmetry of a person in the training process of aerobic cyclic sports is considered. The authors have analyzed the features of manifestation and consequences of the formation of motor asymmetry, and assessed its impact on sports performance. Motor asymmetry has been found to be based on the genetic characteristics of the organism, but the lateral phenotype may change during a multi-year training process under the influence of physical exertion. Excessive asymmetry has been shown to cause various pathologies and injuries. The results of the study indicate that in aerobic cyclic sports motor asymmetry can be both a factor contributing to the growth of sports performance and a limiting one, depending on what function this or that part of the body performs. Despite the repetitive cycle of motor actions, typical for cyclic sports, only in 3 out of the 8 considered functions performed by limbs or a certain part of the body, motor asymmetry was a limiting factor. This allowed the authors to predict a possible conceptual scheme of motor asymmetry control in aerobic cyclic sports

Language deficits and motor asymmetry in children with SLI

The present study aims at investigating whether a link between language deficits and upper and lower limb motor asymmetry can be established. We assessed language skills, handedness, and footedness in a group of 13 children with Specific Language Impairment (SLI) and two control groups matched on language age (LA) and chronological age(CA) respectively. Specifically, we tested the production of object wh questions, object relative clauses and sigmatic past tense production for novel non-rhyming verbs, and administered hand and foot preferencequestionnaires. While significant between group differences were found in the language tasks, as participants with SLI performed significantly below CA controls, the same level of performance was shown for hand and foot preference. Further analysis revealed no correlation between foot and hand preference for the SLI group in contrast to typically developing children. Additional regression analysis showed that the non-right foot preference could predict participation in the SLI group. These results may be indicative of poor hand-foot coordination in the SLI group and increased chance for SLI individuals to be grouped as non-right footed. We interpret these findings as showing immature motor development in SLI and pointing to a weak correlation between motor laterality and language deficits. We discuss the implications of our findings for the characterisation of the deficit in SLI.