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Pham HM, Leung EJ, King JM, O'Brien KM, Ryu JH, Claxton LJ. Controlling posture to see the world: The integration of visual task demands and postural sway in sitting and standing infants. J Exp Child Psychol 2024; 238:105804. [PMID: 37913679 DOI: 10.1016/j.jecp.2023.105804] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/04/2023] [Accepted: 10/09/2023] [Indexed: 11/03/2023]
Abstract
Our ability to integrate posture with visually demanding tasks is a critical aspect of motor behavior flexibility. When looking at a small object, excessive body movements impair an individual's ability to visually attend to the object. To overcome this problem, we adjust our postural sway to successfully focus on the object. The goal of the current study was to assess whether infants also adjust postural sway when engaged in a challenging visual task. The participants, 19 independently sitting infants (Sitters) and 21 newly independently standing infants (Standers), sat or stood on a force plate while viewing differently sized images displayed on a monitor (smaller images: 8 × 6.5 cm or 3 × 3 cm; larger images: 13 × 16 cm or 13 × 13 cm). Regardless of image size, Standers were less stable than Sitters with larger sway areas and faster sway velocities. Both Sitters and Standers adjusted sway area but not sway velocity, based on image size. Sitters and Standers differed in how they controlled sway dynamics. Standers but not Sitters altered sway dynamics based on image size. Overall, infants used posture-specific adaptive control strategies to make fine-grained adjustments based on image size. The development of the ability to integrate posture with a visually demanding task further emphasizes the capability of advanced complex motor behaviors during infancy, enabling infants to flexibly attend to important aspects of their environment at different postural positions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hanh M Pham
- Department of Health and Kinesiology, Purdue University, West Lafayette, IN 47907, USA
| | - Elise J Leung
- Department of Health and Kinesiology, Purdue University, West Lafayette, IN 47907, USA
| | - Jennifer M King
- Department of Health and Kinesiology, Purdue University, West Lafayette, IN 47907, USA
| | - Kathleen M O'Brien
- Department of Health and Kinesiology, Purdue University, West Lafayette, IN 47907, USA
| | - Joong Hyun Ryu
- Department of Health and Kinesiology, Purdue University, West Lafayette, IN 47907, USA
| | - Laura J Claxton
- Department of Health and Kinesiology, Purdue University, West Lafayette, IN 47907, USA.
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Nicoli G, Pavon G, Grayson A, Emerson A, Mitra S. Touch may reduce cognitive load during assisted typing by individuals with developmental disabilities. Front Integr Neurosci 2023; 17:1181025. [PMID: 37600233 PMCID: PMC10434793 DOI: 10.3389/fnint.2023.1181025] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/06/2023] [Accepted: 07/20/2023] [Indexed: 08/22/2023] Open
Abstract
Many techniques have attempted to provide physical support to ease the execution of a typing task by individuals with developmental disabilities (DD). These techniques have been controversial due to concerns that the support provider's touch can influence the typed content. The most common interpretation of assisted typing as an ideomotor phenomenon has been qualified recently by studies showing that users with DD make identifiable contributions to the process. This paper suggests a neurophysiological pathway by which touch could lower the cognitive load of seated typing by people with DD. The required sensorimotor processes (stabilizing posture and planning and executing manual reaching movements) and cognitive operations (generating and transcribing linguistic material) place concurrent demands on cognitive resources, particularly executive function (EF). A range of developmental disabilities are characterized by deficits in sensorimotor and EF capacity. As light touch has been shown to facilitate postural coordination, it is proposed that a facilitator's touch could assist the seated typist with sensorimotor and EF deficits by reducing their sensorimotor workload and thereby freeing up shared cognitive resources for the linguistic elements of the task. This is the first theoretical framework for understanding how a facilitator's touch may assist individuals with DD to contribute linguistic content during touch-assisted typing.
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Affiliation(s)
- Giovanni Nicoli
- School of Social Sciences, Nottingham Trent University, Nottingham, United Kingdom
| | - Giulia Pavon
- School of Social Sciences, Nottingham Trent University, Nottingham, United Kingdom
| | - Andrew Grayson
- School of Social Sciences, Nottingham Trent University, Nottingham, United Kingdom
| | - Anne Emerson
- Faculty of Social Sciences, University of Nottingham, Nottingham, United Kingdom
| | - Suvobrata Mitra
- School of Social Sciences, Nottingham Trent University, Nottingham, United Kingdom
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3
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Minissi ME, Gómez-Zaragozá L, Marín-Morales J, Mantovani F, Sirera M, Abad L, Cervera-Torres S, Gómez-García S, Chicchi Giglioli IA, Alcañiz M. The whole-body motor skills of children with autism spectrum disorder taking goal-directed actions in virtual reality. Front Psychol 2023; 14:1140731. [PMID: 37089733 PMCID: PMC10117537 DOI: 10.3389/fpsyg.2023.1140731] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/09/2023] [Accepted: 03/13/2023] [Indexed: 04/08/2023] Open
Abstract
Many symptoms of the autism spectrum disorder (ASD) are evident in early infancy, but ASD is usually diagnosed much later by procedures lacking objective measurements. It is necessary to anticipate the identification of ASD by improving the objectivity of the procedure and the use of ecological settings. In this context, atypical motor skills are reaching consensus as a promising ASD biomarker, regardless of the level of symptom severity. This study aimed to assess differences in the whole-body motor skills between 20 children with ASD and 20 children with typical development during the execution of three tasks resembling regular activities presented in virtual reality. The virtual tasks asked to perform precise and goal-directed actions with different limbs vary in their degree of freedom of movement. Parametric and non-parametric statistical methods were applied to analyze differences in children's motor skills. The findings endorsed the hypothesis that when particular goal-directed movements are required, the type of action could modulate the presence of motor abnormalities in ASD. In particular, the ASD motor abnormalities emerged in the task requiring to take with the upper limbs goal-directed actions with low degree of freedom. The motor abnormalities covered (1) the body part mainly involved in the action, and (2) further body parts not directly involved in the movement. Findings were discussed against the background of atypical prospective control of movements and visuomotor discoordination in ASD. These findings contribute to advance the understanding of motor skills in ASD while deepening ecological and objective assessment procedures based on VR.
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Affiliation(s)
- Maria Eleonora Minissi
- Instituto Universitario de Investigación en Tecnología Centrada en el Ser Humano (HUMAN-tech), Universitat Politécnica de Valencia, Valencia, Spain
| | - Lucía Gómez-Zaragozá
- Instituto Universitario de Investigación en Tecnología Centrada en el Ser Humano (HUMAN-tech), Universitat Politécnica de Valencia, Valencia, Spain
| | - Javier Marín-Morales
- Instituto Universitario de Investigación en Tecnología Centrada en el Ser Humano (HUMAN-tech), Universitat Politécnica de Valencia, Valencia, Spain
| | - Fabrizia Mantovani
- Centre for Studies in Communication Sciences “Luigi Anolli” (CESCOM), Department of Human Sciences for Education “Riccardo Massa”, University of Milano - Bicocca, Milan, Italy
| | - Marian Sirera
- Red Cenit, Centros de Desarrollo Cognitivo, Valencia, Spain
| | - Luis Abad
- Red Cenit, Centros de Desarrollo Cognitivo, Valencia, Spain
| | - Sergio Cervera-Torres
- Instituto Universitario de Investigación en Tecnología Centrada en el Ser Humano (HUMAN-tech), Universitat Politécnica de Valencia, Valencia, Spain
| | - Soledad Gómez-García
- Facultad de Magisterio y Ciencias de la Educación, Universidad Católica de Valencia, Valencia, Spain
| | - Irene Alice Chicchi Giglioli
- Instituto Universitario de Investigación en Tecnología Centrada en el Ser Humano (HUMAN-tech), Universitat Politécnica de Valencia, Valencia, Spain
| | - Mariano Alcañiz
- Instituto Universitario de Investigación en Tecnología Centrada en el Ser Humano (HUMAN-tech), Universitat Politécnica de Valencia, Valencia, Spain
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4
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Zhou J, Manor B, McCarten JR, Wade MG, Jor’dan AJ. The effects of cognitive impairment on the multi-scale dynamics of standing postural control during visual-search in older men. Front Aging Neurosci 2023; 15:1068316. [PMID: 36761178 PMCID: PMC9905142 DOI: 10.3389/fnagi.2023.1068316] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/12/2022] [Accepted: 01/10/2023] [Indexed: 01/26/2023] Open
Abstract
Background Cognitive impairment disrupts postural control, particularly when standing while performing an unrelated cognitive task (i.e., dual-tasking). The temporal dynamics of standing postural sway are "complex," and such complexity may reflect the capacity of the postural control system to adapt to task demands. We aimed to characterize the impact of cognitive impairment on such sway complexity in older adults. Methods Forty-nine older adult males (Alzheimer's disease (AD): n = 21; mild cognitive impairment (MCI): n = 13; cognitively-intact: n = 15) completed two 60-s standing trials in each of single-task and visual-search dual-task conditions. In the dual-task condition, participants were instructed to count the frequency of a designated letter in a block of letters projected on screen. The sway complexity of center-of-pressure fluctuations in anterior-posterior (AP) and medial-lateral (ML) direction was quantified using multiscale entropy. The dual-task cost to complexity was obtained by calculating the percent change of complexity from single- to dual-task condition. Results Repeated-measures ANOVAs revealed significant main effects of group (F > 4.8, p < 0.01) and condition (F = 7.7, p < 0.007) on both AP and ML sway complexity; and significant interaction between group and condition for ML sway complexity (F = 3.7, p = 0.03). The AD group had the lowest dual-task ML complexity, as well as greater dual-task cost to ML (p = 0.03) compared to the other two groups. Visual-search task accuracy was correlated with ML sway complexity in the dual-task condition (r = 0.42, p = 0.007), and the dual-task cost to ML sway complexity (r = 0.39, p = 0.01) across all participants. Conclusion AD-related cognitive impairment was associated with a greater relative reduction in postural sway complexity from single- to dual-tasking. Sway complexity appears to be sensitive to the impact of cognitive impairment on standing postural control.
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Affiliation(s)
- Junhong Zhou
- Hinda and Arthur Marcus Institute for Aging Research, Hebrew SeniorLife, Boston, MA, United States,*Correspondence: Junhong Zhou,
| | - Brad Manor
- Hinda and Arthur Marcus Institute for Aging Research, Hebrew SeniorLife, Boston, MA, United States,Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, United States
| | - John Riley McCarten
- Geriatric Research Education and Clinical Center (GRECC), Veterans Affairs Health Care System, Minneapolis, MN, United States,School of Medicine, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN, United States
| | - Michael G. Wade
- School of Kinesiology, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN, United States
| | - Azizah J. Jor’dan
- Department of Exercise and Health Sciences, Manning College of Nursing and Health Sciences, University of Massachusetts Boston, Boston, MA, United States
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Babu PRK, Di Martino JM, Chang Z, Perochon S, Aiello R, Carpenter KL, Compton S, Davis N, Franz L, Espinosa S, Flowers J, Dawson G, Sapiro G. Complexity analysis of head movements in autistic toddlers. J Child Psychol Psychiatry 2023; 64:156-166. [PMID: 35965431 PMCID: PMC9771883 DOI: 10.1111/jcpp.13681] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 07/05/2022] [Indexed: 12/24/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Early differences in sensorimotor functioning have been documented in young autistic children and infants who are later diagnosed with autism. Previous research has demonstrated that autistic toddlers exhibit more frequent head movement when viewing dynamic audiovisual stimuli, compared to neurotypical toddlers. To further explore this behavioral characteristic, in this study, computer vision (CV) analysis was used to measure several aspects of head movement dynamics of autistic and neurotypical toddlers while they watched a set of brief movies with social and nonsocial content presented on a tablet. METHODS Data were collected from 457 toddlers, 17-36 months old, during their well-child visit to four pediatric primary care clinics. Forty-one toddlers were subsequently diagnosed with autism. An application (app) displayed several brief movies on a tablet, and the toddlers watched these movies while sitting on their caregiver's lap. The front-facing camera in the tablet recorded the toddlers' behavioral responses. CV was used to measure the participants' head movement rate, movement acceleration, and complexity using multiscale entropy. RESULTS Autistic toddlers exhibited significantly higher rate, acceleration, and complexity in their head movements while watching the movies compared to neurotypical toddlers, regardless of the type of movie content (social vs. nonsocial). The combined features of head movement acceleration and complexity reliably distinguished the autistic and neurotypical toddlers. CONCLUSIONS Autistic toddlers exhibit differences in their head movement dynamics when viewing audiovisual stimuli. Higher complexity of their head movements suggests that their movements were less predictable and less stable compared to neurotypical toddlers. CV offers a scalable means of detecting subtle differences in head movement dynamics, which may be helpful in identifying early behaviors associated with autism and providing insight into the nature of sensorimotor differences associated with autism.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - J. Matias Di Martino
- Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering, Duke University, Durham, NC, USA
| | - Zhuoqing Chang
- Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering, Duke University, Durham, NC, USA
| | - Sam Perochon
- Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering, Duke University, Durham, NC, USA
- Ecole Normale Supérieure Paris-Saclay, Gif-Sur-Yvette, France
| | - Rachel Aiello
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Duke University, Durham, NC, USA
- Duke Center for Autism and Brain Development, Duke University, Durham, NC, USA
| | - Kimberly L.H. Carpenter
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Duke University, Durham, NC, USA
- Duke Center for Autism and Brain Development, Duke University, Durham, NC, USA
| | - Scott Compton
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Duke University, Durham, NC, USA
| | - Naomi Davis
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Duke University, Durham, NC, USA
| | - Lauren Franz
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Duke University, Durham, NC, USA
- Duke Center for Autism and Brain Development, Duke University, Durham, NC, USA
- Duke Global Health Institute, Duke University, Durham, NC, USA
| | - Steven Espinosa
- Office of Information Technology, Duke University, Durham, NC, USA
| | - Jacqueline Flowers
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Duke University, Durham, NC, USA
- Duke Center for Autism and Brain Development, Duke University, Durham, NC, USA
| | - Geraldine Dawson
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Duke University, Durham, NC, USA
- Duke Center for Autism and Brain Development, Duke University, Durham, NC, USA
| | - Guillermo Sapiro
- Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering, Duke University, Durham, NC, USA
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Mathematics, and Computer Sciences, Duke University, Durham, NC, USA
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6
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Zhao Z, Tang H, Alviar C, Kello CT, Zhang X, Hu X, Qu X, Lu J. Excessive and less complex body movement in children with autism during face-to-face conversation: An objective approach to behavioral quantification. Autism Res 2021; 15:305-316. [PMID: 34837352 DOI: 10.1002/aur.2646] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/28/2021] [Revised: 11/08/2021] [Accepted: 11/16/2021] [Indexed: 11/05/2022]
Abstract
The majority of existing studies investigating characteristics of overt social behavior in individuals with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) relied on informants' evaluation through questionnaires and behavioral coding techniques. As a novelty, this study aimed to quantify the complex movements produced during social interactions in order to test differences in ASD movement dynamics and their convergence, or lack thereof, during social interactions. Twenty children with ASD and twenty-three children with typical development (TD) were videotaped while engaged in a face-to-face conversation with an interviewer. An image differencing technique was utilized to extract the movement time series. Spectral analyses were conducted to quantify the average power of movement, and the fractal scaling of movement. The degree of complexity matching was calculated to capture the level of behavioral coordination between the interviewer and children. Results demonstrated that the average power was significantly higher (p < 0.01), and the fractal scaling was steeper (p < 0.05) in children with ASD, suggesting excessive and less complex movement as compared to the TD peers. Complexity matching occurred between children and interviewers, but there was no reliable difference in the strength of matching between the ASD and TD children. Descriptive trends in the interviewer's behavior suggest that her movements adapted to match both ASD and TD movements equally well. The findings of our study might shed light on seeking novel behavioral markers of ASD, and on developing automatic ASD screening techniques during daily social interactions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zhong Zhao
- Institute of Human Factors and Ergonomics, College of Mechatronics and Control Engineering, Shenzhen University, Shenzhen, China
| | - Haiming Tang
- Institute of Human Factors and Ergonomics, College of Mechatronics and Control Engineering, Shenzhen University, Shenzhen, China
| | - Camila Alviar
- Cognitive and Information Sciences, University of California, Merced, USA
| | | | - Xiaobin Zhang
- Shenzhen Guangming District Center for Disease Control and Prevention, Shenzhen, China
| | - Xinyao Hu
- Institute of Human Factors and Ergonomics, College of Mechatronics and Control Engineering, Shenzhen University, Shenzhen, China
| | - Xingda Qu
- Institute of Human Factors and Ergonomics, College of Mechatronics and Control Engineering, Shenzhen University, Shenzhen, China
| | - Jianping Lu
- Department of Child Psychiatry of Shenzhen Kangning Hospital, Shenzhen Mental Health Center, Shenzhen, China
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7
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Gevezova M, Sarafian V, Anderson G, Maes M. Inflammation and Mitochondrial Dysfunction in Autism Spectrum Disorder. CNS & NEUROLOGICAL DISORDERS-DRUG TARGETS 2021; 19:320-333. [PMID: 32600237 DOI: 10.2174/1871527319666200628015039] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/20/2019] [Revised: 03/30/2020] [Accepted: 05/01/2020] [Indexed: 12/11/2022]
Abstract
Autism Spectrum Disorders (ASD) is a severe childhood psychiatric condition with an array of cognitive, language and social impairments that can significantly impact family life. ASD is classically characterized by reduced communication skills and social interactions, with limitations imposed by repetitive patterns of behavior, interests, and activities. The pathophysiology of ASD is thought to arise from complex interactions between environmental and genetic factors within the context of individual development. A growing body of research has raised the possibility of identifying the aetiological causes of the disorder. This review highlights the roles of immune-inflammatory pathways, nitro-oxidative stress and mitochondrial dysfunctions in ASD pathogenesis and symptom severity. The role of NK-cells, T helper, T regulatory and B-cells, coupled with increased inflammatory cytokines, lowered levels of immune-regulatory cytokines, and increased autoantibodies and microglial activation is elucidated. It is proposed that alterations in mitochondrial activity and nitrooxidative stress are intimately associated with activated immune-inflammatory pathways. Future research should determine as to whether the mitochondria, immune-inflammatory activity and nitrooxidative stress changes in ASD affect the development of amygdala-frontal cortex interactions. A number of treatment implications may arise, including prevention-orientated prenatal interventions, treatment of pregnant women with vitamin D, and sodium butyrate. Treatments of ASD children and adults with probiotics, sodium butyrate and butyrate-inducing diets, antipurinergic therapy with suramin, melatonin, oxytocin and taurine are also discussed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Maria Gevezova
- Department of Medical Biology, Faculty of Medicine, Medical University-Plovdiv, Plovdiv, Bulgaria,Research Institute at Medical University-Plovdiv, Plovdiv, Bulgaria
| | - Victoria Sarafian
- Department of Medical Biology, Faculty of Medicine, Medical University-Plovdiv, Plovdiv, Bulgaria,Research Institute at Medical University-Plovdiv, Plovdiv, Bulgaria
| | | | - Michael Maes
- Department of Medical Biology, Faculty of Medicine, Medical University-Plovdiv, Plovdiv, Bulgaria,Department of Psychiatry, Faculty of Medicine, Chulalongkorn University, Bangkok, Thailand,IMPACT Strategic Research Center, Deakin University, Geelong, Australia
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8
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Sustainable Service-Learning in Physical Education Teacher Education: Examining Postural Control to Promote ASD Children's Well-Being. INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH AND PUBLIC HEALTH 2021; 18:ijerph18105216. [PMID: 34068915 PMCID: PMC8155850 DOI: 10.3390/ijerph18105216] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/20/2021] [Revised: 05/02/2021] [Accepted: 05/07/2021] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
Abstract
As classrooms become more and more diverse, it is imperative to provide physical education teacher education (PETE) students with opportunities to develop competencies that promote quality education for all students. In this study, PETE students applied a physical education service-learning (SL) program aimed at enhancing Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) children’s motor domain and general well-being—objectives that are connected to the third focus of the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). Traditionally, research on SL has focused on students’ outcomes, and there is a call to examine SL’s effects on service receivers, which is the gap this paper aspires to fill. The aim of this study was to measure the postural control of children with ASD who were involved in a 6-month SL program in comparison to ASD peers in a control group. A quasi-experimental design was used in which a total of 29 children with ASD participated. The results of the experimental group showed a significant improvement in the vestibular pathways, an improvement trend in the somatosensorial and visual pathways and improvements in the dynamic tests. This study provides valuable feedback about how SL programs can benefit ASD children to improve their postural control, thus contributing to the third SDG concerned with well-being promotion.
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9
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Malcolm BR, Foxe JJ, Joshi S, Verghese J, Mahoney JR, Molholm S, De Sanctis P. Aging-related changes in cortical mechanisms supporting postural control during base of support and optic flow manipulations. Eur J Neurosci 2020; 54:8139-8157. [PMID: 33047390 DOI: 10.1111/ejn.15004] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/17/2020] [Revised: 09/30/2020] [Accepted: 10/01/2020] [Indexed: 12/30/2022]
Abstract
Behavioral findings suggest that aging alters the involvement of cortical sensorimotor mechanisms in postural control. However, corresponding accounts of the underlying neural mechanisms remain sparse, especially the extent to which these mechanisms are affected during more demanding tasks. Here, we set out to elucidate cortical correlates of altered postural stability in younger and older adults. 3D body motion tracking and high-density electroencephalography (EEG) were measured while 14 young adults (mean age = 24 years, 43% women) and 14 older adults (mean age = 77 years, 50% women) performed a continuous balance task under four different conditions. Manipulations were applied to the base of support (either regular or tandem (heel-to-toe) stance) and visual input (either static visual field or dynamic optic flow). Standing in tandem, the more challenging position, resulted in increased sway for both age groups, but for the older adults, only this effect was exacerbated when combined with optic flow compared to the static visual display. These changes in stability were accompanied by neuro-oscillatory modulations localized to midfrontal and parietal regions. A cluster of electro-cortical sources localized to the supplementary motor area showed a large increase in theta spectral power (4-7 Hz) during tandem stance, and this modulation was much more pronounced for the younger group. Additionally, the older group displayed widespread mu (8-12 Hz) and beta (13-30 Hz) suppression as balance tasks placed more demands on postural control, especially during tandem stance. These findings may have substantial utility in identifying early cortical correlates of balance impairments in otherwise healthy older adults.
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Affiliation(s)
- Brenda R Malcolm
- The Cognitive Neurophysiology Laboratory, Children's Evaluation and Rehabilitation Center (CERC), Department of Pediatrics, Albert Einstein College of Medicine, Bronx, NY, USA
| | - John J Foxe
- The Cognitive Neurophysiology Laboratory, Children's Evaluation and Rehabilitation Center (CERC), Department of Pediatrics, Albert Einstein College of Medicine, Bronx, NY, USA.,The Dominick P. Purpura Department of Neuroscience, Rose F. Kennedy Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities Research Center, Albert Einstein College of Medicine, Bronx, NY, USA.,The Cognitive Neurophysiology Laboratory, The Del Monte Institute for Neuroscience, Department of Neuroscience, University of Rochester, School of Medicine and Dentistry, Rochester, NY, USA
| | - Sonja Joshi
- The Cognitive Neurophysiology Laboratory, Children's Evaluation and Rehabilitation Center (CERC), Department of Pediatrics, Albert Einstein College of Medicine, Bronx, NY, USA
| | - Joe Verghese
- The Saul R. Korey, Department of Neurology, Albert Einstein College of Medicine, Bronx, NY, USA
| | - Jeannette R Mahoney
- The Saul R. Korey, Department of Neurology, Albert Einstein College of Medicine, Bronx, NY, USA
| | - Sophie Molholm
- The Cognitive Neurophysiology Laboratory, Children's Evaluation and Rehabilitation Center (CERC), Department of Pediatrics, Albert Einstein College of Medicine, Bronx, NY, USA.,The Dominick P. Purpura Department of Neuroscience, Rose F. Kennedy Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities Research Center, Albert Einstein College of Medicine, Bronx, NY, USA
| | - Pierfilippo De Sanctis
- The Cognitive Neurophysiology Laboratory, Children's Evaluation and Rehabilitation Center (CERC), Department of Pediatrics, Albert Einstein College of Medicine, Bronx, NY, USA.,The Saul R. Korey, Department of Neurology, Albert Einstein College of Medicine, Bronx, NY, USA
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10
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Caldani S, Atzori P, Peyre H, Delorme R, Bucci MP. Short rehabilitation training program may improve postural control in children with autism spectrum disorders: preliminary evidences. Sci Rep 2020; 10:7917. [PMID: 32404919 PMCID: PMC7221071 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-020-64922-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/10/2019] [Accepted: 03/31/2020] [Indexed: 12/27/2022] Open
Abstract
Autism Spectrum Disorders subjects (ASD) is characterized by postural control deficits. This study aimed to explore the effect of a short postural rehabilitation training program on postural capabilities in children with ASD. Two groups (G1 and G2) of twenty children with ASD of IQ-, sex- and age- matched (mean age 11.7 ± 2.4 years) were included in this study. Posture was recorded by using the Balance Quest from Framiral on unstable platform in three different viewing conditions. The rehabilitation program consisted in two distinct postural control training exercises. Postural recordings were performed twice at T1 and T2 for both groups of children. Between T1 and T2 a 6-minute postural training was performed by the G1 group only, while the G2 group had a 6-minute of rest. Children were allocated randomly to the G1 or G2 groups. At T1, postural instability was similar for both groups of ASD children (G1 and G2) desp+\ite viewing conditions. At T2, we observed an improvement of postural control related to a mixed effect of training rehabilitation but also of test-retest. Knowing the potential of new rehabilitation strategies, the impact of postural control deficit in ASD children needs to be reconsidered. Well design case-control studies are requested to ensure scientific validity of postural rehabilitation training program.
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Affiliation(s)
- Simona Caldani
- UMR 1141 NeuroDiderot Inserm, Paris University, Robert Debré Hospital, Paris, France.
- Pediatric Balance Evaluation center, ENT Department, APHP, Robert Debré Hospital, Paris, France.
| | - Paola Atzori
- Child and Adolescent Psychiatry Department, APHP, Robert Debré Hospital, Paris, France
- High Functioning Autism Expert Centre, Fundamental Foundation, Paris, France
| | - Hugo Peyre
- UMR 1141 NeuroDiderot Inserm, Paris University, Robert Debré Hospital, Paris, France
- Child and Adolescent Psychiatry Department, APHP, Robert Debré Hospital, Paris, France
- High Functioning Autism Expert Centre, Fundamental Foundation, Paris, France
- Human Genetics & Cognitive Functions, Institute Pasteur, Paris, France
| | - Richard Delorme
- Child and Adolescent Psychiatry Department, APHP, Robert Debré Hospital, Paris, France
- High Functioning Autism Expert Centre, Fundamental Foundation, Paris, France
- Human Genetics & Cognitive Functions, Institute Pasteur, Paris, France
| | - Maria Pia Bucci
- UMR 1141 NeuroDiderot Inserm, Paris University, Robert Debré Hospital, Paris, France
- Pediatric Balance Evaluation center, ENT Department, APHP, Robert Debré Hospital, Paris, France
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11
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Lim YH, Lee HC, Falkmer T, Allison GT, Tan T, Lee WL, Morris SL. Effect of Visual Information on Postural Control in Adults with Autism Spectrum Disorder. J Autism Dev Disord 2020; 49:4731-4739. [PMID: 29882108 DOI: 10.1007/s10803-018-3634-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/26/2022]
Abstract
Sensory processing difficulties affect the development of sensorimotor skills in individuals with autism spectrum disorder (ASD). However, the effect of sensory information on postural control is unclear in the ASD adult population. The present study examined the effect of visual information on postural control as well as the attentional demands associated with postural control in fourteen adults with ASD and seventeen typically developed adults. The results showed that postural sway and attention demands of postural control were larger in adults with ASD than in typically developed adults. These findings indicate that visual processing used for postural control may be different in adults with ASD. Further research in visual field processing and visual motion processing may elucidate these sensorimotor differences.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yi Huey Lim
- School of Occupational Therapy, Social Work and Speech Pathology, Faculty of Health Sciences, Curtin University, GPO Box U1987, Perth, WA, 6845, Australia.
| | - Hoe C Lee
- School of Occupational Therapy, Social Work and Speech Pathology, Faculty of Health Sciences, Curtin University, GPO Box U1987, Perth, WA, 6845, Australia
| | - Torbjörn Falkmer
- School of Occupational Therapy, Social Work and Speech Pathology, Faculty of Health Sciences, Curtin University, GPO Box U1987, Perth, WA, 6845, Australia.,Pain and Rehabilitation Centre, and Department of Medical and Health Sciences, Linköping University, Linköping, Sweden
| | - Garry T Allison
- School of Physiotherapy and Exercise Science, Faculty of Health Sciences, Curtin University, GPO Box U1987, Perth, WA, 6845, Australia
| | - Tele Tan
- School of Mechanical Engineering, Faculty of Science and Engineering, Curtin University, Perth, WA, Australia
| | - Wee Lih Lee
- School of Occupational Therapy, Social Work and Speech Pathology, Faculty of Health Sciences, Curtin University, GPO Box U1987, Perth, WA, 6845, Australia
| | - Susan L Morris
- School of Physiotherapy and Exercise Science, Faculty of Health Sciences, Curtin University, GPO Box U1987, Perth, WA, 6845, Australia.
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12
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Xavier J, Guedjou H, Anzalone SM, Boucenna S, Guigon E, Chetouani M, Cohen D. Toward a motor signature in autism: Studies from human-machine interaction. Encephale 2019; 45:182-187. [PMID: 30503684 DOI: 10.1016/j.encep.2018.08.002] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/11/2018] [Revised: 08/05/2018] [Accepted: 08/09/2018] [Indexed: 10/27/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is a heterogeneous group of neurodevelopmental disorders which core symptoms are impairments in socio-communication and repetitive symptoms and stereotypies. Although not cardinal symptoms per se, motor impairments are fundamental aspects of ASD. These impairments are associated with postural and motor control disabilities that we investigated using computational modeling and developmental robotics through human-machine interaction paradigms. METHOD First, in a set of studies involving a human-robot posture imitation, we explored the impact of 3 different groups of partners (including a group of children with ASD) on robot learning by imitation. Second, using an ecological task, i.e. a real-time motor imitation with a tightrope walker (TW) avatar, we investigated interpersonal synchronization, motor coordination and motor control during the task in children with ASD (n=29), TD children (n=39) and children with developmental coordination disorder (n=17, DCD). RESULTS From the human-robot experiments, we evidenced that motor signature at both groups' and individuals' levels had a key influence on imitation learning, posture recognition and identity recognition. From the more dynamic motor imitation paradigm with a TW avatar, we found that interpersonal synchronization, motor coordination and motor control were more impaired in children with ASD compared to both TD children and children with DCD. Taken together these results confirm the motor peculiarities of children with ASD despite imitation tasks were adequately performed. DISCUSSION Studies from human-machine interaction support the idea of a behavioral signature in children with ASD. However, several issues need to be addressed. Is this behavioral signature motoric in essence? Is it possible to ascertain that these peculiarities occur during all motor tasks (e.g. posture, voluntary movement)? Could this motor signature be considered as specific to autism, notably in comparison to DCD that also display poor motor coordination skills? We suggest that more work comparing the two conditions should be implemented, including analysis of kinematics and movement smoothness with sufficient measurement quality to allow spectral analysis.
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Affiliation(s)
- J Xavier
- Département de psychiatrie de l'enfant et de l'adolescent, hôpital Pitié-Salpêtrière, AP-HP, Paris, France; Sorbonne université, institut des systèmes intelligents et de robotique, CNRS UMR 7222, Paris, France.
| | - H Guedjou
- Sorbonne université, institut des systèmes intelligents et de robotique, CNRS UMR 7222, Paris, France
| | - S M Anzalone
- Laboratoire CHArt-THIM, EA4004, université Paris 8, 93000 Saint-Denis, France
| | - S Boucenna
- Sorbonne université, institut des systèmes intelligents et de robotique, CNRS UMR 7222, Paris, France
| | - E Guigon
- Sorbonne université, institut des systèmes intelligents et de robotique, CNRS UMR 7222, Paris, France
| | - M Chetouani
- Sorbonne université, institut des systèmes intelligents et de robotique, CNRS UMR 7222, Paris, France
| | - D Cohen
- Département de psychiatrie de l'enfant et de l'adolescent, hôpital Pitié-Salpêtrière, AP-HP, Paris, France; Sorbonne université, institut des systèmes intelligents et de robotique, CNRS UMR 7222, Paris, France
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13
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Travers BG, Mason AH, Mrotek LA, Ellertson A, Dean DC, Engel C, Gomez A, Dadalko OI, McLaughlin K. Biofeedback-Based, Videogame Balance Training in Autism. J Autism Dev Disord 2019; 48:163-175. [PMID: 28921103 DOI: 10.1007/s10803-017-3310-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/20/2022]
Abstract
The present study examined the effects of a visual-based biofeedback training on improving balance challenges in autism spectrum disorder (ASD). Twenty-nine youth with ASD (7-17 years) completed an intensive 6-week biofeedback-based videogame balance training. Participants exhibited training-related balance improvements that significantly accounted for postural-sway improvements outside of training. Participants perceived the training as beneficial and enjoyable. Significant moderators of training included milder stereotyped and ritualistic behaviors and better starting balance. Neither IQ nor BMI moderated training. These results suggest that biofeedback-based balance training is associated with balance improvements in youth with ASD, most robustly in those with less severe repetitive behaviors and better starting balance. The training was perceived as motivating, further suggesting its efficacy and likelihood of use.
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Affiliation(s)
- Brittany G Travers
- Occupational Therapy Program, University of Wisconsin-Madison, 2185 Medical Sciences Center, 1300 University Avenue, Madison, WI, 53706, USA. .,Department of Kinesiology, University of Wisconsin-Madison, 2185 Medical Sciences Center, 1300 University Avenue, Madison, WI, 53706, USA. .,Waisman Center, University of Wisconsin-Madison, 1500 Highland Avenue, Madison, WI, 53705, USA.
| | - Andrea H Mason
- Department of Kinesiology, University of Wisconsin-Madison, 2185 Medical Sciences Center, 1300 University Avenue, Madison, WI, 53706, USA
| | - Leigh Ann Mrotek
- Kinesiology Department, University of Wisconsin-Oshkosh, 800 Algoma Boulevard, Oshkosh, WI, 54901-8630, USA.,Biomedical Engineering Department, Marquette University, 1515 West Wisconsin Avenuue, Milwaukee, WI, 53233, USA
| | - Anthony Ellertson
- Department of Computer Science, Boise State University, 1910 University Dr., Boise, ID, 83725, USA
| | - Douglas C Dean
- Waisman Center, University of Wisconsin-Madison, 1500 Highland Avenue, Madison, WI, 53705, USA
| | - Courtney Engel
- Occupational Therapy Program, University of Wisconsin-Madison, 2185 Medical Sciences Center, 1300 University Avenue, Madison, WI, 53706, USA.,Department of Kinesiology, University of Wisconsin-Madison, 2185 Medical Sciences Center, 1300 University Avenue, Madison, WI, 53706, USA.,Waisman Center, University of Wisconsin-Madison, 1500 Highland Avenue, Madison, WI, 53705, USA
| | - Andres Gomez
- Waisman Center, University of Wisconsin-Madison, 1500 Highland Avenue, Madison, WI, 53705, USA
| | - Olga I Dadalko
- Waisman Center, University of Wisconsin-Madison, 1500 Highland Avenue, Madison, WI, 53705, USA
| | - Kristine McLaughlin
- Waisman Center, University of Wisconsin-Madison, 1500 Highland Avenue, Madison, WI, 53705, USA
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14
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Travers BG, Mason A, Gruben KG, Dean DC, McLaughlin K. Standing Balance on Unsteady Surfaces in Children on the Autism Spectrum: The Effects of IQ. RESEARCH IN AUTISM SPECTRUM DISORDERS 2018; 51:9-17. [PMID: 30333859 PMCID: PMC6186444 DOI: 10.1016/j.rasd.2018.03.008] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/08/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Postural stability difficulties are commonly reported in people on the autism spectrum. However, it is unclear whether unsteady surfaces may exacerbate postural stability difficulties in children and adolescents with autism spectrum disorder (ASD). Understanding balance on unsteady surfaces is important because uneven surfaces are commonly encountered in daily life. METHODS Twenty-one youth on the autism spectrum and 16 youth with typical development (ages 6-16 years, IQ ≥ 79) stood on both a fixed and unsteady (tiltable) platform, and center of pressure was measured. RESULTS The group with ASD exhibited differentially more postural sway on the unsteady surface compared to the group with typical development. However, there was substantial variability within the ASD group. Follow-up analyses suggested that much of the variability in postural sway in the ASD group was accounted for by IQ. CONCLUSIONS Clinically, these findings suggest that not all individuals with ASD struggle more with postural stability on unsteady surfaces. Instead children and adolescents with ASD and below-average IQ may have particular difficulty on unsteady surfaces and may require accommodations. Further, these findings lay the groundwork for future research to investigate the underlying mechanisms of poorer balance across the autism spectrum.
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Affiliation(s)
- Brittany G. Travers
- Kinesiology Department, University of Wisconsin-Madison
- Occupational Therapy Program in the Department of Kinesiology, University of Wisconsin-Madison
- Waisman Center, University of Wisconsin-Madison
| | - Andrea Mason
- Kinesiology Department, University of Wisconsin-Madison
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15
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Visual tasks and stance width influence the spatial magnitude and temporal dynamics of standing body sway in 6- to 12-year old children. Hum Mov Sci 2018; 59:56-65. [DOI: 10.1016/j.humov.2018.03.017] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/21/2017] [Revised: 03/22/2018] [Accepted: 03/25/2018] [Indexed: 11/23/2022]
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16
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Martin KB, Hammal Z, Ren G, Cohn JF, Cassell J, Ogihara M, Britton JC, Gutierrez A, Messinger DS. Objective measurement of head movement differences in children with and without autism spectrum disorder. Mol Autism 2018; 9:14. [PMID: 29492241 PMCID: PMC5828311 DOI: 10.1186/s13229-018-0198-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 39] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/02/2016] [Accepted: 02/06/2018] [Indexed: 12/03/2022] Open
Abstract
Background Deficits in motor movement in children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) have typically been characterized qualitatively by human observers. Although clinicians have noted the importance of atypical head positioning (e.g. social peering and repetitive head banging) when diagnosing children with ASD, a quantitative understanding of head movement in ASD is lacking. Here, we conduct a quantitative comparison of head movement dynamics in children with and without ASD using automated, person-independent computer-vision based head tracking (Zface). Because children with ASD often exhibit preferential attention to nonsocial versus social stimuli, we investigated whether children with and without ASD differed in their head movement dynamics depending on stimulus sociality. Methods The current study examined differences in head movement dynamics in children with (n = 21) and without ASD (n = 21). Children were video-recorded while watching a 16-min video of social and nonsocial stimuli. Three dimensions of rigid head movement—pitch (head nods), yaw (head turns), and roll (lateral head inclinations)—were tracked using Zface. The root mean square of pitch, yaw, and roll was calculated to index the magnitude of head angular displacement (quantity of head movement) and angular velocity (speed). Results Compared with children without ASD, children with ASD exhibited greater yaw displacement, indicating greater head turning, and greater velocity of yaw and roll, indicating faster head turning and inclination. Follow-up analyses indicated that differences in head movement dynamics were specific to the social rather than the nonsocial stimulus condition. Conclusions Head movement dynamics (displacement and velocity) were greater in children with ASD than in children without ASD, providing a quantitative foundation for previous clinical reports. Head movement differences were evident in lateral (yaw and roll) but not vertical (pitch) movement and were specific to a social rather than nonsocial condition. When presented with social stimuli, children with ASD had higher levels of head movement and moved their heads more quickly than children without ASD. Children with ASD may use head movement to modulate their perception of social scenes. Electronic supplementary material The online version of this article (10.1186/s13229-018-0198-4) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.
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Affiliation(s)
- Katherine B Martin
- 1Department of Psychology, University of Miami, 5665 Ponce de Leon Blvd, Coral Gables, FL 33146 USA
| | - Zakia Hammal
- 2Robotics Institute, Carnegie Mellon University, 5000 Forbes Ave, Pittsburgh, PA 15213 USA
| | - Gang Ren
- 3Center for Computational Science, University of Miami, 1320 S Dixie Hwy, Miami, FL 33146 USA
| | - Jeffrey F Cohn
- 4Department of Psychology, University of Pittsburgh, 210 S. Bouquet St., Pittsburgh, PA 15260 USA
| | - Justine Cassell
- 5Human Computer Interaction, Carnegie Mellon University, 5000 Forbes Avenue, Pittsburgh, PA 15213 USA
| | - Mitsunori Ogihara
- 6Department of Computer Science, University of Miami, 1365 Memorial Drive, Coral Gables, FL 33146 USA
| | - Jennifer C Britton
- 1Department of Psychology, University of Miami, 5665 Ponce de Leon Blvd, Coral Gables, FL 33146 USA
| | - Anibal Gutierrez
- 1Department of Psychology, University of Miami, 5665 Ponce de Leon Blvd, Coral Gables, FL 33146 USA
| | - Daniel S Messinger
- 1Department of Psychology, University of Miami, 5665 Ponce de Leon Blvd, Coral Gables, FL 33146 USA
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17
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Standing Postural Control in Individuals with Autism Spectrum Disorder: Systematic Review and Meta-analysis. J Autism Dev Disord 2018; 47:2238-2253. [PMID: 28508177 DOI: 10.1007/s10803-017-3144-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 75] [Impact Index Per Article: 12.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/28/2022]
Abstract
Impairments in postural control affect the development of motor and social skills in individuals with autism spectrum disorder (ASD). This review compared the effect of different sensory conditions on static standing postural control between ASD and neurotypical individuals. Results from 19 studies indicated a large difference in postural control between groups across all sensory conditions. This review revealed sensorimotor and multiple sensory processing deficits in ASD. The tendency for individuals with ASD to be more susceptible to postural instability with use of visual information compared with somatosensory information suggests perinatal alterations in sensory development. There is further scope for studies on the use of sensory information and postural control to provide additional evidence about sensorimotor processing in ASD.
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18
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Bruchhage MMK, Bucci MP, Becker EBE. Cerebellar involvement in autism and ADHD. HANDBOOK OF CLINICAL NEUROLOGY 2018; 155:61-72. [PMID: 29891077 DOI: 10.1016/b978-0-444-64189-2.00004-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 39] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/08/2023]
Abstract
The cerebellum has long been known for its importance in motor learning and coordination. However, increasing evidence supports a role for the cerebellum in cognition and emotion. Consistent with a role in cognitive functions, the cerebellum has emerged as one of the key brain regions affected in nonmotor disorders, including autism spectrum disorder and attention deficit-hyperactivity disorder. Here, we discuss behavioral, postmortem, genetic, and neuroimaging studies in humans in order to understand the cerebellar contributions to the pathogenesis of both disorders. We also review relevant animal model findings.
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Affiliation(s)
- Muriel M K Bruchhage
- Centre for Neuroimaging Sciences, Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology and Neuroscience, King's College London, London, United Kingdom
| | - Maria-Pia Bucci
- Child and Adolescent Psychiatry Department, Robert Debré Hospital, Paris, France
| | - Esther B E Becker
- Department of Physiology, Anatomy and Genetics, University of Oxford, Oxford, United Kingdom.
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19
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Effect of Social Stimuli on Postural Responses in Individuals with Autism Spectrum Disorder. J Autism Dev Disord 2017; 47:1305-1313. [PMID: 28236101 DOI: 10.1007/s10803-017-3032-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/16/2022]
Abstract
This study was aimed to investigate the effects of social versus non-social stimuli on postural responses in 21 boys with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) (mean age of 11.6 ± 1.5) compared with 30 typically developing (TD) boys (mean age of 11.7 ± 1.8). Postural control of children was examined while they were standing on a force plate and viewing images of an object, male face, or female face in sequence. Each image was shown in two trials and each trial lasted for 20 s. Results indicated a significant interaction between group and task (p < 0.05), meaning that children with ASD but not TD children showed an increased postural sway during face tasks than during object task. Furthermore children with higher autism severity compared to those with lower severity showed an increased change in response to social stimuli (p < 0.01). It seems that the postural control of children with ASD was more affected by the social stimuli than TD children.
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20
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Wang Z, Hallac RR, Conroy KC, White SP, Kane AA, Collinsworth AL, Sweeney JA, Mosconi MW. Postural orientation and equilibrium processes associated with increased postural sway in autism spectrum disorder (ASD). J Neurodev Disord 2016; 8:43. [PMID: 27933108 PMCID: PMC5124312 DOI: 10.1186/s11689-016-9178-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 23] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/17/2016] [Accepted: 11/08/2016] [Indexed: 02/07/2023] Open
Abstract
Background Increased postural sway has been repeatedly documented in children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD). Characterizing the control processes underlying this deficit, including postural orientation and equilibrium, may provide key insights into neurophysiological mechanisms associated with ASD. Postural orientation refers to children’s ability to actively align their trunk and head with respect to their base of support, while postural equilibrium is an active process whereby children coordinate ankle dorsi-/plantar-flexion and hip abduction/adduction movements to stabilize their upper body. Dynamic engagement of each of these control processes is important for maintaining postural stability, though neither postural orientation nor equilibrium has been studied in ASD. Methods Twenty-two children with ASD and 21 age and performance IQ-matched typically developing (TD) controls completed three standing tests. During static stance, participants were instructed to stand as still as possible. During dynamic stances, participants swayed at a comfortable speed and magnitude in either anterior-posterior (AP) or mediolateral (ML) directions. The center of pressure (COP) standard deviation and trajectory length were examined to determine if children with ASD showed increased postural sway. Postural orientation was assessed using a novel virtual time-to-contact (VTC) approach that characterized spatiotemporal dimensions of children’s postural sway (i.e., body alignment) relative to their postural limitation boundary, defined as the maximum extent to which each child could sway in each direction. Postural equilibrium was quantified by evaluating the amount of shared or mutual information of COP time series measured along the AP and ML directions. Results Consistent with prior studies, children with ASD showed increased postural sway during both static and dynamic stances relative to TD children. In regard to postural orientation processes, children with ASD demonstrated reduced spatial perception of their postural limitation boundary towards target directions and reduced time to correct this error during dynamic postural sways but not during static stance. Regarding postural equilibrium, they showed a compromised ability to decouple ankle dorsi-/plantar-flexion and hip abduction/adduction processes during dynamic stances. Conclusions These results suggest that deficits in both postural orientation and equilibrium processes contribute to reduced postural stability in ASD. Specifically, increased postural sway in ASD appears to reflect patients’ impaired perception of their body movement relative to their own postural limitation boundary as well as a reduced ability to decouple distinct ankle and hip movements to align their body during standing. Our findings that deficits in postural orientation and equilibrium are more pronounced during dynamic compared to static stances suggests that the increased demands of everyday activities in which children must dynamically shift their COP involve more severe postural control deficits in ASD relative to static stance conditions that often are studied. Systematic assessment of dynamic postural control processes in ASD may provide important insights into new treatment targets and neurodevelopmental mechanisms. Electronic supplementary material The online version of this article (doi:10.1186/s11689-016-9178-1) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zheng Wang
- Schiefelbusch Institute for Life Span Studies and Clinical Child Psychology Program, University of Kansas, 1000 Sunnyside Ave., Suite 2004, Lawrence, KS 66045 USA ; Kansas Center for Autism Research and Training (KCART), University of Kansas Medical School, Overland Park, KS 66213 USA
| | - Rami R Hallac
- Analytical Imaging and Modeling Center, Children's Medical Center, Dallas, TX 75235 USA
| | - Kaitlin C Conroy
- Center for Autism and Developmental Disabilities, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX 75390 USA
| | - Stormi P White
- Center for Autism and Developmental Disabilities, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX 75390 USA
| | - Alex A Kane
- Analytical Imaging and Modeling Center, Children's Medical Center, Dallas, TX 75235 USA
| | - Amy L Collinsworth
- Analytical Imaging and Modeling Center, Children's Medical Center, Dallas, TX 75235 USA
| | - John A Sweeney
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Neuroscience, University of Cincinnati College of Medicine, Cincinnati, OH 45219 USA
| | - Matthew W Mosconi
- Schiefelbusch Institute for Life Span Studies and Clinical Child Psychology Program, University of Kansas, 1000 Sunnyside Ave., Suite 2004, Lawrence, KS 66045 USA ; Kansas Center for Autism Research and Training (KCART), University of Kansas Medical School, Overland Park, KS 66213 USA
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21
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Wade MG, Kazeck M. Developmental coordination disorder and its cause: The road less travelled. Hum Mov Sci 2016; 57:489-500. [PMID: 27876401 DOI: 10.1016/j.humov.2016.08.004] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/03/2016] [Revised: 08/05/2016] [Accepted: 08/12/2016] [Indexed: 10/20/2022]
Abstract
We critically review the research literature that seeks to focus on the possible cause of children diagnosed with developmental coordination disorder (DCD). In so doing we contrast the traditional information processing (IP) approach as a model to explain the causal factors that account for the motor deficits present in children with DCD, with a dynamical systems (DS) account which argues that coordination deficits in children with DCD is less to do with problems of poor internal models (a cornerstone of IP theory) and more with a degrading of perception-action coupling. We review and comment on the extant empirical data and conclusions of both approaches. We conclude that the data for an IP explanation is weak and a reconsideration of DCD is in order with respect to the underlying cause of this issue.
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Affiliation(s)
- Michael G Wade
- School of Kinesiology, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN 55455, USA.
| | - Makinzee Kazeck
- School of Kinesiology, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN 55455, USA
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22
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Beyond deficit or compensation: new insights on postural control after long-term total visual loss. Exp Brain Res 2016; 235:437-446. [PMID: 27770165 DOI: 10.1007/s00221-016-4799-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/18/2016] [Accepted: 10/11/2016] [Indexed: 10/20/2022]
Abstract
Loss of vision is well known to affect postural control in blind subjects. This effect has classically been framed in terms of deficit or compensation depending on whether body sway increases or decreases in comparison with that of sighted subjects with the eyes open. However, studies have shown that postural responses can be modulated by the context and that changes in postural sway may not necessarily mean a worsened or improved postural control. The goal of our study was to test whether balance is affected by the context in blind subjects. Additional to the quantification of center of pressure (COP) displacement, measurements of body motion (COG) and the correspondent net neuromuscular response (COP-COG) were evaluated in anterior-posterior and medial-lateral directions. Thirty-eight completely blind and thirty-two sighted subjects participated of this study. The volunteers were asked to stand barefoot on a force platform for 60 s in two different conditions: feet apart and feet together. Sighted participants performed the tests with both the eyes open and eyes closed. Results showed that the COP-COG displacements in the blind group were greater than those of the sighted group with eyes open in almost all conditions tested, but not in eyes closed condition. However, the COP and COG results confirmed that the postural responses were context dependent. Together these results suggest that total visual loss does not just lead to a balance deficit or compensation, but to a specific postural signature that might imply in enhancing COP, COG and/or COP-COG in specific postural conditions.
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23
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Mosconi MW, Wang Z, Schmitt LM, Tsai P, Sweeney JA. The role of cerebellar circuitry alterations in the pathophysiology of autism spectrum disorders. Front Neurosci 2015; 9:296. [PMID: 26388713 PMCID: PMC4555040 DOI: 10.3389/fnins.2015.00296] [Citation(s) in RCA: 66] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/18/2015] [Accepted: 08/06/2015] [Indexed: 01/23/2023] Open
Abstract
The cerebellum has been repeatedly implicated in gene expression, rodent model and post-mortem studies of autism spectrum disorder (ASD). How cellular and molecular anomalies of the cerebellum relate to clinical manifestations of ASD remains unclear. Separate circuits of the cerebellum control different sensorimotor behaviors, such as maintaining balance, walking, making eye movements, reaching, and grasping. Each of these behaviors has been found to be impaired in ASD, suggesting that multiple distinct circuits of the cerebellum may be involved in the pathogenesis of patients' sensorimotor impairments. We will review evidence that the development of these circuits is disrupted in individuals with ASD and that their study may help elucidate the pathophysiology of sensorimotor deficits and core symptoms of the disorder. Preclinical studies of monogenetic conditions associated with ASD also have identified selective defects of the cerebellum and documented behavioral rescues when the cerebellum is targeted. Based on these findings, we propose that cerebellar circuits may prove to be promising targets for therapeutic development aimed at rescuing sensorimotor and other clinical symptoms of different forms of ASD.
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Affiliation(s)
- Matthew W Mosconi
- Clinical Child Psychology Program and Schiefelbusch Institute for Life Span Studies, University of Kansas Lawrence, KS, USA ; Center for Autism and Developmental Disabilities, University of Texas Southwestern Dallas, TX, USA ; Department of Psychiatry, University of Texas Southwestern Dallas, TX, USA ; Department of Pediatrics, University of Texas Southwestern Dallas, TX, USA
| | - Zheng Wang
- Center for Autism and Developmental Disabilities, University of Texas Southwestern Dallas, TX, USA ; Department of Psychiatry, University of Texas Southwestern Dallas, TX, USA
| | - Lauren M Schmitt
- Center for Autism and Developmental Disabilities, University of Texas Southwestern Dallas, TX, USA ; Department of Psychiatry, University of Texas Southwestern Dallas, TX, USA
| | - Peter Tsai
- Center for Autism and Developmental Disabilities, University of Texas Southwestern Dallas, TX, USA ; Department of Psychiatry, University of Texas Southwestern Dallas, TX, USA ; Department of Pediatrics, University of Texas Southwestern Dallas, TX, USA ; Department of Neurology and Neurotherapeutics, University of Texas Southwestern Dallas, TX, USA ; Department of Neuroscience, University of Texas Southwestern Dallas, TX, USA
| | - John A Sweeney
- Center for Autism and Developmental Disabilities, University of Texas Southwestern Dallas, TX, USA ; Department of Psychiatry, University of Texas Southwestern Dallas, TX, USA ; Department of Pediatrics, University of Texas Southwestern Dallas, TX, USA
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24
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Chen FC, Chen HL, Tu JH, Tsai CL. Effects of light touch on postural sway and visual search accuracy: A test of functional integration and resource competition hypotheses. Gait Posture 2015; 42:280-4. [PMID: 26112777 DOI: 10.1016/j.gaitpost.2015.06.001] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/06/2015] [Revised: 05/11/2015] [Accepted: 06/03/2015] [Indexed: 02/02/2023]
Abstract
People often multi-task in their daily life. However, the mechanisms for the interaction between simultaneous postural and non-postural tasks have been controversial over the years. The present study investigated the effects of light digital touch on both postural sway and visual search accuracy for the purpose of assessing two hypotheses (functional integration and resource competition), which may explain the interaction between postural sway and the performance of a non-postural task. Participants (n=42, 20 male and 22 female) were asked to inspect a blank sheet of paper or visually search for target letters in a text block while a fingertip was in light contact with a stable surface (light touch, LT), or with both arms hanging at the sides of the body (no touch, NT). The results showed significant main effects of LT on reducing the magnitude of postural sway as well as enhancing visual search accuracy compared with the NT condition. The findings support the hypothesis of function integration, demonstrating that the modulation of postural sway can be modulated to improve the performance of a visual search task.
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Affiliation(s)
- Fu-Chen Chen
- Department of Recreational Sport & Health Promotion, National Pingtung University of Science and Technology, Pingtung County, Taiwan.
| | - Hsin-Lin Chen
- Department of Recreational Sport & Health Promotion, National Pingtung University of Science and Technology, Pingtung County, Taiwan
| | - Jui-Hung Tu
- Department of Physical Education, National Pingtung University, Pingtung County, Taiwan
| | - Chia-Liang Tsai
- Institute of Physical Education, Health, and Leisure Studies, National Cheng Kung University, Tainan City, Taiwan
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Attentional and sensory contributions to postural sway in children with autism spectrum disorder. Gait Posture 2015; 42:199-203. [PMID: 26028526 DOI: 10.1016/j.gaitpost.2015.05.010] [Citation(s) in RCA: 34] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/16/2014] [Revised: 05/05/2015] [Accepted: 05/14/2015] [Indexed: 02/02/2023]
Abstract
Postural control is known to depend on sensory and cognitive factors. Little is known about how children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) regulate static balance, and to what extent vision and cognition contribute to the regulation of balance in this group. We compared a group of children with mild ASD and a group of age- and gender-matched controls on various postural tasks, standing on a Wii Balance Board. We tested a sensory disturbance (closing the eyes) and a cognitive disturbance (word memorization) on the control of quiet standing. Analysis of center-of-pressure excursions revealed moderate effects of cognitive load, but clear effects of vision. We found a greater destabilizing effect of closing the eyes (greater postural excursions in the medio-lateral direction) for the ASD group than for controls. No group differences were found on word recall and on a standardized balance test (Movement Assessment Battery for Children; M-ABC2). We suggest that the postural effects reflect tighter coupling between vision and motor adjustments in ASD than in controls, which is consistent with recent suggestions of greater reliance on vision in this group.
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Memari AH, Ghanouni P, Shayestehfar M, Ghaheri B. Postural control impairments in individuals with autism spectrum disorder: a critical review of current literature. Asian J Sports Med 2014; 5:e22963. [PMID: 25520765 PMCID: PMC4267489 DOI: 10.5812/asjsm.22963] [Citation(s) in RCA: 35] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/29/2013] [Accepted: 02/21/2014] [Indexed: 11/16/2022] Open
Abstract
CONTEXT Motor impairments in individuals with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) have been frequently reported. In this review, we narrow our focus on postural control impairments to summarize current literature for patterns, underlying mechanisms, and determinants of posture in this population. EVIDENCE ACQUISITION A literature search was conducted through Medline, ISI web of Knowledge, Scopus and Google Scholar to include studies between 1992 and February 2013. RESULTS Individuals with ASD have problems in maintaining postural control in infancy that well persists into later years. However, the patterns and underlying mechanisms are still unclear. CONCLUSIONS Examining postural control as an endophenotype or early diagnostic marker of autism is a conceptual premise which should be considered in future investigations. At the end of the review, methodological recommendations on the assessment of postural control have also been provided.
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Affiliation(s)
- Amir Hossein Memari
- Sports Medicine Research Center, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, IR Iran
- Neuroscience Institute, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, IR Iran
- Corresponding author: Amir Hossein Memari, Sports Medicine Research Center, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, IR Iran. Tel: +98-2188630227, Fax: +98-2188003539, E-mail:
| | - Parisa Ghanouni
- Occupational Science and Occupational Therapy, Faculty of Medicine, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, Canada
| | - Monir Shayestehfar
- Sports Medicine Research Center, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, IR Iran
- Neuroscience Institute, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, IR Iran
| | - Banafsheh Ghaheri
- Faculty of Physical Education and Sport Sciences, University of Tehran, Tehran, IR Iran
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Funahashi Y, Karashima C, Hoshiyama M. Compensatory Postural Sway While Seated Posture During Tasks in Children with Autism Spectrum Disorder. Occup Ther Int 2014; 21:166-75. [DOI: 10.1002/oti.1375] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/30/2013] [Revised: 05/26/2014] [Accepted: 05/27/2014] [Indexed: 01/08/2023] Open
Affiliation(s)
- Yoshimi Funahashi
- Department of Occupational Therapy, Graduate School of Medicine, School of Health Sciences; Nagoya University; 1-1-20 Daiko-minami, Higashi-ku Nagoya 461-8673 Japan
| | - Chieko Karashima
- Department of Occupational Therapy, Graduate School of Medicine, School of Health Sciences; Nagoya University; 1-1-20 Daiko-minami, Higashi-ku Nagoya 461-8673 Japan
| | - Minoru Hoshiyama
- Department of Occupational Therapy, Graduate School of Medicine, School of Health Sciences; Nagoya University; 1-1-20 Daiko-minami, Higashi-ku Nagoya 461-8673 Japan
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Chen YC, Tseng TC, Hung TH, Stoffregen TA. Precursors of post-bout motion sickness in adolescent female boxers. Exp Brain Res 2014; 232:2571-9. [PMID: 24671652 DOI: 10.1007/s00221-014-3910-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/04/2014] [Accepted: 03/07/2014] [Indexed: 01/14/2023]
Abstract
Athletic head trauma (both concussive and sub-concussive) is common among adolescents. Head trauma often is followed by motion sickness-like symptoms, by changes in cognitive performance, and by changes in standing body sway. We evaluated adolescent female boxers who did and did not report motion sickness after a bout (i.e., a boxing match), together with a control group of non-boxers. We asked whether pre-bout body sway would differ between boxers who experienced post-bout motion sickness and those who did not. In addition, we asked whether pre-bout cognitive performance would differ between non-boxers and boxers with and without post-bout motion sickness. Seven of twenty boxers reported motion sickness after a bout. Pre-bout measures of cognitive performance and body sway were different in boxers who reported post-bout motion sickness than in boxers without post-bout sickness or controls. The results suggest that susceptibility to motion sickness-like symptoms in adolescent female boxers may be manifested in characteristic patterns of body sway and cognitive performance. It may be possible to use pre-bout data to predict susceptibility to post-bout symptoms.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yi-Chou Chen
- School of Kinesiology, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN, USA
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Memari AH, Ghanouni P, Shayestehfar M, Ziaee V, Moshayedi P. Effects of visual search vs. auditory tasks on postural control in children with autism spectrum disorder. Gait Posture 2014; 39:229-34. [PMID: 23931847 DOI: 10.1016/j.gaitpost.2013.07.012] [Citation(s) in RCA: 24] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/29/2012] [Revised: 06/27/2013] [Accepted: 07/10/2013] [Indexed: 02/02/2023]
Abstract
Recent research in motor control shows the interactive role of cognitive factors in postural control. However, there is little understanding in how children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) develop their postural behaviors. This study compares the interference of visual or auditory tasks on postural control in children with ASD. We examined 19 children with ASD (10-15 years old) and also 28 age-matched typically developing (TD) children. They were asked to perform two tasks during postural control: (1) a visual searching task (2) an auditory digit span task. Postural performances were measured with a force platform. Results showed that children with ASD indicated higher postural sway scores in visual task vs. auditory task; as root mean square (p=0.04), mean velocity (p=0.01) and sway area (p=0.02) but TD children scores remained unchanged. Children with ASD also showed significantly higher sway scores than TD children in all parameters. We conclude that in addition to primary differences in patterns of postural control of children with ASD compared to TD children, visual and auditory tasks may differently influence the postural control in this population.
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Affiliation(s)
- Amir Hossein Memari
- Sports Medicine Research Center, Neuroscience Institute, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran.
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Becker EBE, Stoodley CJ. Autism spectrum disorder and the cerebellum. INTERNATIONAL REVIEW OF NEUROBIOLOGY 2013; 113:1-34. [PMID: 24290381 DOI: 10.1016/b978-0-12-418700-9.00001-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 153] [Impact Index Per Article: 13.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/22/2022]
Abstract
The cerebellum has been long known for its importance in motor learning and coordination. Recently, anatomical, clinical, and neuroimaging studies strongly suggest that the cerebellum supports cognitive functions, including language and executive functions, as well as affective regulation. Furthermore, the cerebellum has emerged as one of the key brain regions affected in autism. Here, we discuss our current understanding of the role of the cerebellum in autism, including evidence from genetic, molecular, clinical, behavioral, and neuroimaging studies. Cerebellar findings in autism suggest developmental differences at multiple levels of neural structure and function, indicating that the cerebellum is an important player in the complex neural underpinnings of autism spectrum disorder, with behavioral implications beyond the motor domain.
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Affiliation(s)
- Esther B E Becker
- MRC Functional Genomics Unit, Department of Physiology, Anatomy and Genetics, University of Oxford, Oxford, United Kingdom.
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Chukoskie L, Townsend J, Westerfield M. Motor Skill in Autism Spectrum Disorders. INTERNATIONAL REVIEW OF NEUROBIOLOGY 2013; 113:207-49. [DOI: 10.1016/b978-0-12-418700-9.00007-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 33] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/04/2022]
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Standing body sway in women with and without morning sickness in pregnancy. Gait Posture 2013; 37:103-7. [PMID: 22824679 DOI: 10.1016/j.gaitpost.2012.06.021] [Citation(s) in RCA: 23] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/05/2011] [Revised: 06/21/2012] [Accepted: 06/22/2012] [Indexed: 02/02/2023]
Abstract
Morning sickness typically is attributed to hormonal changes in pregnancy. We asked whether morning sickness is associated with changes in standing postural equilibrium, as occurs in research on visually induced motion sickness. Twenty-one pregnant women (mean age=30 years, mean height=163cm; mean weight=63kg) were tested during the first trimester. Laboratory-based balance measures were collected, along with perceived postural stability, the presence of morning sickness, and the severity of subjective symptoms. We varied the distance between the feet and the visual task performed during stance. Participants were classified as either experiencing (Sick, n=12) or not experiencing (Well, n=9) morning sickness. Perceived balance stability was lower for Sick than for Well women. The positional variability of sway was reduced for the Sick group, relative to the Well group. Positional variability decreased with wider stance width, and was reduced during performance of a more demanding visual task. Stance width and visual task also influenced the temporal dynamics of sway. Effects of stance width and visual task on postural sway were similar to effects in non-pregnant adults, suggesting that sensitive tuning of posture is maintained during the first trimester. The findings suggest that women with morning sickness may attempt to stabilize their bodies by reducing overall body sway. It may be useful to recommend that women adopt wider stance early in pregnancy.
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Chen YC, Hung TH, Tseng TC, Hsieh CC, Chen FC, Stoffregen TA. Pre-bout standing body sway differs between adult boxers who do and do not report post-bout motion sickness. PLoS One 2012; 7:e46136. [PMID: 23056250 PMCID: PMC3463526 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0046136] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/16/2012] [Accepted: 08/28/2012] [Indexed: 11/18/2022] Open
Abstract
Background Motion sickness is characterized by subjective symptoms that include dizziness and nausea. Studies have shown that subjective symptoms of motion sickness are preceded by differences in standing body sway between those who experience the symptoms and those who are not. Boxers often report dizziness and nausea immediately after bouts. We predicted that pre-bout standing body sway would differ between boxers who experienced post-bout motion sickness and those who did not. Methodology/Principal Findings We collected data on standing body sway before bouts. During measurement of body sway participants performed two visual tasks. In addition, we varied stance width (the distance between the heels). Postural testing was conducted separately before and after participants' regular warm-up routines. After bouts, we collected self-reports of motion sickness incidence and symptoms. Results revealed that standing body sway was greater after warm-up than before warm-up, and that wider stance width was associated with reduced sway. Eight of 15 amateur boxers reported motion sickness after a bout. Two statistically significant interactions revealed that standing body sway before bouts differed between participants who reported post-bout motion sickness and those who did not. Conclusions/Significance The results suggest that susceptibility to motion sickness in boxers may be manifested in characteristic patterns of body sway. It may be possible to use pre-bout data on postural sway to predict susceptibility to post-bout motion sickness.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yi-Chou Chen
- School of Kinesiology, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, Minnesota, United States of America
| | - Ting-Hsuan Hung
- Office of Institutional Research, Edgewood College, Madison, Wisconsin, United States of America
| | - Tzu-Chiang Tseng
- Graduate Institute of Sport Coaching Science, Chinese Cultural University, Taipei, Taiwan
| | - City C. Hsieh
- College of Well Being, YuanPei University, HsinChu, Taiwan
| | - Fu-Chen Chen
- Department of Recreation Sport and Health Promotion, National Pingtung University of Science and Technology, Pingtung, Taiwan
| | - Thomas A. Stoffregen
- School of Kinesiology, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, Minnesota, United States of America
- * E-mail:
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Linkenauger SA, Lerner MD, Ramenzoni VC, Proffitt DR. A perceptual-motor deficit predicts social and communicative impairments in individuals with autism spectrum disorders. Autism Res 2012; 5:352-62. [PMID: 22961977 DOI: 10.1002/aur.1248] [Citation(s) in RCA: 30] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/28/2011] [Accepted: 07/04/2012] [Indexed: 12/22/2022]
Abstract
Individuals with autism spectrum disorders (ASDs) have known impairments in social and motor skills. Identifying putative underlying mechanisms of these impairments could lead to improved understanding of the etiology of core social/communicative deficits in ASDs, and identification of novel intervention targets. The ability to perceptually integrate one's physical capacities with one's environment (affordance perception) may be such a mechanism. This ability has been theorized to be impaired in ASDs, but this question has never been directly tested. Crucially, affordance perception has shown to be amenable to learning; thus, if it is implicated in deficits in ASDs, it may be a valuable unexplored intervention target. The present study compared affordance perception in adolescents and adults with ASDs to typically developing (TD) controls. Two groups of individuals (adolescents and adults) with ASDs and age-matched TD controls completed well-established action capability estimation tasks (reachability, graspability, and aperture passability). Their caregivers completed a measure of their lifetime social/communicative deficits. Compared with controls, individuals with ASDs showed unprecedented gross impairments in relating information about their bodies' action capabilities to visual information specifying the environment. The magnitude of these deficits strongly predicted the magnitude of social/communicative impairments in individuals with ASDs. Thus, social/communicative impairments in ASDs may derive, at least in part, from deficits in basic perceptual-motor processes (e.g. action capability estimation). Such deficits may impair the ability to maintain and calibrate the relationship between oneself and one's social and physical environments, and present fruitful, novel, and unexplored target for intervention.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sally A Linkenauger
- Perception and Action in Virtual Environments, Max Planck Institute for Biological Cybernetics, Tübingen, Germany.
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Koslucher F, Wade MG, Nelson B, Lim K, Chen FC, Stoffregen TA. Nintendo Wii Balance Board is sensitive to effects of visual tasks on standing sway in healthy elderly adults. Gait Posture 2012; 36:605-8. [PMID: 22748469 DOI: 10.1016/j.gaitpost.2012.05.027] [Citation(s) in RCA: 50] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/15/2012] [Revised: 05/10/2012] [Accepted: 05/30/2012] [Indexed: 02/02/2023]
Abstract
Research has shown that the Nintendo Wii Balance Board (WBB) can reliably detect the quantitative kinematics of the center of pressure in stance. Previous studies used relatively coarse manipulations (1- vs. 2-leg stance, and eyes open vs. closed). We sought to determine whether the WBB could reliably detect postural changes associated with subtle variations in visual tasks. Healthy elderly adults stood on a WBB while performing one of two visual tasks. In the Inspection task, they maintained their gaze within the boundaries of a featureless target. In the Search task, they counted the occurrence of designated target letters within a block of text. Consistent with previous studies using traditional force plates, the positional variability of the center of pressure was reduced during performance of the Search task, relative to movement during performance of the Inspection task. Using detrended fluctuation analysis, a measure of movement dynamics, we found that COP trajectories were more predictable during performance of the Search task than during performance of the Inspection task. The results indicate that the WBB is sensitive to subtle variations in both the magnitude and dynamics of body sway that are related to variations in visual tasks engaged in during stance. The WBB is an inexpensive, reliable technology that can be used to evaluate subtle characteristics of body sway in large or widely dispersed samples.
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Affiliation(s)
- Frank Koslucher
- School of Kinesiology, University of Minnesota, United States
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Hattier MA, Matson JL, Belva BC, Horovitz M. The occurrence of challenging behaviours in children with autism spectrum disorders and atypical development. Dev Neurorehabil 2011; 14:221-9. [PMID: 21732806 DOI: 10.3109/17518423.2011.573836] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/18/2022]
Abstract
OBJECTIVE This study examines the occurrence of challenging behaviours in children with ASDs and atypical development. DESIGN This study is a descriptive non-experimental design that inspects the frequencies of challenging behaviours among two diagnostic groups. This type of methodology is important since research in this area is still in the beginning stages of development. METHODS The sample consisted of 2131 children, with 633 having an ASD and 1498 having atypical development. The Baby and Infant Screen for Children with aUtIsm Traits-Part 3 (BISCUIT-Part 3) assesses problematic behaviours within this population. The frequencies of challenging behaviours were examined along with an inspection of the co-occurring items. RESULTS Greater percentages of problematic behaviours were found in the ASD group as compared to the group with atypical development. CONCLUSION Challenging behaviours are variables affecting the behavioural presentation of those with ASDs and may be considered into the treatment plans for these children.
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Chen FC, Tsai CL, Stoffregen TA, Wade MG. Postural responses to a suprapostural visual task among children with and without developmental coordination disorder. RESEARCH IN DEVELOPMENTAL DISABILITIES 2011; 32:1948-1956. [PMID: 21536408 DOI: 10.1016/j.ridd.2011.03.027] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/14/2011] [Revised: 03/25/2011] [Accepted: 03/27/2011] [Indexed: 05/30/2023]
Abstract
We sought to determine the effects of varying the perceptual demands of a suprapostural visual task on the postural activity of children with developmental coordination disorder (DCD), and typically developing children (TDC). Sixty-four (32 per group) children aged between 9 and 10 years participated. In a within-participants design, each child performed a signal detection task at two levels of difficulty, low (LD) and high difficulty (HD). During performance of the signal detection tasks we recorded positional variability of the head and torso using a magnetic tracking system. We found that task difficulty had a greater effect on task performance among the TDC group than among children with DCD. Overall positional variability was greater the DCD group than in the TDC group. In the TDC group, positional variability was reduced during performance of the HD task, relative to sway during performance of the LD task. In the DCD group, positional variability was greater during performance of the HD task than during performance of the LD task. In children, DCD may reduce the strength of functional integration of postural activity with the demands of suprapostural visual tasks.
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Affiliation(s)
- F C Chen
- Affordance Perception Action Laboratory (APAL), School of Kinesiology, University of Minnesota, Minnespolis, MN 55455, USA
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