Abstract
Slow movements and atypical patterns of muscle activation are well-known features of Down Syndrome (DS). Some studies attribute these features to a deficit in voluntary motor commands and preprogramming of actions, that lead subjects with DS to be more reliant on feedback control. In the present study, we evaluated the movement strategies of 13 adult subjects with DS and of 22 age-matched controls (N) during an arm tapping task. By means of quantitative motion analysis, our aim was to describe movement differences in DS respect to typical population and provide a means of interpreting such differences in terms of the underlying different control processes. The results highlighted distinct motor strategies for the tapping task in the two groups, with DS relying more on the trunk motion and N relying on the elbow motion to accomplish the task. Furthermore, DS corrected their wrist trajectory more than N subjects, giving shape to multi-peaked velocity profiles. Longer duration of the trials and a higher index of curvature were found in DS. The results suggest that subjects with DS rely more on feedback control, whereas they have problems with movement planning and feed-forward control. The different strategy operated by subjects with DS leads to a different task performance.
| Original language | English |
|---|---|
| Pages (from-to) | 333-338 |
| Number of pages | 6 |
| Journal | Experimental Brain Research |
| Volume | 225 |
| Issue number | 3 |
| DOIs | |
| Publication status | Published - Mar 2013 |
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Keywords
- Down Syndrome
- Feedback
- Feedforward
- Motor control
- Tapping
- Upper limb
ASJC Scopus subject areas
- Neuroscience(all)
Cite this
Motor strategies and motor programs during an arm tapping task in adults with Down Syndrome. / Vimercati, Sara Laura; Galli, Manuela; Rigoldi, Chiara; Ancillao, Andrea; Albertini, Giorgio.
In: Experimental Brain Research, Vol. 225, No. 3, 03.2013, p. 333-338.Research output: Contribution to journal › Article
}
TY - JOUR
T1 - Motor strategies and motor programs during an arm tapping task in adults with Down Syndrome
AU - Vimercati, Sara Laura
AU - Galli, Manuela
AU - Rigoldi, Chiara
AU - Ancillao, Andrea
AU - Albertini, Giorgio
PY - 2013/3
Y1 - 2013/3
N2 - Slow movements and atypical patterns of muscle activation are well-known features of Down Syndrome (DS). Some studies attribute these features to a deficit in voluntary motor commands and preprogramming of actions, that lead subjects with DS to be more reliant on feedback control. In the present study, we evaluated the movement strategies of 13 adult subjects with DS and of 22 age-matched controls (N) during an arm tapping task. By means of quantitative motion analysis, our aim was to describe movement differences in DS respect to typical population and provide a means of interpreting such differences in terms of the underlying different control processes. The results highlighted distinct motor strategies for the tapping task in the two groups, with DS relying more on the trunk motion and N relying on the elbow motion to accomplish the task. Furthermore, DS corrected their wrist trajectory more than N subjects, giving shape to multi-peaked velocity profiles. Longer duration of the trials and a higher index of curvature were found in DS. The results suggest that subjects with DS rely more on feedback control, whereas they have problems with movement planning and feed-forward control. The different strategy operated by subjects with DS leads to a different task performance.
AB - Slow movements and atypical patterns of muscle activation are well-known features of Down Syndrome (DS). Some studies attribute these features to a deficit in voluntary motor commands and preprogramming of actions, that lead subjects with DS to be more reliant on feedback control. In the present study, we evaluated the movement strategies of 13 adult subjects with DS and of 22 age-matched controls (N) during an arm tapping task. By means of quantitative motion analysis, our aim was to describe movement differences in DS respect to typical population and provide a means of interpreting such differences in terms of the underlying different control processes. The results highlighted distinct motor strategies for the tapping task in the two groups, with DS relying more on the trunk motion and N relying on the elbow motion to accomplish the task. Furthermore, DS corrected their wrist trajectory more than N subjects, giving shape to multi-peaked velocity profiles. Longer duration of the trials and a higher index of curvature were found in DS. The results suggest that subjects with DS rely more on feedback control, whereas they have problems with movement planning and feed-forward control. The different strategy operated by subjects with DS leads to a different task performance.
KW - Down Syndrome
KW - Feedback
KW - Feedforward
KW - Motor control
KW - Tapping
KW - Upper limb
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UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/citedby.url?scp=84877017832&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.1007/s00221-012-3373-4
DO - 10.1007/s00221-012-3373-4
M3 - Article
C2 - 23274643
AN - SCOPUS:84877017832
VL - 225
SP - 333
EP - 338
JO - Experimental Brain Research
JF - Experimental Brain Research
SN - 0014-4819
IS - 3
ER -