Journal of Motor Behavior最新文献

This study aimed to investigate the effects of combining Pilates and transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS) on core stability, balance, and depression in stroke patients. Forty subjects were randomly divided into an experimental group (n = 20) and a control group (n = 20). The experimental group received 20 min of tDCS followed by 30 min of Pilates exercises, while the control group underwent sham tDCS with the same Pilates regimen. Both groups followed the intervention schedule twice a week for 4 weeks. Core stability, static balance, and dynamic balance were assessed using the pressure biofeedback stabilizer (PBS), functional reach test (FRT), and timed up and go (TUG) test. Depression levels were evaluated using the short form geriatric depression scale-Korean version (SGDS-K). Both groups showed significant improvements in core stability, balance, and depression (p < 0.001) after the intervention, but the experimental group demonstrated significantly greater gains compared to the control group (p < 0.05). The results suggest that the combined treatment of Pilates and tDCS offers superior benefits over Pilates alone in improving physical and emotional outcomes in stroke patients. Incorporating tDCS into rehabilitation programs could enhance recovery and quality of life for stroke survivors.

Upper extremity Selective Voluntary Motor Control (SVMC) is a key factor influencing upper extremity functions in children with Cerebral Palsy (CP), but differences in SVMC of the upper extremity between unilateral and bilateral CP and its association with trunk control and balance remain unclear. This study aims to examine differences in upper extremity SVMC and its association with trunk control and balance in 58 children (31 unilateral, 27 bilateral) with spastic CP. SVMC, balance, and trunk control were assessed using the Selective Control of Upper Extremity Scale (SCUES). Pediatric Balance Scale (PBS), and the Trunk Control Measurement Scale (TCMS), respectively. No significant difference in SCUES scores was found between unilateral and bilateral CP (p > 0.05). SCUES scores correlated with TCMS in both types (p < 0.05), with a stronger correlation in bilateral CP (unilateral rho = 0.38, bilateral rho = 0.87). PBS correlated with SCUES only in bilateral cases (p < 0.01, rho = 0.88). In conclusion, impaired upper extremity SVMC is common in spastic CP and more linked to trunk control and balance in bilateral than unilateral cases. Addressing this difference may guide the development of tailored interventions for both types.

Action observation training (AOT) is recognised as an effective method for enhancing motor function by engaging mirror neurons. This study investigated the combined effects of AOT and upper limb robot therapy on upper extremity function, movement quality, activities of daily living (ADL), muscle activity, and coordination in stroke patients. Twenty-four subacute stroke patients were randomly assigned to either an intervention group (AOT + robot therapy, n = 12) or a control group (robot therapy only, n = 12). Primary outcomes were assessed using FMA-UE and ARAT, while secondary outcomes included the Point-to-Point test, K-MBI, %RVC, and CCR. Both groups demonstrated significant improvements in upper extremity function, movement quality, ADL, and muscle activity. However, the intervention group showed significantly greater enhancements in upper extremity function, ADL, and muscle activity than the control group. Additionally, CCR values were negative for all movements in the intervention group, whereas in the control group, only shoulder flexion exhibited a negative value. These findings suggest that integrating AOT with upper limb robot therapy enhances muscle activity, coordination, and functional recovery in subacute stroke patients, highlighting its potential as a valuable rehabilitation approach.

The Challenge Point Framework (CPF) guides practice design for optimal motor skill learning. The CPF's use and prevalence has not been reported. This review's aims are to - (i) identify research areas that use the CPF, (ii) determine the CPF's prevalence across research areas and (iii) summarise applications of the CPF across research areas. A systematic scoping review, following modified PRISMA-ScR guidelines, was conducted. Papers referencing Guadagnoli and Lee's (2004) "Challenge Point Framework" paper were reviewed against inclusion/exclusion criteria. Data from 100 included papers were analysed for (1) numerical; (2) thematic; and (3) descriptive summaries. Four themes were identified and common CPF applications were identified within each theme. CPF use has been viewed favourably whilst its limitations have been acknowledged (e.g., lack of practical application research).

People with stroke (PwS) often exhibit altered postural control, and concomitant stroke-related communication disorders (e.g., aphasia, dysarthria) may be an underrecognized risk factor for post-stroke falls. This heightened fall risk may be related to alterations in postural control that emerge during different speaking and listening conditions. This study evaluated how variations in the relative articulatory demands during speech production-termed "oral-motor complexity"-affect postural center of pressure (COP) patterns among PwS, both with communication disorders (PwS-CDis) and without (PwS). Three groups of adults (PwS, PwS-CDis, and a nondisabled Control group) stood on a force platform while completing four 30-second quiet stance trials, followed by twelve 30-second trials randomized across three experimental conditions of varying oral-motor complexities ("ba", "puh tuh kuh", "rah shah lah nah"). COP variability (SD) was significantly higher during experimental conditions compared to quiet stance, regardless of group and movement plane. Differences in nonlinear time-dependent metrics were found across oral-motor task conditions, particularly among PwS-CDis, suggesting oral-motor complexity may influence underlying postural-motor organization. Distinct temporal-dynamical patterns observed in PwS-CDis indicate a possible link between pathology, postural control, and speech motor tasks, which is relevant when evaluating postural control in individuals with stroke-related communication disorders.

The main aim was to assess the effects of motor imagery (MI) plus pelvic floor musculature (PFM) isometric exercises (IE) on skin conductance and pelvic floor sensorimotor condition. Thirty healthy women were randomised into two groups: MI+IE (n = 15), and sham-MI+IE (CG) group (n = 15). A pre- and post-intervention evaluation was conducted. Regarding the skin conductance, significant between-group differences were found in favour of MI+IE in the imagination phase with a large effect size (mean differences (MD)=1.79 μS, p = 0.037, d = 0.82). This greater sympathetic activation in the MI+IE group was accompanied by significantly greater hypoalgesia on presumed referral area of menstrual pain compared with the CG with a moderate effect size (MD = 0.722 Kg/cm², p = 0.048, d = 0.76). Finally, regarding the PFM strength, significant between-group differences were also found in favour of MI+IE compared with the CG with a large effect size (MD = 64.9 g, p = 0.035, d = 0.81). The results showed that adding MI to an IE program resulted in statistically greater improvements in pelvic floor sensorimotor function than IE alone in a single session and this should be considered clinically. Finally, one of the neurophysiological mechanisms by which the greater hypoalgesia generated in the experimental group could be explained through the activation of the sympathetic-excitatory system.

The present experiment used the Serial Reaction Time Task(SRTT) to investigate if auditory cueing or feedback in the form of spatially compatible tones benefited sequence learning similarly. Fifty-three neurotypical adults (18-35 years; 32 cis-females; 21 cis-males) were randomly assigned to three groups in which they practiced a visual SRTT: Group AC was supplemented with auditory cues; group AF received auditory feedback; group NS performed without sound. Retention and transfer tests (i.e., in the other two sensory conditions), and an explicit awareness test were conducted 48 h after practice. Changes in Total Sequence Time (TST), Total Error (TE), and acquired knowledge of the 10-item sequence order quantified sequence learning and were assessed using a two-way mixed ANOVA with repeated measures (p ≤ 0.05). A significant group-by-time interaction indicated only the AC group maintained their performance improvements when the sequence was perturbed. Overall, improvements in TST on day 1 and day 2 were consistent with all groups acquiring task-general and sequence-specific knowledge. TE outcomes suggested no speed-accuracy tradeoff. On Day 2, all groups performed best in the no-sound condition, indicating performance was maintained when sound cues or feedback were removed. All groups acquired equivalent implicit motor sequence knowledge regardless of sound condition.

The current understanding of balance development in middle childhood is predominantly from static postural tasks, in which a typical finding is a linear pattern. A paucity of studies, however, have examined the development of dynamic balance. Thus, we investigated how 354 girls and boys aged 7-10-years-old crossed a river on a wide or narrow plank in virtual reality, while their movement strategies were measured. Sex, height and perceived motor competence were examined as covariates. The results indicated that age did not appear as a significant independent variable for any measures, and that significant differences emerged between boys and girls. These findings suggest that dynamic balance can have a non-linear development in middle childhood, with boys and girls utilizing different task-specific strategies.

This study explores the association between motor competence (MC) and response time (RT) in schoolchildren. 251 participants (mean age 14.58 ± 3.07 years) completed assessments over two sessions using standardized procedures. MC was evaluated through the Motor Competence Assessment, which includes stability, locomotor, and manipulative skills, while RT was measured using a structured reaction task. Pearson correlations and multiple linear regression analyses examined the relationships between variables. Moderate correlation (r = -0.35, p < .001), with stability and manipulative skills as significant predictors of RT were found. The model accounted for 24.4% of RT variance, highlighting MC's role in neuromuscular coordination and cognitive processing. These findings emphasize the importance of MC in more efficient responses during youth, with potential applications for physical education and sports.

Performance of sport-related ballistic motor skills, like ball hitting in golf and baseball, requires wide movements to produce highly fast and spatially accurate movements. In this study, we assessed the effect of movement amplitude on directional accuracy in a ballistic hitting task. Participants performed the task of moving a manual handle over a flat surface to hit with high speed a moveable disc, aiming to propel it towards a frontal target. Five movement amplitudes were compared, ranging from 11.5 cm to 27.5 cm in steps of 4 cm. Kinematic analysis evaluated motions of the handle, disc, and arm joints. Results showed that greater movement amplitudes led to longer acceleration phases, with delayed peak velocities at the handle, shoulder and elbow, leading to higher contact and peak linear velocities of the handle, and higher angular velocities at the shoulder and elbow. Manipulation of movement amplitude led to no evidence for effects on either disc directional accuracy or variability. Results also revealed no evidence for differences in variability of contact velocity, peak velocity and time of peak velocity across movement amplitudes in the shoulder, elbow, and wrist. Our results indicated that greater movement amplitudes in hitting a spatial target lead to increased contact velocity while not affecting directional accuracy or movement variability.