Abstract
The ability to use advance information to prepare and execute a movement requires cognitive control of behaviour (e.g., anticipation and inhibition). Our aim was to explore the integrity of saccadic eye movement control in developmental coordination disorder (DCD) and typically developing (TD) children (8–12 years) and assess how these children plan and inhibit saccadic responses, the principal mechanisms within visual attention control. Eye movements and touch responses were measured (separately and concurrently) in Cued and Non-Cued conditions. We found that children with DCD had similar saccade kinematics to the TD group during saccade initiation. Advance information decreased hand movement duration in both groups during Cued trials, but decrements in accuracy were significantly worse in the DCD group. In addition, children with DCD exhibited greater inhibitory errors and inaccurate fixation during the Cued trials. Thus, children with DCD were reasonably proficient in executing saccades during reflexive (Non-Cued) conditions, but showed deficits in more complex control processes involving prediction and inhibition. These findings have implications for our understanding of motor control in children with DCD.
Highlights
Motor impairment amongst children is a widespread problem
We found that children with developmental coordination disorder (DCD) had similar saccade kinematics to the typically developing (TD) group during saccade initiation
None of the TD children had any history of motor deficits and this was validated by their parents and teachers who reported that the children were progressing well within home and school
Summary
Motor impairment amongst children is a widespread problem. Developmental coordination disorder (DCD) is a broad diagnostic construct encompassing heterogeneous presentations. It is a term used to describe children with a core motor deficit in the absence of overt signs of other conditions that might explain the motor difficulties. According to the DSM-5 diagnostic criteria, DCD is determined when: a child presents impairment in the acquisition and learning of motor skills in comparison to peer groups (criteria A), these motor deficits significantly and persistently affect activities of daily living and impact academic achievement, leisure and play (criteria B), the onset of motor deficits occur early in development (criteria C), and the deficits cannot be explained by PLOS ONE | DOI:10.1371/journal.pone.0165380. According to the DSM-5 diagnostic criteria, DCD is determined when: a child presents impairment in the acquisition and learning of motor skills in comparison to peer groups (criteria A), these motor deficits significantly and persistently affect activities of daily living and impact academic achievement, leisure and play (criteria B), the onset of motor deficits occur early in development (criteria C), and the deficits cannot be explained by PLOS ONE | DOI:10.1371/journal.pone.0165380 November 3, 2016
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