Abstract
Dorsal stream cortical networks underpin a cluster of visuomotor, visuospatial, and visual attention functions. Sensitivity to global coherence of motion and static form is considered a signature of visual cortical processing in the dorsal stream (motion) relative to the ventral stream (form). Poorer sensitivity to global motion compared to global static form has been found across a diverse range of neurodevelopmental disorders, suggesting a “dorsal stream vulnerability.” However, previous studies of global coherence sensitivity in Developmental Coordination Disorder (DCD) have shown conflicting findings. We examined two groups totalling 102 children with DCD (age 5–12 years), using the “Ball in the Grass” psychophysical test to compare sensitivity to global motion and global static form. Motor impairment was measured using the Movement-ABC (M-ABC). Global coherence sensitivity was compared with a typically developing control group (N = 69) in the same age range. Children with DCD showed impaired sensitivity to global motion (p = 0.002), but not global form (p = 0.695), compared to controls. Within the DCD group, motor impairment showed a significant linear relationship with global form sensitivity (p < 0.001). There was also a significant quadratic relationship between motor impairment and global motion sensitivity (p = 0.046), where poorer global motion sensitivity was only apparent with greater motor impairment. We suggest that two distinct visually related components, associated with global form and global motion sensitivity, contribute to DCD differentially over the range of severity of the disorder. Possible neural circuitry underlying these relationships is discussed.
Highlights
Measures of coherence sensitivity to global visual form and global visual motion have been proposed as indicators of functioning in the ventral and dorsal cortical streams, respectively (Atkinson et al, 1997; Gunn et al, 2002; Braddick et al, 2003; Atkinson, 2017a)
The present study aimed to examine whether children with Developmental Coordination Disorder (DCD) show dorsal stream vulnerability as indexed by a selective impairment in global motion coherence sensitivity, compared to global form coherence sensitivity
We first compared scaled scores for global motion and global form coherence sensitivity between the DCD and TD Control groups in order to examine whether children with DCD showed evidence of dorsal stream vulnerability
Summary
Measures of coherence sensitivity to global visual form and global visual motion have been proposed as indicators of functioning in the ventral and dorsal cortical streams, respectively (Atkinson et al, 1997; Gunn et al, 2002; Braddick et al, 2003; Atkinson, 2017a). Purcell et al (2012) compared radial (looming) motion sensitivity in eleven 6–11 year olds with DCD to controls, reporting that children with DCD showed a marked impairment in sensitivity to radial motion speed This impairment was evident when the moving object was not fixated within central vision, but no comparative measurement of form sensitivity was obtained. These previous studies examining global form and motion sensitivity in DCD have involved only small numbers of participants (N = 8–13) with differing criteria for inclusion and exclusion as cases of DCD. The size and age range (5– 12 years) of the DCD group made it possible to examine (a) whether there is any association of global form and motion coherence sensitivity with individuals’ level of motor deficit as reflected in M-ABC scores; (b) whether this relationship is agedependent; (c) whether the relationship is influenced by overall cognitive ability
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