Multi-Joint Movement Coordination in Children with Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorders

Abstract

The purpose of this study is to examine how human subjects with central nervous system injury resulting from prenatal exposure to alcohol coordinate multi-joint movements involving the shoulder and elbow joints. The study focuses on children and young adults (1) with a diagnosis of a Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder (FASD), which is an umbrella term used to define Fetal Alcohol Syndrome, Partial Fetal Alcohol Syndrome, Alcohol Related Neurodevelopmental Disorder, and Alcohol Related Birth Defects; and (2) age- and gender-matched control subjects. The subjects are given a series of simple coordination tasks to perform, on a robot exoskeleton called the KINARM and the experimental data collected by the soft ware will be analyzed in great detail. The overall goal of this research project is to determine, whether motor movements and control of the limbs can be used as a potential diagnostic and research tool in children with developmental disorders.