Changes In Motor Abilities Research Articles

Efficiency of an Alternative Physical Education Program for the Lower Grades of Elementary School Children.

(1) Introduction: This research was conducted with the aim of assessing whether an alternative physical education (PE) program could effectively substitute for the traditional PE curriculum and aid in accomplishing the essential goals and objectives of PE among younger elementary school children. (2) Materials and Methods: This longitudinal 6-month study included third-grade elementary school children of both genders, who were healthy, lived in urban areas, and were involved in an alternative PE program, as well as the regular PE classes. The sample of participants comprised 214 students, with 105 participants in the experimental group and 109 participants in the control group, who underwent pre- and post-intervention measurements. For the purposes of this study, 11 variables were applied to assess the parameters of growth and development, motor abilities, and physical and health education. MANCOVA and ANCOVA methods were used to determine the effects resulting from the alternative and regular PE programs, and differences between the groups, respectively. The data are reported as the mean and standard deviations, and were analyzed using the statistical package SPSS version 20.0 (SPSS Inc., Armonk, NY, USA). (3) Results: Based on the research results obtained for motor abilities and physical and health education, it was concluded that both the alternative and regular PE programs had positive effects in achieving the goals and objectives of PE, but without statistical significance at the multivariate and univariate levels. The differences between the two groups were found to be negligible (effect size, ES < 0.2). (4) Discussion: Sports and PE have distinct objectives and approaches. While sports emphasize competition and winning, PE aims to impart fundamental skills and knowledge, prioritizing inclusivity among younger students. Success in PE is measured by the number of students meeting these goals, potentially affecting both talented and struggling learners. (5) Conclusions: The results obtained from the conducted research indicate that both the alternative PE program and the regular PE program influence changes in motor abilities and physical and health education to a limited extent. The alternative PE program proposed in this study, with its modifications to the structure of existing, regular PE program, can fully replace the latter in schools that do not meet the required spatial and material standards.

The effects of early exercise in traumatic brain-injured rats with changes in motor ability, brain tissue, and biomarkers

Traumatic brain injury (TBI) is brain damage which is caused by the impact of external mechanical forces. TBI can lead to the temporary or permanent impairment of physical and cognitive abilities, resulting in abnormal behavior. We recently observed that a single session of early exercise in animals with TBI improved their behavioral performance in the absence of other cognitive abnormalities. In the present study, we investigated the therapeutic effects of continuous exercise during the early stages of TBI in rats. We found that continuous low-intensity exercise in early-stage improves the locomotion recovery in the TBI of animal models; however, it does not significantly enhance short-term memory capabilities. Moreover, continuous early exercise not only reduces the protein expression of cerebral damage-related markers, such as Glial Fibrillary Acid Protein (GFAP), Neuron-Specific Enolase (NSE), S100β, Protein Gene Products 9.5 (PGP9.5), and Heat Shock Protein 70 (HSP70), but it also decreases the expression of apoptosis-related protein BAX and cleaved caspase 3. Furthermore, exercise training in animals with TBI decreases the microglia activation and the expression of inflammatory cytokines in the serum, such as CCL20, IL-13, IL-1α, and IL-1β. These findings thus demonstrate that early exercise therapy for TBI may be an effective strategy in improving physiological function, and that serum protein levels are useful biomarkers for the predicition of the effectiveness of early exercise therapy.[BMB Reports 2022; 55(10): 506-511].

P.54 Assessment of fine motor abilities using new touchscreen application, among children with spinal muscular atrophy (SMA)- a pilot study

Spinal muscular atrophy (SMA) is a genetic neurodegenerative disease characterized by severe muscle weakness and atrophy. Advances in novel drug therapies has changed dramatically the natural history of the disease and outcome measures are used to assess the clinical response to therapy. Recent research has given rise to a central issue regarding the low sensitivity and limited ability of standard SMA assessment tools in detecting the subtle changes in fine motor abilities, which occur following the use of those therapies. Furthermore, there is lack of standardized and ecological tools for assessment of fine motor abilities and changes in SMA patients' daily functions. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the use touchscreen app. as an assessment tool for detecting changes in the upper extremity (UE) motor functions among SMA patients as a response to the use of the genetic therapies. 14 patients aged 6- 23 years were recruited. Nine patients were diagnosed with SMA type 2 and five were diagnosed with SMA type 3. The patients were evaluated every six months. The study included assessment of fine motor functions, using the touchscreen app which included temporal (e.g. reaction times, duration) and accuracy (touch all corners, double tapping, drag items and pinch ability) tasks. Our preliminary tests results show that the App. is able to detect fine changes in the performance, mainly in the parameters of reaction time and duration in most of the tasks. The participants were highly motivated to use the App. comparing to standard tools and it was easy to use among all ages and types of SMA. The results of this pilot study may contribute to the new developing knowledge about the influence of the genetic therapies on motor functions of the UE in the SMA population. In addition, the results may help to establish assessments for SMA that are ecological and more sensitive in detecting changes in motor abilities and function in daily activities.

Correlation Analysis between Sports and Antiaging Based on Medical Big Data

With the aging of the population in China and even in the world becoming more and more serious, China has become the country with the largest proportion of the elderly population, and a series of social problems such as health and medical care brought about by aging are being actively responded by policies. Aging has also become a natural law that human beings cannot break free from. Although exercise cannot reverse the aging process, it can weaken the adverse effects caused by aging. Having good physical quality, keeping a happy mood, comfortable living environment, and friendly social relations are the secret recipe for prolonging life and resisting cell aging. On the contrary, if physical and mental exhaustion, various chronic diseases, negative life events, bad living environment, and social relations will seriously affect human life and quality of life. Sports promote the metabolism of the whole body. Exercise can stabilize blood sugar, avoid cardiovascular diseases, and even get a good mood. At the cellular level, exercise facilitates the transmission and absorption of nutrients, thus making tissues healthier to cope with the stress of daily life. According to the statistics of loving sports and not loving sports through medical big data, the physical fitness and cell health of the elderly who love exercise every day are better than those who do not love sports. Sports are controlled by the central nervous system, and there is a correlation between changes in motor ability and cognitive impairment. Aging is accompanied by the deterioration of skeletal muscle quality and strength, which is mainly due to the rapid degradation and slow synthesis of protein in skeletal muscle. Therefore, exercise is one of the most effective ways to delay the aging of muscles and bones. According to the great potential value of medical big data, this paper analyzes and explains the correlation between sports and antiaging.

Positive airway pressure therapy in heart failure patients comorbid with obstructive sleep apnea: Cardiovascular outcomes and nighttime-duration effect.

Comorbidity of obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) and heart failure (HF) is becoming increasingly common. This is a global analysis of positive airway pressure (PAP) efficacy for the cardiovascular outcomes in those HF Patients with comorbid OSA. Related randomized controlled trials were included. Analysed indicators covered primary outcomes (cardiac function, motor ability and life quality) and secondary outcomes (blood pressure and OSA-accompanying symptoms). Weighted mean difference was used to analyse the PAP-control difference in different experimental phases and the baseline-post difference in different groups. Compared with control group, PAP was associated with a 3.48% increase in left ventricle ejection fraction (LVEF) (p < .00001) and little decrease in heart rate (HR) (p=.67). Over 6h of mean nighttime use was associated with a greater increase in LVEF of 5.21% (p=.0002) and a significant reduction in HR of 3.81 bpm (p=.03). There was no significant difference between PAP and control group in their association with change in motor ability and life quality. Besides, PAP was associated with a 13.08 mm Hg decrease in systolic blood pressure and great improvements in OSA-accompanying symptoms: Apnea-Hypopnea Index, -23.73 e/h; mean oxygen saturation, 1.86%; minimum oxygen saturation, 8.78%; Epworth Sleepiness Scale, -1.39 point; arousal index, -16.41 e/h. There was also no significant difference in diastolic blood pressure. Positive airway pressure treatment improves cardiac function in HF patients with comorbid OSA, but the improved magnitude is associated with the duration of nighttime use rather than the duration of treatment.

장애물 높이에 따른 만성 뇌졸중 환자의 보행 특성

Purpose: The present study investigated the obstacle avoidance strategies of patients with chronic stroke according to the height of the obstacle when obstacle crossing. Methods: For this purpose, Nine healthy older (control group) and 10 chronic stroke patients (experimental group) participated in the study. The kinematic characteristics of obstacle avoidance strategies according to two obstacle height conditions (i.e., 5cm and 15cm) were measured with the take-off distance, toe clearance, and landing distance during obstacles crossing. Results: The results showed that chronic stroke patients had relatively shorter take-off distances and landing distances during obstacles crossing than healthy older adults. Chronic stroke patients also had a higher toe clearance when passing obstacles compared to healthy older adults. Conclusion: The results suggests that compensation and avoidance strategies for stroke patients to prevent falls and perform effective during obstacle crossing. In conclusion, these results indicate that changes in motor ability to overcome movement restrictions appeared to influence the planning of stepping strategies rather than the execution for obstacle crossing performance in healthy older adults.

Motor Ability and Mental Health of Young Children: A Longitudinal Study

This study used a longitudinal method to investigate relations between motor abilities and mental health in young children. We analyzed longitudinal data of 38 Japanese children who were 3–6 years old. We administered the Movement Assessment Battery for Children–Second edition (MABC2) and Strength and Difficulties Questionnaire (SDQ) at 3–4 years and 5–6 years of age: MABC2 was used to evaluate each child’s motor ability; SDQ was used to assess the degree of their mental health difficulties and prosocial behavior. Logistic regression results indicated that the MABC2 score at 3–4 years can predict the risk of motor skill impairments at 5–6 years (adjusted odds ratio was 0.354). Motor ability assessed at 3–4 years, however, did not predict the risk of mental health problems at 5–6 years. Analyses of longitudinal quantitative changes in motor ability and mental health confirmed these results. Mental health problems that occurred at 5–6 years were related only to individual SDQ score differences at 3–4 years. The MABC2 total score at 3–4 years was not related to later prosocial behavior. Boys tended to obtain a lower MABC2 score at 5–6 years. Girls tended to obtain a higher SDQ prosocial score at 5–6 years. Results of this study suggest that motor skill impairment and SDQ-measured mental health are independent characteristics in young Japanese children aged 3–6 years.

Head and eyes: Looking behavior in 12- to 24-month-old infants.

This study demonstrates evidence for a foundational process underlying active vision in older infants during object play. Using head-mounted eye-tracking and motion capture, looks to an object are shown to be tightly linked to and synchronous with a stilled head, regardless of the duration of gaze, for infants 12 to 24 months of age. Despite being a developmental period of rapid and marked changes in motor abilities, the dynamic coordination of head stabilization and sustained gaze to a visual target is developmentally invariant during the examined age range. The findings indicate that looking with an aligned head and eyes is a fundamental property of human vision and highlights the importance of studying looking behavior in freely moving perceivers in everyday contexts, opening new questions about the role of body movement in both typical and atypical development of visual attention.

Coordinated Postnatal Maturation of Striatal Cholinergic Interneurons and Dopamine Release Dynamics in Mice.

Dynamic changes in motor abilities and motivated behaviors occur during the juvenile and adolescent periods. The striatum is a subcortical nucleus critical to action selection, motor learning, and reward processing. Its tonically active cholinergic interneuron (ChI) is an integral regulator of the synaptic activity of other striatal neurons, as well as afferent axonal projections of midbrain dopamine (DA) neurons; however, little is known about its development. Here, we report that ChI spontaneous activity increases during postnatal development of male and female mice, concomitant with a decreased afterhyperpolarization (AHP). We characterized the postnatal development of four currents that contribute to the spontaneous firing rate of ChIs, including ISK, IA, Ih, and INaP We demonstrated that the developmental increase in INaP drives increased ChI firing rates during the postnatal period and can be reversed by the INaP inhibitor, ranolazine. We next addressed whether immature cholinergic signaling may lead to functional differences in DA release during the juvenile period. In the adult striatum, nicotinic acetylcholine receptors (nAChRs) prevent linear summation of DA release in response to trains of high-frequency stimuli. We show that, in contrast, during the second postnatal week, DA release linearly sums with trains of high-frequency stimuli. Consistently, nAChR antagonists exert little effect on dopamine release at postnatal day (P)10, but enhance the summation of evoked DA release in mice older than postnatal day P28. Together, these results reveal that postnatal maturation of ChI activity is due primarily to enhanced INaP and identify an interaction between developing cholinergic signaling and DA neurotransmission in the juvenile striatum.SIGNIFICANCE STATEMENT Motor skills and motivated behavior develop rapidly in juvenile rodents. Recent work has highlighted processes that contribute to the postnatal maturation of striatal principal neurons during development. The functional development of the striatal cholinergic interneuron (ChI), however, has been unexplored. In this study, we tracked the ontogeny of ChI activity and cellular morphology, as well as the developmental trajectory of specific conductances that contribute to the activity of these cells. We further report a link between cholinergic signaling and dopamine (DA) release, revealing a change in the frequency-dependence of DA release during the early postnatal period that is mediated by cholinergic signaling. This study provides evidence that striatal microcircuits are dynamic during the postnatal period and that they undergo coordinated maturation.

The Changes in the Status of the Foot Arch, Motor Abilities and Morphological Characteristics Under the Influence of Training Processes of Sports School

The aim of the study was to examine the influence of training processes modeled after the School of Sport of Faculty of Pedagogy, on changes in the status of the foot arch, motor abilities and morphological characteristics of preschool and young school children. The study was of longitudinal character. The experimental training program was conducted from 1st September 2018 till 1st December 2018. The follow-up included 92 subjects in total, divided into two sub-samples: one comprised of experimental group subjects, 45, and the other, control group of 47 subjects. The analysis of the status of the foot arch was performed with a Digital Computer Podoscope. For the assessment of the motor abilities a battery of motor abilities was used, modeled after Bala, Stojanović, Stojanović, (2007). Measurement of morphological characteristics was performed with the application and adherence to the International Biological Program. Using the MANOVA and χ2 test, the results obtained after the final measurement show statistically significant changes in motor abilities, morphological characteristics, and the status of the arch of the foot in children.

Analysis of the aging-induced changes in the motor ability structure using large population fitness test results.

Owing to confounding factors influencing the effect of aging, systematic analyses of age-related changes in motor ability are mostly limited to the use of animals whose diets and genetics can be controlled or the use of datasets of athletes who share similar lifestyles. However, we lack systematic methods for analyzing the effect of aging on the motor ability structure of the general public. We propose that principal component analysis (PCA) on fitness test results of a large sample may provide information on the aging-induced change in the motor ability structure of the general public. We complied the fitness test records of 7402 Koreans between the ages of 20 and 64, and performed PCA on the records of gripping, 50m dash, sit-ups, and shuttle runs, which indicate strength, speed, muscular endurance, and aerobic endurance, respectively. Our analysis shows the structural changes in motor ability around the age of 40 and 60 in Korea. We expect that the proposed approach can be applied to similar datasets from other countries or local communities to quantify any age-induced change in motor ability structure in each specific group.

The Effect of High- and Low-Frequency Repetitive Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation Therapy on Serum Brain-Derived Neurotropic Factor Level and Motor Ability in Ischemic Stroke Patients: A Single-Center Study

BACKGROUND: Repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation (rTMS) is widely used in various neurological cases. rTMS is an effective method of restoration in patients with disability due to central nervous system disorder.&#x0D; AIM: This study aimed to determine the effect of high and low frequency of rTMS on serum brain-derived neurotropic factor (BDNF) levels and motoric abilities in ischemic stroke patients.&#x0D; METHODS: The study design was an experiment with a purposive sampling consecutive on 27 samples with the onset of ischemic stroke 6 months. The study was conducted from February to October 2018; samples were recruited from Neurology Ward of Wahidin Sudirohusodo hospital and its affiliating centers. The serial of rTMS intervention was delivered in “Brain” Clinic center. After fulfilling the inclusion criteria and the initial examination of serum BDNF and motor ability, samples were randomly divided into two groups, intervention group who received standard therapy with rTMS therapy (n = 14) and the control group who only received standard therapy (n = 13). rTMS was given for 2 min frequency of 1 Hertz (Hz) contralesion and 5 Hz ipsilesion every day for 10 days. Assessment of serum BDNF levels and motor skills was conducted on days 1 and 10 of the study. Serum BDNF levels were measured by the monoclonal antibody ELISA technique while motor skills were measured based on the score of the Stroke Rehabilitation Assessment of Movement (STREAM). Serum BDNF values and the STREAM delta score were compared between the two groups of samples.&#x0D; RESULTS: The results showed significant changes only occurred in motor abilities in both groups of samples after 10 days of rTMS therapy with the Wilcoxon test (p &lt; 0.5). The Mann–Whitney U-test showed a more significant change (p &lt; 0.5) in the treatment group than in the control (p = 0.5).&#x0D; CONCLUSION: rTMS has an effect on improving motor ability in ischemic stroke patients. This change in motor abilities is not related to serum BDNF levels in this study.

The mediating role of joint attention in the relationship between motor skills and receptive and expressive language in siblings at risk for autism spectrum disorder

Language problems are highly prevalent in younger siblings of children with autism spectrum disorder (HR-sibs), yet little is known about early predictors. There is growing evidence that motor and language development are linked and this connection might be mediated by joint attention. Developmental changes in motor abilities change how children interact with objects and people (e.g., by showing), which may influence language development. This association has however not yet been studied in HR-sibs. The interrelationship between motor, joint attention and language skills was explored in younger siblings of typically developing children (LR-sibs, N = 31) and HR-sibs (N = 32). In both groups, motor skills (composite of fine and gross motor skills) at 10 months influenced receptive and expressive language at 36 months directly and indirectly through joint attention at 14 months. Group status moderated this direct and indirect effect with mainly significant effects in HR-sibs. This indicates that lower motor skills can have cascading effects on joint attention and language in HR-sibs. Consequently, assessment of early motor skills in HR-sibs might hold promise for early identification of motor difficulties but can also be indicative of language difficulties later in life, especially when difficulties with joint attention are also present.

A Feasibility Study of Quantitative Motor Assessments in Children Using the Q-Motor Suite.

Q-Motor is utilized across various clinical trials in adults with Huntington's disease (HD) to provide quantitative, reliable assessments of motor abilities. With gene-knockdown therapies entering the clinic, development of preventative therapies for pediatric carriers of the HD mutation seems imminent. It is currently unclear if Q-Motor is useful for tracking changes in motor abilities in pediatric HD patients or at-risk youth, as most assessments have never been administered in children. We demonstrate the feasibility of administering Q-Motor tasks in a sample of children recruited from the community, and we show that Q-Motor is sensitive to age-related changes in motor abilities.

Aging induces a step-like change in the motor ability structure of athletes.

Many studies have investigated how aging decreases human strength and endurance. However, understanding the effect of aging on human motor ability requires more than knowledge of the separate temporal profile of individual motor function because the structure of human motor ability is multi-dimensional. We address the effect of aging on the multi-dimensional structure of human motor ability by investigating the performance records of athletes in track events across various age groups. We collected the performance records of 446 top-level decathletes whose ages ranged from 20 to 74, and performed a principal component analysis of the records in 100m, 1500m, and 400m races, which require strength, endurance, and the mixture of both, respectively. Our analysis shows that aging results in a substantial and sudden change in the motor ability structure, contrasting sharply with the gradual decrease in performance in each track event. The rapid structural change develops around the age of 50, which is much earlier than the “breakpoint” of 70 years suggested in multiple previous studies. Our findings indicate that the structural change in motor ability can significantly precede the failure in the overall motor performance.

Age-related deterioration of motor function in male and female 5xFAD mice from 3 to 16 months of age.

Alzheimer's disease (AD) is a neurodegenerative disorder that leads to age-related cognitive and sensori-motor dysfunction. There is an increased understanding that motor dysfunction contributes to overall AD severity, and a need to ameliorate these impairments. The 5xFAD mouse develops the neuropathology, cognitive and motor impairments observed in AD, and thus may be a valuable animal model to study motor deficits in AD. Therefore, we assessed age-related changes in motor ability of male and female 5xFAD mice from 3 to 16 months of age, using a battery of behavioral tests. At 9-10 months, 5xFAD mice showed reduced body weight, reduced rearing in the open-field and impaired performance on the rotarod compared to wild-type controls. At 12-13 months, 5xFAD mice showed reduced locomotor activity on the open-field, and impaired balance on the balance beam. At 15-16 months, impairments were also seen in grip strength. Although sex differences were observed at specific ages, the development of motor dysfunction was similar in male and female mice. Given the 5xFAD mouse is commonly on a C57BL/6 × SJL hybrid background, a subset of mice may be homozygous recessive for the Dysf im mutant allele, which leads to muscular weakness in SJL mice and may exacerbate motor dysfunction. We found small effects of Dysf im on motor function, suggesting that Dysf im contributes little to motor dysfunction in 5xFAD mice. We conclude that the 5xFAD mouse may be a useful model to study mechanisms that produce motor dysfunction in AD, and to assess the efficacy of therapeutics on ameliorating motor impairment.

Impact of Programme for Correcting Lordosis to Changes in Motor Abilities of Elementary School Students

Impact of Programme for Correcting Lordosis to Changes in Motor Abilities of Elementary School Students

Using Wearable Motion Sensors to Estimate Longitudinal Changes in Movement Quality in Stroke and Traumatic Brain Injury Survivors Undergoing Rehabilitation

To investigate the suitability of methods based on data collected using wearable sensors to detect changes in motor abilities in stroke and traumatic brain injury (TBI) survivors undergoing rehabilitation.

Uticaj dvomesečne pauze u treningu na motoričke sposobnosti odbojkašica uzrasta 13 i 14 godina

Numerous studies explore the influence of different training processes on changes in motor abilities, on the other hand break in the athletes season is the phenomenon which could also have a significant impact on motor abilities. The aim of this study was to investigate changes in motor abilities, as well as anthropometric characteristics of female volleyball players 13-14 years old following the 2 months brake. The instrument used for the assessment of break characteristics and duration was standardized IPAQ (International Physical activity questionary) questionary, modified for the purposes of this study. Anthropometric parameters (body height, body mass, BMI) were used for this research, as well as field tests for the motoric abilities assessing explosive strenght of leg extensor muscles, speed and strenght of arm muscles, repetitive strenght, endurance in speed, and agility (long jump, felling cones, medicine ball throw from prone position, crunches in 30 seconds, and 3m sidesteps). Based on the analysis of the obtained results, differences were observed in anthropometric characteristics: body height, body mass, and BMI, with the level of significance of p&lt;0,05. Significant differences were also observed in 3/5 of motor abilities: explosive strength of leg extensor muscles, strength of arm muscles, and endurance in speed, while no significant differences were observed in variables assessing agility, and repetitive strength. A 2 month break from training had selective influence on changes in motor abilities in female volleyball players. Agility, and repetitive strength, as some of volleyball specific abilities remained almost unchanged, respectively brake didn't have significant impact on them.

Motor abilities, movement skills and their relationship before and after eight weeks of martial arts training in people with intellectual disability

Background: A part of the population of people with intellectual disability is historically inclined to obesity and in a poorer health condition. That is the reason why sport should play an important role in their lives. Designing scientifically and professionally valid training programmes, consisting of the necessary methodology and didactical instructions for sport engagement of people with intellectual disability, is not only a challenge but has become a necessity for the near future. Objective: The aim of the study was to establish a correlation between selected motor abilities and motor skills of martial arts as well as how and to what extent a group of people with intellectual disability (ID) who regularly practice Gan (inclusive) judo can achieve progress in their martial arts skills (judo, karate, boxing and fencing) after an eight-week training programme. We were also interested in whether there were any changes in selected motor abilities. Methods: Measurement of motor abilities and selected martial art skills was conducted twice: in March 2008, one week before the eight-week training started, and in May 2008, one week after it had been completed. The training programme lasted for two months, with two sessions per week. The sample of subjects comprised 5 women and 18 men aged between 16 and 36, with mild and moderate intellectual disability. The study was conducted using 8 tests to assess motor abilities and 9 tests to assess martial art skills. Results: The results of a t-test for dependent samples showed statistically significant differences between the initial and final measurements in seven tests of motor abilities and eight tests of martial arts skills, while a significant correlation was found between the overall average score of martial arts and results of seven motor ability tests in the initial and five in the final measurement. Conclussions: After the training process positive changes in motor abilities and motor skills of Gan judokas had been noted. The effects of the training program should be verified in future studies. It is worth reiterating that by improving motor abilities and expanding the boundaries of skills, people with intellectual disability enhance their quality of life. Attention in the future and thus contributes to a higher quality of intellectually disabled people's engagement in sport as well as in life.