Sensorimotor Level Research Articles

Déficience mentale, conduites d'autonomisation et résolution de problème en période précoce : analyse factorielle des comportements parent–enfant non déficient et porteur d'une trisomie 21

The empirical studies of tutoring until now were concerned little with the situation of the children carrying an early mental deficiency placed in situation of interactions of assisted training of sensorimotor level. By having recourse to a comparative approach between dyads non-defective parend-child of second year of life and parent-child carrying a Down syndrome of the same age of development, the present study shows that the parental interventions of the two populations are characterized primarily by a request of autonomous operation on behalf of the child. On their side, the children of the two populations take an active share in the resolution of the problem, and this even in the absence of parental intervention. The discussion analyses the influence of Down syndrome characteristics on the task achievement and the influence of the parental strategies.

Gait disorders: search for multiple causes.

Gait disorders predict functional decline in older adults. They are often the result of multiple causes, so a full assessment should consider different sensorimotor levels and should include a focused physical examination and evaluation of functional performance. Exercise and medical and surgical interventions are effective and can reduce the degree of gait disorder, but usually not without some residual impairment. Orthoses and mobility aids are also important interventions to consider.

Age Effects on Reflex and Postural Responses to Propriomuscular Inputs Generated by Tendon Vibration

The effects of aging on two sensorimotor levels of propriomuscular function were investigated in a young (20- to 44-year-old) and an elderly (60- to 86-year-old) population by eliciting segmental reflex and postural responses via the same muscle spindle inflow generated by applying the same pattern of tendon vibration. The latency and amplitude of the reflex responses to vibration (tonic vibration reflex) of the biceps and triceps brachii did not depend on the subjects' age. No major age-related changes were observed in the deep reflexes of the lower limbs. The postural responses to the same vibratory stimulation applied to both the soleus or the tibialis anterior muscles (vibration-induced falling) did not show any changes in latency depending on either age or the visual conditions, whereas the intensity of these responses decreased both with age and when the use of vision was possible. Our results suggest that the two levels at which the same propriomuscular messages were processed are differentially affected by aging. The lower reflex level does not undergo any noticeable impairment, whereas the higher postural control level deteriorates in the elderly, which might be partly responsible for the balance problems which tend to occur more frequently with advancing age.

An Occupational Therapy Perspective in the Treatment of Multiple Personality Disorder

Adult persons with multiple personality disorder have survived a traumatic past. After diagnosis and the initiation of psychotherapy, they frequently face a long and arduous treatment process. During this time, intense emotions and memories are retrieved that can disrupt functional life skills in an already disjointed life. The stresses of life combine with therapeutic issues to perpetuate the dissociation that interrupts functional performance. The original traumas occurred when the child was functioning primarily at a sensorimotor level. Occupational therapy can identify sensorimotor activities that provide a focal point of control to reduce stress during the therapeutic process and to develop new life skills.

A Functional In Vitro Model for Studying the Cellular and Molecular Basis of Spinal Cord Injury

Very little is understood about how spinal cord injury affects the molecular mechanisms responsible for generating locomotion. Recently, it has been shown in the spinal cord that the N-methyl-D-aspartate receptor, a specific class of excitatory amino acid receptors, plays a major role in the neurogenesis of locomotion. Paradoxically, studies of the brain and the spinal cord have shown that overeactivation of this receptor can cause excitotoxicity and subsequent cell death. The ultimate goal of these experiments was to develop an isolated brain stem/spinal cord/hind limb preparation that would allow study of issues related to excitotoxicity and the neurogenesis of locomotion. Findings indicate that: 1) exposure of the spinal cord to the excitatory amino acids produced an alternating gate of the hind limbs; 2) application of N-methyl-D-aspartate inhibitors were effective in preventing hind limb movement initiated by exposure to N-methyl-D-aspartate; 3) sensorimotor stimulation of the tail produced hind limb movement that could be evoked for periods up to 8 hours; and 4) an excitotoxic event produced substantial loss of protein and possible osmotic changes. This study represents the first step in developing a powerful model for examining the effect of spinal cord injury on molecular mechanisms responsible for the neurogenesis of locomotion both at the brain stem, spinal motor generator, or sensorimotor level. The opportunity of observing hind limb movement in this preparation represents a powerful functional bioassay for evaluating the extent of spinal cord injury.

Prenatal exposure to gamma/neutron irradiation: Sensorimotor alterations and paradoxical effects on learning

The effects of prenatal exposure on gamma/neutron radiations (0.5 Gy at about the 18th day of fetal life) were studied in a hybrid strain of mice (DBA/Cne males x C57BL/Cne females). During ontogeny, measurements of sensorimotor reflexes revealed in prenatally irradiated mice 1) a delay in sensorial development, 2) deficits in tests involving body motor control, and 3) a reduction of both motility and locomotor activity scores. In adulthood, the behaviour of prenatally irradiated and control mice was examined in the open field test and in reactivity to novelty. Moreover, their learning performance was compared in several situations. The results show that, in the open field test, only rearings were more frequent in irradiated mice. In the presence of a novel object, significant sex x treatment interactions were observed since ambulation and leaning against the novel object increased in irradiated females but decreased in irradiated males. Finally, when submitted to different learning tasks, irradiated mice were impaired in the radial maze, but paradoxically exhibited higher avoidance scores than control mice, possibly because of their low pain thresholds. Taken together, these observations indicate that late prenatal gamma/neutron irradiation induces long lasting alterations at the sensorimotor level which, in turn, can influence learning abilities of adult mice.

Autism and Piaget's theory: are the two compatible?

Autism is interpreted in Piagetian terms with particular reference to the question of whether the atypical cognitive development represents an exception to the similar sequence hypothesis. Findings from relevant research applying Piaget's theory to mental retardation, psychosis, and autism are reviewed. The apparent exceptions to the hypothesis presented in autistic individuals are explained by Piaget's two-factor theory of figurative versus operative functions. Many autistic individuals show an arrest in operative functions at the sensorimotor level while continuing to progress in figurative functions. The early arrest interferes with subsequent development of higher-level conceptual, symbolic, and social skills. Questions for research are offered.

The Development of Early Communication: Using Developmental Literature for Selecting Communication Goals

The developmental model of communication growth is often the most appropriate framework for determining intervention goals regarding forms of communication. Most children who are functioning at the sensorimotor level of cognition can learn to communicate more effectively and will benefit from intervention that is based on the normal progression of communication forms and functions. An integration of published literature describing the developmental progression of sensory, motor, and social abilities is provided as an intervention framework for developing communicative abilities in prelinguistic children.

Conversational structure and topic performance in mother-child interaction.

Discourse participation and topic performance in mother-child interaction were examined. Thirty mother-child dyads, with children ranging in age from 2:10 to 6:3 (years:months), were videotaped in a 10-min free play situation. The interactions were analyzed using several measures of conversational participation and topic including discourse types, turn transitions, and maintenance. Results indicated that children in this age group shared similar characteristics of conversational participation with their mothers. However, the mothers of these children, like mothers of sensorimotor level children, maintained their role as facilitators of the structure and cohesiveness of discourse. Although the children, in general, were more discontinuous in their discourse than their mothers, they exhibited greater topic maintenance and use of shading, a more sophisticated conversational strategy, with increasing age and language abilities.

Biofeedback for Neurogenic Fecal Incontinence

Fifteen subjects (ages 5-33 years) with meningomyelocele and fecal incontinence underwent anorectal manometry followed by biofeedback conditioning of the external anal sphincter or nearby gluteal muscles. Seven of the 15 subjects undergoing biofeedback had improvement, defined as a 75% or greater decrease in the frequency of soiling, with a mean follow-up period of 23.1 months (range, 8-30 months). The seven subjects who improved with biofeedback had significantly lower thresholds of rectal sensation (smallest volume of distension perceived) than did the eight nonresponders; all responders had a sensory threshold less than or equal to 20 ml, whereas five of eight nonresponders had thresholds exceeding this level. Twenty-one children (ages 4-17 years) also underwent anorectal manometry, but not biofeedback conditioning, in order to evaluate the relationship of rectal sensation and peripheral neurological deficits. Fifteen of the 36 subjects with meningomyelocele had absent rectal sensation or thresholds exceeding 20 ml; there was no correlation of anorectal manometric parameters and peripheral sensorimotor levels. Response to biofeedback by children with meningomyelocele strongly correlates with rectal sensory thresholds which do not correlate with peripheral sensorimotor levels. If children with meningomyelocele and fecal incontinence are motivated and have adequate strength and coordination of the muscles of the lower extremities, anorectal manometry is the most accurate test to identify those who may benefit from biofeedback conditioning.

Biofeedback for Neurogenic Fecal Incontinence

SummaryFifteen subjects (ages 5–33 years) with meningomyelocele and fecal incontinence underwent anorectal manometry followed by biofeedback conditioning of the external anal sphincter or nearby gluteal muscles. Seven of the 15 subjects undergoing biofeedback had improvement, defined as a 75% or greater decrease in the frequency of soiling, with a mean follow‐up period of 23.1 months (range, 8–30 months). The seven subjects who improved with biofeedback had significantly lower thresholds of rectal sensation (smallest volume of distension perceived) than did the eight nonresponders: all responders had a sensory threshold ≤ 20 ml, whereas five of eight nonresponders had thresholds exceeding this level. Twenty‐one children (ages 4–17 years) also underwent anorectal manometry, but not biofeedback conditioning, in order to evaluate the relationship of rectal sensation and peripheral neurological deficits. Fifteen of the 36 subjects with meningomyelocele had absent rectal sensation or thresholds exceeding 20 ml; there was no correlation of anorectal manometric parameters and peripheral sensorimotor levels. Response to biofeedback by children with meningomyelocele strongly correlates with rectal sensory thresholds which do not correlate with peripheral sensorimotor levels. If children with meningomyelocele and fecal incontinence are motivated and have adequate strength and coordination of the muscles of the lower extremities, anorectal manometry is the most accurate test to identify those who may benefit from biofeedback conditioning.

The mind considered as a system of meaning structures. II. Concepts and representations.

The theory of the mind considered as a system of meaning structures, which was sketched in an earlier paper (Lundh, 1981), is developed further in this paper. Whereas the earlier paper remained at a prelinguistic, sensorimotor level of functioning, the present paper extends the theory to conceptual thinking. Three main distinctions are drawn: between 1) mental representations and symbols, 2) sensorimotor intelligence and conceptual intelligence, and 3) habitual inferences and cognitive operations. Sensorimotor development consists in the development of mental representations, which the child, however, does not yet have any conscious access to. It is argued that sensorimotor structures are transformed into conceptual and propositional structures to the extent that the child becomes able not only to act, but also to think in terms of these structures—the latter is equated with the development of a kind of conscious access to already existent mental representations.

Anorexia nervosa as a defense against anaclitic depression

This paper atempts a developmental understanding of the anaclitic depression which frequently underlies anorexia nervosa. Familial lapses in transactional boundaries are viewed as leading to a maternal overinvolvement or unavailability during the practicing subphase of the separation-in-dividuation process. The future anorectic is consequently arrested at a sensorimotor level of self and object representations with no ability to evoke a representation of the object in its absence. Such individuals remain vulnerable to separation experiences and the sense of depression, loss, and helplessness which accompany these experiences. Much anorectic symptomology can then be looked at as a defense against such experiences and the potential loss of self-other boundaries which accompany them.

Autonomic hyperreflexia during cystoscopy in patients with high spinal cord injuries.

Cystoscopic procedures were performed on 102 patients with histories of traumatic spinal cord lesion; 57 patients had sensorimotor levels above T7, and the remaining 45 patients had levels below T7. In 40 of the 57 patients (70 per cent) with levels above T7, signs and symptoms of autonomic hyperreflexia were seen during bladder distension and cystoscopy; the remaining 17 of these patients (30 per cent) did not have this response. No autonomic hyperreflexia was seen during cystoscopy in any of the 45 patients with sensorimotor levels below T7.

The transformation of sensorimotor morphemes into words: a case study of the development of ‘more’ and ‘mine’

ABSTRACTThis paper describes, through discussion and illustrative events, an evolving segment of communication during the course of transition of one child's total communication system from the sensorimotor or gestural level at 12 months into the level of use of the adult words more and mine, and their associated multi-morphemic utterances, at 24 months. The descriptive analysis is based on detailed narrative records of the child's vocal and gestural communication, abstracted from videotape recordings of his behaviour in 10 playsessions conducted at regular intervals and under similar conditions, and which included the presence of the mother, peers, other adults, and play materials. The results as presented provide a case study of the evolutionary processes leading up to the acquisition of words and eventually sentences, illustrating as precisely as possible the texture of one of the earliest developmental sequences.

Developmental trends in the abstraction ability of children.

ion is mental process in which some attribute or characteristic is observed independently of other characteristics of an experience as a whole. Werner (26) emphasizes that the ability to abstract does not appear suddenly in the course of the individual's development; rather it is present from the very beginnings of life but changes qualitatively with progress in maturation. Different organizational patterns of response to environmental stimuli are observed in children of varying age levels (26). The abstraction behavior of very young children seems to be primarily on a sensori-motor level and can be designated as perceptual. In such a response the individual yields to demands of the situation, and the organization of the material is determined by the nature of the stimuli as well as by the limited maturity of the subject. A more mature individual would be expected to consciously impose organi- zation on the material (i, 7, 14, 17, 19, 26) and classify the material into deliberately conceived categories. This is the conceptual level of abstraction. The hypothesis that the younger the child, the more perceptual are his organizations has been stated (i, 7, 14, 26) but a search for specific details of the development encounters a paucity of data. The present study was undertaken to obtain information regarding changes in abstraction abil- ity during the elementary school period.