Browsing by Subject "Kehityksellinen koordinaatiohäiriö"

Objectives: The present study examines the stability of Developmental Coordination Disorder (DCD) from childhood to adulthood. DCD affects around 5-6% of children and according to previous research, it is known to have connections to physical activity, fitness, cognitive ability, mental health, and other neurodevelopmental disorders. The present study examined, whether those suffering motor impairment as a child differ from typically developed in adulthood, regarding motor skills, self-reported physical activity and fitness or cognitive ability. Methods: The study participants were part of a longitudinal research project perinatal risk cohort born in 1971-1974 (PLASTICITY-project). According to motor test results at the age of 9, study participants were divided into groups: probable DCD (n=24), possible DCD (n=63) and typically developed (n=328). As a 40-year-old adult motor skills were assessed with balance test and fine motor test, physical activity and fitness with a questionnaire, and cognitive ability with Wechsler’s test (WAIS-IV). Statistical analysis were conducted using analysis of variance (ANOVA). Results and conclusions: As an adult, those with probable DCD were at a lower level with fine and gross motor skills as compared to typically developing. Regarding cognitive ability, those with motor impairment as a child scored lower on perceptual reasoning. All groups reported their physical activity to the same level, but those with childhood motor impairment estimated their cardiovascular fitness to be weaker. Motor and cognitive impairments associated with DCD appear to be permanent and level out as an adult.

Objectives: Developmental coordination disorder is a neurodevelopmental disorder with challenges in motor function, coordination, and balance. The etiology behind this disorder is still partly unknown. There has been a small number of studies made on the associations between developmental coordination disorder and brain structure and the results do not systematically reoccur. Thus, there is a need for more studies on the subject. In this study the objective was to examine the associations between probable developmental coordination disorder and cerebellum structure. Hypothesis was that there is a difference found between the study group and the control group in the volume of the cerebellum and that the volume is smaller in the probable developmental coordination disorder group. Methods: The present study’s data is from a prospective longitudinal cohort. The sample consisted of 295 participants of whom 22 had probable developmental coordination disorder. Motor function was assessed at the age of 9 with the Test of Motor Impairment, which was used to divide the participants in the probable developmental coordination disorder group and in the no developmental coordination disorder group. Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) of the brain was completed at the age of 40. Cerebellum volumes were estimated using the software Ceres VolBrain. In the statistical analysis multivariate analysis of variance and analysis of variance were used. Results and conclusion: Probable developmental coordination disorder was not associated with the total volume of the cerebellum. However, there was a statistically significant association found with the volume of the cerebellum lobules III and V. In these lobules the volumes were smaller in the probable developmental coordination disorder group. The cerebellum is likely organized in a way that the areas behind motor function (lobules I–V) are different from the areas behind regulation of cognition (lobules VI– IX), possibly explaining the results of this study. The results indicate that developmental coordination disorder may occur in the structural level of the brain and provide information about the possible mechanisms behind the disorder. The present study provides a base for further studies to advance knowledge on the mechanisms behind developmental coordination disorder.