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The development of postural adjustments during reaching in 6- to 18-month-old infants. Evidence for two transitions

I B Van der Fits1, E Otten, A W Klip

  • 1Department of Medical Physiology, University of Groningen, The Netherlands.

Experimental Brain Research
|July 28, 1999
PubMed

Insights

Infant postural adjustments during reaching show two key developmental shifts. Around 8 months, infants gain adaptive postural control, and by 15 months, they develop anticipatory postural activity, especially in neck muscles.

Area of Science:

  • Developmental neuroscience
  • Motor control
  • Human infant development

Background:

  • Postural adjustments are crucial for stable reaching movements.
  • Understanding infant motor development provides insights into neurological maturation.
  • Early motor skills form the foundation for complex actions.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To investigate developmental changes in postural adjustments during reaching in infants.
  • To identify age-related transitions in motor control strategies.
  • To examine the influence of sitting position and movement velocity on infant postural responses.

Main Methods:

  • Longitudinal study of 10 healthy infants (6-18 months) and cross-sectional assessment of 18 infants (8-15 months).
  • Electromyography (EMG) recorded from arm, neck, trunk, and leg muscles.
  • Video recording of reaching movements in upright and long-leg sitting positions.

Main Results:

  • Two developmental transitions in postural adjustments were observed.
  • Around 6-8 months, infants showed infrequent postural muscle activation, followed by increased and adaptive activity.
  • From 15 months, infants demonstrated consistent anticipatory postural adjustments, particularly in neck muscles.

Conclusions:

  • Infant postural control during reaching undergoes significant developmental changes.
  • Infants develop task-specific adaptation of postural responses by 8 months.
  • Anticipatory postural activity emerges around 15 months, indicating advanced motor planning.

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