Discriminant validity of spatial and temporal postural index in children with neurodevelopmental disorders

Area of Science:

• Neuroscience
• Developmental Psychology
• Biomedical Engineering

Background:

• Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD), learning disabilities (LD), and Attention Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) frequently co-occur.
• Identifying transnosographic markers could aid in understanding and diagnosing these neurodevelopmental disorders (NDDs).
• Postural sway, a measure of balance control, is a potential candidate for such a marker.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate if abnormal postural sway profiles can differentiate children with NDDs from typically developing (TD) children.
• To compare spatial and temporal Center of Pressure (CoP) measures in children with high-functioning ASD, LD (dyslexia), ADHD, and TD children.

Main Methods:

• Evaluated postural performance in 92 children (23 per group), matched for sex, age, and IQ.
• Utilized the Multitest Equilibre platform to assess sway.
• Tested participants under two viewing conditions (eyes open/closed) on stable and unstable surfaces.

Main Results:

• Children with ASD, LD, and ADHD demonstrated significantly poorer postural instability compared to TD children.
• This finding was consistent across both spatial and temporal analyses of CoP displacement.
• No significant differences in postural instability were found between the three NDD groups.

Conclusions:

• Children with NDDs exhibit shared postural instability, suggesting a potential transnosographic marker.
• This instability may stem from difficulties integrating sensory information for balance control, possibly due to cerebellar dysfunction.
• Further research into sensory processing and cerebellar function in NDDs is warranted.