Contralateral Associated Movements Correlate with Poorer Inhibitory Control, Attention and Visual Perception in
Tanja H Kakebeeke1,2, Nadine Messerli-Bürgy3,4, Andrea H Meyer5
11 Child Development Centre, University Children's Hospital Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland.
Insights
Contralateral associated movements (CAMs) in preschoolers are linked to weaker inhibitory control. This suggests a connection between motor development and cognitive functions in early childhood.
Area of Science:
- Developmental neuroscience
- Child psychology
- Motor control
Background:
- Contralateral associated movements (CAMs) are common during complex motor tasks in children.
- Understanding the relationship between CAMs and cognitive development is crucial for early childhood research.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the association between CAMs and inhibitory control in preschool children.
- To explore the extent to which CAMs relate to other cognitive functions like attention and perception.
Main Methods:
- Study included 476 healthy, typically developing preschoolers (mean age 3.88 years).
- Utilized the Zurich Neuromotor Assessment, NEPSY's statue subtest, and IDS-P cognitive tests.
- Data collected over two consecutive afternoons.
Main Results:
- CAMs were significantly associated with poorer performance on the statue test, indicating weaker inhibitory control.
- CAMs also correlated with deficits in selective attention and visual perception as measured by the IDS-P.
- These findings suggest a broader link between motor and cognitive immaturities.
Conclusions:
- Preschoolers' CAMs are associated with underdeveloped inhibitory control, selective attention, and visual perception.
- The observed associations are likely due to the general immaturity of the central nervous system in young children.
- Further research into the neurodevelopmental underpinnings of CAMs is warranted.
Abstract:
Contralateral associated movements (CAMs) frequently occur in complex motor tasks. We investigated whether and to what extent CAMs are associated with inhibitory control among preschool children in the Swiss Preschoolers' Health Study. Participants were 476 healthy, typically developing children (mean age = 3.88 years; 251 boys) evaluated on two consecutive afternoons. The children performed the Zurich Neuromotor Assessment, the statue subtest of the Neuropsychological Assessment for Children (NEPSY), and cognitive tests of the Intelligence and Development Scales-Preschool (IDS-P). CAMs were associated with poor inhibitory control on the statue test and poor selective attention and visual perception on the IDS-P. We attributed these findings to preschoolers' general immaturity of the central nervous system.
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