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Development of finger force coordination in children.
Sharon Shaklai1,2, Aviva Mimouni-Bloch2,3, Moran Levin4
1Department of Child and Youth Rehabilitation, Loewenstein Rehabilitation Hospital, Raanana, Israel.
Experimental Brain Research
|September 23, 2017
Summary
Children aged 4-12 years improve finger force coordination by reducing errors, not increasing force. This skill, measured by the synergy index, develops linearly with age, enhancing dexterous tasks.
Area of Science:
- Developmental neuroscience
- Motor control
- Biomechanics
Background:
- Human motor control often involves complex coordination of multiple body parts.
- Optimal force production with multiple fingers requires a specific type of coordination where each finger compensates for others' errors, rather than producing similar forces.
- Understanding the developmental trajectory of this sophisticated motor skill in children is crucial for grasping typical motor development.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the developmental changes in inter-finger force coordination in children aged 4-12 years.
- To determine if children develop the ability to use compensatory finger forces for improved motor task performance.
- To quantify this development using the uncontrolled manifold (UCM) hypothesis framework.
Main Methods:
- Recruited 60 typically developing children aged 4-12 years.
- Employed a finger-pressing task where participants controlled object height via total force output on sensors.
- Quantified inter-finger force coordination using the synergy index, derived from the uncontrolled manifold (UCM) hypothesis, analyzing "good" and "bad" variance in force production.
Main Results:
- A significant linear increase in the synergy index was observed as a function of age, indicating improved coordination.
- This improvement was primarily driven by a reduction in "bad" variance (errors) rather than an increase in "good" variance (task-relevant force).
- No significant gender differences were found, and the synergy index did not predict upper limb test outcomes beyond age.
Conclusions:
- Children aged 4-12 years demonstrate a developmental improvement in inter-finger force coordination, characterized by enhanced error compensation.
- This developing skill is linked to a reduction in motor noise and contributes to improved dexterous task performance.
- The findings highlight a specific aspect of motor skill acquisition in childhood, emphasizing coordination refinement over simple force enhancement.
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