Related Experiment Video

Updated: Feb 12, 2026

Measuring Cardiac Autonomic Nervous System ANS Activity in Toddlers - Resting and Developmental Challenges
08:22

Measuring Cardiac Autonomic Nervous System ANS Activity in Toddlers - Resting and Developmental Challenges

Published on: February 25, 2016

16.0K

Linear and Nonlinear Analyses of the Cardiac Autonomic Control in Children With Developmental Coordination Disorder:

Jorge L Cavalcante Neto1, Antonio R Zamunér2, Bianca C Moreno3

  • 1Núcleo de Estudos em Neuropediatria e Motricidade, Departamento de Fisioterapia, Universidade Federal de São Carlos, São Carlos, Brazil.

Frontiers in Physiology
|April 7, 2018
PubMed

Insights

Children with Developmental Coordination Disorder (DCD) and those at risk (r-DCD) show impaired cardiac autonomic control. This dysfunction includes reduced parasympathetic activity and blunted responses to postural changes, impacting overall health.

Area of Science:

  • Pediatric Neurology
  • Cardiovascular Physiology
  • Autonomic Nervous System Function

Background:

  • Developmental Coordination Disorder (DCD) and at-risk (r-DCD) children exhibit motor impairments affecting daily life.
  • These children may also present cardiac autonomic control abnormalities, further limiting health and functionality.
  • Understanding autonomic control in DCD is crucial for comprehensive management.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To assess cardiac autonomic control using linear and nonlinear heart rate variability (HRV) analysis.
  • To compare autonomic function between DCD, r-DCD, and typically developed children (CG) under supine and orthostatic conditions.
  • To investigate potential links between motor impairments and cardiovascular regulation.

Main Methods:

  • Recruited 13 DCD, 19 r-DCD, and 18 CG children (aged 8.08-8.50 years).
  • Utilized a validated HR monitor to record R-R intervals for HRV analysis.
  • Applied linear, nonlinear, and symbolic HRV methods during supine and orthostatic (standing) tests.

Main Results:

  • The DCD group showed blunted cardiac autonomic adjustment to orthostatic stress, unlike r-DCD and CG.
  • DCD children exhibited lower parasympathetic modulation in the supine position compared to r-DCD and CG.
  • Only the CG group demonstrated a significant increase in heart rate and specific symbolic index changes from supine to standing.

Conclusions:

  • Children with DCD and r-DCD display cardiac autonomic dysfunction, including altered sympathetic/parasympathetic balance and reduced complexity.
  • A blunted autonomic response to orthostatic challenges was observed in the DCD group.
  • Cardiovascular health interventions should be integrated into the management of DCD, even with milder motor deficits.

Keywords:
autonomic dysfunctionautonomic nervous systemdevelopmental coordination disorderheart rate variabilitymotor impairmentorthostatic stimulus

More Related Videos

Measuring Cardiac Autonomic Nervous System ANS Activity in Children09:45

Measuring Cardiac Autonomic Nervous System ANS Activity in Children

Published on: April 29, 2013

21.5K
Mechanical Control of Relaxation Using Intact Cardiac Trabeculae07:51

Mechanical Control of Relaxation Using Intact Cardiac Trabeculae

Published on: February 17, 2023

1.6K

Related Concept Videos

Linear Momentum in Control Volume01:13

Linear Momentum in Control Volume

Newton's second law is applied to obtain the linear momentum in a control volume in a fluid system. According to this law, the rate of change of linear momentum is equal to the sum of external forces acting on the system. When a control volume matches the fluid system at a specific moment, the forces acting on both are identical. Reynolds transport theorem helps explain this by breaking down the system's linear momentum into two components: the rate of change of linear momentum within...
1.3K
Types of Biopharmaceutical Studies: Controlled and Non-Controlled Approaches01:23

Types of Biopharmaceutical Studies: Controlled and Non-Controlled Approaches

Biopharmaceutical studies constitute a vital field aiming to enhance drug delivery methods and refine therapeutic approaches, drawing upon diverse interdisciplinary knowledge. In research methodologies, the choice between controlled and non-controlled studies significantly influences the study's reliability and accuracy.
Non-controlled studies, commonly employed for initial exploration, lack a control group, rendering them susceptible to biases and external influences. In contrast,...
475
Disorders of the Autonomic Nervous System01:18

Disorders of the Autonomic Nervous System

The autonomic nervous system (ANS) is an intricate network of nerves that controls functions such as the regulation of heart rate, digestion, and blood pressure regulation. When this system malfunctions, it can lead to various disorders that affect multiple bodily functions. One common feature of many autonomic disorders is the involvement of smooth blood vessels, which play a crucial role in regulating blood flow throughout the body.
Raynaud's disease, also known as Raynaud's...
1.6K
Combinatorial Gene Control02:33

Combinatorial Gene Control

Combinatorial gene control is the synergistic action of several transcriptional factors to regulate the expression of a single gene. The absence of one or more of these factors may lead to a significant difference in the level of gene expression or repression.
The expression of more than 30,000 genes is controlled by approximately 2000-3000 transcription factors. This is possible because a single transcription factor can recognize more than one regulatory sequence. The specificity in gene...
9.7K
Control System Problem01:21

Control System Problem

In an open-loop system, such as a basic thermostat, the poles of the transfer function influence the system's response but do not determine its stability. However, when feedback is introduced to form a closed-loop system, such as an advanced thermostat that adjusts heating based on room temperature, stability is governed by the new poles of the closed-loop transfer function.
When forming a closed-loop system, issues can arise if the poles cross into the unstable region, leading to potential...
443
Control Systems01:10

Control Systems

Control systems are everywhere in contemporary society, influencing diverse applications from aerospace to automated manufacturing. These systems can be found naturally within biological processes, such as blood sugar regulation and heart rate adjustment in response to stress, as well as in man-made systems like elevators and automated vehicles. A control system is essentially a network of subsystems and processes that collaboratively convert specific inputs into desired outputs.
At the heart...
1.9K