Related Experiment Video
Updated: Jan 23, 2026
Kinematic Analysis Using 3D Motion Capture of Drinking Task in People With and Without Upper-extremity Impairments
Published on: March 28, 2018
Using kinematic analyses to explore sensorimotor control impairments in children with 22q11.2 deletion syndrome
Adam C Cunningham1, Liam Hill2, Mark Mon-Williams2
1MRC Centre for Neuropsychiatric Genetics and Genomics, Division of Psychological Medicine and Clinical Neurosciences, Cardiff University School of Medicine, Haydn Ellis Building, Maindy Road, Cathays, Cardiff, CF24 4HQ, UK. CunninghamAC@cardiff.ac.uk.
Insights
Children with 22q11.2 deletion syndrome (22q11.2DS) exhibit significant sensorimotor control deficits. These coordination impairments are largely independent of intellectual disability and psychopathology commonly seen in 22q11.2DS.
Area of Science:
- Neuroscience
- Developmental Psychology
- Genetics
Background:
- 22q11.2 deletion syndrome (22q11.2DS) is linked to various developmental issues, including behavioral and intellectual impairments.
- Emerging evidence suggests that impaired coordination skills may also be a characteristic feature of 22q11.2DS.
- This study investigates sensorimotor control in children with 22q11.2DS.
Purpose of the Study:
- To characterize sensorimotor control abilities in children with 22q11.2 deletion syndrome (22q11.2DS).
- To explore the relationship between sensorimotor deficits and co-occurring intellectual disability (IQ) and psychopathology in 22q11.2DS.
- To identify specific visuo-manual coordination challenges in this population.
Main Methods:
- Kinematic analysis of hand movements during visuo-manual coordination tasks (tracking, aiming, steering) in 54 children with 22q11.2DS and 24 controls.
- Standardized assessments of full-scale IQ (FSIQ), ADHD, ASD, and anxiety disorder symptomatology.
- Comparison of movement quality descriptors between the 22q11.2DS group and unaffected siblings.
Main Results:
- Children with 22q11.2DS demonstrated significant deficits in seven out of eight kinematic descriptors of movement quality across tasks.
- The degree of impairment in only three kinematic descriptors was significantly associated with FSIQ after controlling for multiple testing.
- Visuo-manual tracking errors showed a nominal association with ADHD symptom counts.
Conclusions:
- Children with 22q11.2DS exhibit widespread sensorimotor control impairments on visuo-manual tasks.
- The severity of these sensorimotor deficits is largely independent of the degree of intellectual and psychopathological impairments in 22q11.2DS.
- Sensorimotor assessment may offer unique insights into the phenotype of 22q11.2DS beyond cognitive and behavioral measures.
Background:
The 22q11.2 deletion is associated with psychiatric and behavioural disorders, intellectual disability and multiple physical abnormalities. Recent research also indicates impaired coordination skills may be part of the clinical phenotype. This study aimed to characterise sensorimotor control abilities in children with 22q11.2 deletion syndrome (22q11.2DS) and investigate their relationships with co-occurring IQ impairments and psychopathology.
Methods:
Fifty-four children with 22q11.2DS and 24 unaffected sibling controls, comparable in age and gender, underwent kinematic analysis of their hand movements, whilst performing a battery of three visuo-manual coordination tasks that measured their tracking, aiming and steering abilities. Additionally, standardised assessments of full-scale IQ (FSIQ), attention deficit hyperactivity disorder, indicative autism spectrum disorder (ASD) and anxiety disorder symptomatology were conducted.
Results:
Children with 22q11.2DS showed deficits on seven of eight kinematic descriptors of movement quality across the three coordination tasks, compared to controls. Within 22q11.2DS cases, the extent of impairment on only three kinematic descriptors was significantly related to FSIQ after correction for multiple testing. Moreover, only error whilst visuo-manually tracking was nominally associated with ADHD symptom counts.
Conclusions:
Impairments in sensorimotor control are seen on a range of visuo-manual tasks in children with 22q11.2DS but the extent of these impairments are largely unrelated to the severity of other psychopathological and intellectual impairments commonly found in children with 22q11.2DS.
Related Concept Videos
01:26Kinematic Equations - I
01:17Kinematic Equations - II
Suppose a car merges into freeway traffic on a 200 m long ramp. If its initial velocity is 10 m/s and it accelerates at 2 m/s2, then the...
01:30Kinematic Equations for Rotation
For instance, imagine a point A on a rigid body engaged in circular motion. The translational velocity of this particular point can be calculated by taking the time derivatives of the displacement equation, which essentially measures the...
01:18Kinematic Equations - III
Using the kinematic equations,...
01:15Kinematic Equations: Problem Solving
01:17Factors Affecting Renal Clearance: Renal Impairment
One condition associated with renal failure is uremia. Uremia is characterized by impaired glomerular filtration and fluid accumulation in the body. This condition hinders the renal clearance of drugs, resulting in drug accumulation and potential...