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Associations between Gross and Fine Motor Skills, Physical Activity, Executive Function, and Academic Achievement:
1Motor-Executive Control Interaction Lab, Department of Psychology and Human Development, UCL Institute of Education, University College London, London WC1E 6BT, UK.
Insights
Early motor skills significantly impact cognitive development. Gross motor skills aid spatial memory, while fine motor skills support academic achievement in children.
Area of Science:
- Child Development
- Neuroscience
- Motor Skills
Background:
- Motor and cognitive development are closely linked.
- Understanding the mechanisms of this link is crucial for developmental research.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the longitudinal relationship between early motor skills and physical activity with later cognitive skills in children.
- To explore how different types of motor skills and physical activity influence cognitive outcomes.
Main Methods:
- Longitudinal study of 3188 children from the UK Millennium Cohort Study.
- Motor skills assessed at 9 months; physical activity measured at 7 and 11 years.
- Cognitive skills (executive function, academic achievement) assessed at 11 years.
Main Results:
- Gross motor skills positively associated with spatial working memory.
- Fine motor skills predicted better English and science outcomes.
- Moderate-to-vigorous physical activity negatively associated with English performance; activity frequency positively linked to math.
Conclusions:
- Both gross and fine motor skills play a significant role in cognitive development.
- Assessing cognitive impact requires considering specific types of physical activity, not just intensity.
- Further research should focus on nuanced relationships between motor activities and cognitive functions.
Abstract:
Accumulating evidence from behavioral studies and neuroscience suggests that motor and cognitive development are intrinsically intertwined. To explore the underlying mechanisms of this motor-cognition link, our study examined the longitudinal relationship of early motor skills and physical activity with later cognitive skills. The sample was 3188 children from the United Kingdom Millennium Cohort Study, followed at 9 months and 5, 7, and 11 years. Early motor skills were examined at 9 months. Children's daily physical activity level was measured using accelerometers at 7 years and a questionnaire was conducted at 11 years. Cognitive skills, including executive function and academic achievement, were measured at age 11. The results suggest that gross motor skills were positively associated with spatial working memory, whereas fine motor skills were predictive of good English and science outcomes. Moderate-to-vigorous activity was found to be negatively associated with English performance, although self-reported activity frequency was positively linked to math. Our results highlight the significant role of both gross and fine motor skills in cognitive development. This study also elucidates the limitations of using activity intensity to assess the impact of motor activity on children's cognitive development, suggesting that attention to the effects of specific types of physical activity would better elucidate the motor/cognition link.
