What are the seven principles of motor development?
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Developmental Principles:
Cephalo-caudal
Proximal-distal
General-specific
Maturation and learning
Movement Patterns:
Extension-flexion
Stability-mobility
Individual Differences:
Individual variations
Click to see question
What are the seven principles of motor development?
Developmental Principles:
Cephalo-caudal
Proximal-distal
General-specific
Maturation and learning
Movement Patterns:
Extension-flexion
Stability-mobility
Individual Differences:
Individual variations
What accounts largely for the development of motor skills?
Maturation of the CNS, particularly the motor cortex.
Describe the hierarchical organization of the nervous system according to the Hierarchical Theory. (3)
Division: higher, middle, and lower centres
Top-down system
Highest-level reflexive responses exert dominance over lower-level reflexive responses
How does a stimulating environment contribute to a child's development/ learning?
It allows a child to develop his/her potential.
List the components of the nervous system in the Hierarchical Theory from highest to lowest.
Cortex
Subcortical
Brainstem
Spinal cord
Describe the development of interlimb dissociation.
log rolling → segmental rolling
What are the key examples involved in the General-Specific principle?
Development of rotational component
Development of intralimb dissociation
Development of interlimb dissociation
Why does the development of extension start before flexion in newborns?
To accommodate in the womb (~full-term baby length: 50 cm).
Describe the development of intralimb dissociation.
Selective joint movements.
What are the three main theories of motor control?
Reflex theory
(Reflex/) Hierarchical theory
Dynamic systems theory
State an example to prove the discontinuous change in motor behaviours.
weight of limb → cessation of stepping reflex → voluntary walking starts
State 4 occasions that show the limitations of Reflex Theory in explaining movement?
Movement that occurs in the absence of sensory input
Voluntary movement
Fast movement
Ability to over-ride the reflex response
Describe the subsystems involved in motor control according to the Dynamic Systems Theory.
internal:
musculoskeletal, cardiovascular, pulmonary, nervous systems
external:
environment or task
How do the theories of motor control help therapists?
They guide how therapists treat patients with neurological disorders.
What happens when a control parameter reaches a critical point according to Dynamic Systems Theory?
A 'phase shift' occurs and a new movement emerges.
What are some limitations of the Hierarchical Theory in explaining abnormal movement patterns?
Some abnormal movement patterns are due to secondary problems (contractures) or behavioral issues (compensation)
Cannot explain the dominance of reflex behaviour in certain situations in normal adults.
What are the key assumptions of the Hierarchical Theory in motor development? (2)
At birth, higher levels are not functioning and reflexive movements are mediated by lower centers of the CNS.
Primitive reflexes from the lower levels are inhibited by the higher levels before voluntary movements are developed.
Why does Reflex Theory fail to explain fast movements?
Because movements occur too rapidly to allow for sensory feedback from the preceding movement to trigger the next.
Describe the main concepts of the Reflex Theory. (2)
Reflexes are the building blocks of complex behaviors.
Reflexes work together/ in sequence [reflex chaining] to achieve a common purpose.
What do the principles of self-organisation according to Dynamic Systems Theory apply to? (2)
Inherent in developing subsystems
Applicable to both typically and atypically developed populations
What does the Hierarchical Theory state about the brain's levels?
Each level of the brain is correlated to a specific anatomic region.
What are the two main aspects of motor control?
Balance control
Moving the body
State an example to show the limitations of the Hierarchical Theory in explaining developmental changes.
Disappearance of stepping reflex by the end of 3 months normally.
Disappearance of stepping if the limb is weighted.
Stepping response re-appears when the body is submerged into water at an older age.
Describe the specific reflexes or reactions associated with each neuroanatomical level according to the Hierarchical Theory.
Cortex:
Voluntary movement
Equilibrium reactions
Protective reactions
Mid-brain:
Righting reactions
Pons/medulla:
Primitive reflexes
Spinal cord:
Primitive reflexes
What does the reappearance of the stepping response when the body is submerged into water at an older age suggest?
It suggests that factors other than neural maturation (eg: biomechanical & environmental factors) play a role in motor development.
Describe the development of the rotational component. (3)
Initial Stage: sitting
Intermediate Stage: Weight-shift in the frontal/sagittal plane
Final Stage: Rotation of the trunk
What are the key components of the task-oriented approach in the clinical application of Dynamic Systems Theory? (4)
set a functional goal
work on identifiable functional tasks, NOT movement patterns alone
adaptation to changes in environment: practice in a variety of contexts (e.g., walking)
practice→experience→environment
Outline the sequence of motor and language development in the first three years according to the Proximal-Distal principle.
First 12 months: Gross motor
Second 12 months: Fine motor
Third 12 months: Language
State an example to prove the asynchronous & nonlinear development of motor skills.
rate & no. of motor skills acquired: 1st year > 2nd year
What is the Hierarchical Theory say about maturation of the CNS? (2 aspects, 4 pts))
Neuromaturational theory (aspect 1):
sequence of (voluntary) motor development = sequence of CNS maturation process
cephalocaudal progression
same among infants
CNS maturation is the PRIMARY agent for change in development
What example illustrates the Hierarchical Theory's emphasis on CNS maturation?
Spinal cord injury: The brain may be well-developed, but movement of limbs is hindered, showing the primary role of CNS maturation.
State 4 assumptions of the Dynamic Systems Theory.
Movement is the result of interactions among many subsystems of an individual for a task under an environmental context.
Movements emerged as a result of the ability of different subsystems to interact and self-organise.
No need for CNS
Motor skills develop in an asynchronous & nonlinear manner.
Changes in motor behaviour are discontinuous and being attributed to “control parameters”.
What are the primary goals of providing adequate sensory input in the Neuro-facilitation Approach? (3)
Improve/ Stimulate:
Help the brain better (re)organize
Facilitate normal movement patterns
Reduce/ Inhibit:
Reduce/inhibit abnormal patterns, primitive reflexes, or spasticity
What are the main limitations of the Neuro-facilitation Approach according to research findings? (2)
Patients tend to play a more passive role
Limited carryover effect into functional activities
Compare the Reflex/Hierarchical model and the Dynamic systems model.
[senior’s notes p.15]
What factors do the hierarchial theory minimize? (2)
biomechanics
MSK
Describe 2 characteristics of subsystems under the Dynamic Systems Theory.
No one subsystem has privileged status over the other subsystems
Each internal subsystem has its own sequence and development rate.
