Tactile control of isometric fingertip forces during grasping in children with cerebral palsy.
Sensory mechanisms and sensorimotor integration have often been thought to be disturbed in children with cerebral palsy (CP). The authors investigated the influence of tactile information from the fingertips on the isometric force regulation during the lift of a small object with the precision grip in children with CP and controls. Children with CP were able to modify their grip force according to friction between the fingertips and the object and could use tactile information for anticipatory control of the force-scaling of the precision grip, but they seemed to need predictable conditions and successive lifts to build up memory representation of an object's friction.
Eliasson
A C
AC
Department of Woman and Child Health, Karolinska Hospital, Stockholm, Sweden.
Gordon
A M
AM
Forssberg
H
H
D016022:Case-Control Studies; D002547:Cerebral Palsy / Q000150:complications / Q000503:physiopathology*; D002648:Child; D004192:Discrimination, Psychological; D005246:Feedback / Q000502:physiology; D005385:Fingers / Q000503:physiopathology*; D018737:Hand Strength / Q000502:physiology*; D006429:Hemiplegia / Q000209:etiology / Q000503:physiopathology; D006801:Humans; D007537:Isometric Contraction / Q000502:physiology*; D008568:Memory; D010264:Paraplegia; D011597:Psychomotor Performance / Q000502:physiology*; D014110:Touch / Q000502:physiology*