A "wait and learn" strategy of postural control learning in children?
This study compares the children and adult response to a novel postural challenge. One group of children (n=13, age 7-9) and one adult reference group (n=12 age 15-32) were subjected to vibration induced body sway and posturography with both open and closed eyes for 5 consecutive days. There was a gradual decrease of induced body sway over time in both groups (p< 0.001) between the subsequent trials, but only in the adult group was there a reduction of induced body sway over time within each trial (p< 0.05). The children had on a considerably less level of induced body sway when they started the second trial than they finished the first (p< 0.01). There appears to be a different approach of adaptation to a new postural challenge between children and adults.
Tjernström
Fredrik
F
Department of Otorhinolaryngology Head and Neck Surgery, University Hospital of Lund, 221 85 Lund, Sweden. Fredrik.Tjernstrom@med.lu.se
Oredsson
Jennie
J
Magnusson
Måns
M
D000222:Adaptation, Physiological; D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000367:Age Factors; D002648:Child; D002657:Child Development / Q000502:physiology*; D004193:Discrimination Learning / Q000502:physiology*; D005246:Feedback; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007699:Kinesthesis / Q000502:physiology*; D008297:Male; D004856:Postural Balance / Q000502:physiology*; D011187:Posture / Q000502:physiology*; D012016:Reference Values; D013028:Space Perception / Q000502:physiology