title: Upper limb motor function in young adults with spina bifida and hydrocephalus.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The objective of the study was to measure upper limb motor function in young adults with spina bifida meningomyelocele (SBM) and typically developing age peers.
  
  
  METHODS
  Participants were 26 young adults with SBM, with a Verbal or Performance IQ score of at least 70 on the Wechsler scales, and 27 age- and gender-matched controls. Four upper limb motor function tasks were performed under four different visual and cognitive challenge conditions. Motor independence was assessed by questionnaire.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Fewer SBM than control participants obtained perfect posture and rebound scores. The SBM group performed less accurately and was more disrupted by cognitive challenge than controls on limb dysmetria tasks. The SBM group was slower than controls on the diadochokinesis task. Adaptive motor independence was related to one upper limb motor task, arm posture, and upper rather than lower spinal lesions were associated with less motor independence.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Young adults with SBM have significant limitations in upper limb function and are more disrupted by some challenges while performing upper limb motor tasks. Within the group of young adults with SBM, upper spinal lesions compromise motor independence more than lower spinal lesions.
authors: Program in Neurosciences & Mental Health, The Hospital for Sick Children, Toronto, ON, Canada. maureen.dennis@sickkids.ca
authors: M
authors: M
authors: Dennis
authors: M S
authors: MS
authors: Salman
authors: D
authors: D
authors: Jewell
authors: R
authors: R
authors: Hetherington
authors: B J
authors: BJ
authors: Spiegler
authors: D L
authors: DL
authors: MacGregor
authors: J M
authors: JM
authors: Drake
authors: R P
authors: RP
authors: Humphreys
authors: F
authors: F
authors: Gentili
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D001132:Arm; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D002524:Cerebellar Ataxia; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D006849:Hydrocephalus / Q000150:complications* / Q000473:pathology; D008297:Male; D008591:Meningomyelocele / Q000150:complications* / Q000473:pathology; D009043:Motor Activity; D009483:Neuropsychological Tests; D011187:Posture; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D013116:Spinal Cord / Q000473:pathology; D016135:Spinal Dysraphism / Q000150:complications* / Q000473:pathology; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D055815:Young Adult