title: Approximate entropy values demonstrate impaired neuromotor control of spontaneous leg activity in infants with myelomeningocele.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  One obstacle to providing early intervention to infants with myelomeningocele (MMC) is the challenge of quantifying impaired neuromotor control of movements early in life.
  
  
  METHODS
  We used the nonlinear analysis tool Approximate Entropy (ApEn) to analyze periodicity and complexity of supine spontaneous lower extremity movements of infants with MMC and typical development (TD) at 1, 3, 6, and 9 months of age.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Movements of infants with MMC were more regular and repeatable (lower ApEn values) than movements of infants with TD, indicating less adaptive and flexible movement patterns. For both groups ApEn values decreased with age, and the movements of infants with MMC were less complex than movements of infants with TD. Further, for infants with MMC, lesion level and age of walking onset correlated negatively with ApEn values.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Our study begins to demonstrate the feasibility of ApEn to identify impaired neuromotor control in infants with MMC.
authors.affiliation: Balance Disorders Laboratory, Department of Neurology, Oregon Health & Science University, Portland, Oregon, USA. smitbeth@ohsu.edu
authors.forename: Beth A
authors.initials: BA
authors.lastname: Smith
authors.forename: Caroline
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Teulier
authors.forename: Jennifer
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Sansom
authors.forename: Nicholas
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Stergiou
authors.forename: Beverly D
authors.initials: BD
authors.lastname: Ulrich
mesh_terms: D000367:Age Factors; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D004185:Disability Evaluation; D019277:Entropy; D005240:Feasibility Studies; D006801:Humans; D007866:Leg / Q000502:physiology*; D016014:Linear Models; D008137:Longitudinal Studies; D008591:Meningomyelocele / Q000534:rehabilitation*; D009069:Movement Disorders / Q000534:rehabilitation*; D009468:Neuromuscular Diseases / Q000534:rehabilitation; D017711:Nonlinear Dynamics; D012984:Software; D013223:Statistics as Topic