title: Neural underpinnings of impaired predictive motor timing in children with Developmental Coordination Disorder.
abstract: A dysfunction in predictive motor timing is put forward to underlie DCD-related motor problems. Predictive timing allows for the pre-selection of motor programmes (except 'program' in computers) in order to decrease processing load and facilitate reactions. Using functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI), this study investigated the neural correlates of motor timing in DCD (n=17) and typically developing children (n=17). The task involved motor responses to sequences of visual stimuli with predictive or unpredictive interstimulus intervals (ISIs). DCD children responded with a smaller reaction time (RT) advantage to predictive ISIs compared to typically developing children. Typically developing children exhibited higher activation in the right dorsolateral prefrontal cortex (DLPFC) and right inferior frontal gyrus (IFG) for responses at unpredictive as opposed to predictive ISIs, whereas activations in DCD children were non-differentiable. Moreover, DCD children showed less activation than typically developing children in the right DLPFC, the left posterior cerebellum (crus I) and the right temporo-parietal junction (TPJ) for this contrast. Notably, activation in the right temporo-parietal junction (TPJ) positively correlated with RT as an indicator of processing load in both groups. These data indicate that motor performance in DCD children requires extra processing demands due to impaired predictive encoding.
authors.affiliation: Department of Rehabilitation Sciences and Physiotherapy, Ghent University and Artevelde University College, Campus Heymans Ghent University Hospital - 2B3 (REVAKI), De Pintelaan 185, 9000 Ghent, Belgium. Julie.debrabant@ugent.be
authors.forename: Julie
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Debrabant
authors.forename: Freja
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Gheysen
authors.forename: Karen
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Caeyenberghs
authors.forename: Hilde
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Van Waelvelde
authors.forename: Guy
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Vingerhoets
mesh_terms: D059031:Anticipation, Psychological / Q000502:physiology; D001921:Brain / Q000502:physiology*; D002531:Cerebellum / Q000502:physiology; D002648:Child; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging; D008297:Male; D009044:Motor Cortex / Q000502:physiology; D009048:Motor Skills / Q000502:physiology*; D019957:Motor Skills Disorders / Q000503:physiopathology*; D010296:Parietal Lobe / Q000502:physiology; D011237:Predictive Value of Tests; D017397:Prefrontal Cortex / Q000502:physiology; D011597:Psychomotor Performance / Q000502:physiology*; D011930:Reaction Time / Q000502:physiology