title: Functional MRI evidence for fine motor praxis dysfunction in children with persistent speech disorders.
abstract: Children with persistent speech disorders (PSD) often present with overt or subtle motor deficits; the possibility that speech disorders and motor deficits could arise from a shared neurological base is currently unknown. Functional MRI (fMRI) was used to examine the brain networks supporting fine motor praxis in children with PSD and without clinically identified fine motor deficits.
  
  
  METHODS
  This case-control study included 12 children with PSD (mean age 7.42 years, four female) and 12 controls (mean age 7.44 years, four female). Children completed behavioral evaluations using standardized motor assessments and parent reported functional measures. During fMRI scanning, participants completed a cued finger tapping task contrasted passive listening. A general linear model approach identified brain regions associated with finger tapping in each group and regions that differed between groups. The relationship between regional fMRI activation and fine motor skill was assessed using a regression analysis.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Children with PSD had significantly poorer results for rapid speech production and fine motor praxis skills, but did not differ on classroom functional skills. Functional MRI results showed that children with PSD had significantly more activation in the cerebellum during finger tapping. Positive correlations between performance on a fine motor praxis test and activation multiple cortical regions were noted for children with PSD but not for controls.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Over-activation in the cerebellum during a motor task may reflect a subtle abnormality in the non-speech motor neural circuitry in children with PSD.
authors.affiliation: Communication Sciences Research Center & the Division of Speech Pathology, Cincinnati Children׳s Hospital Medical Center, 3333 Burnet Ave., MLC 15008, Cincinnati, OH, United States 45229-3039. Electronic address: Erin.redle@cchmc.org.
authors.forename: Erin
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Redle
authors.affiliation: Pediatric Neuroimaging Research Consortium, Cincinnati Children׳s Hospital Medical Center, 3333 Burnet Ave., MLC 5033, Cincinnati, OH, United States 45229-3039; (513)636-6959. Electronic address: Jennifer.vannest@cchmc.org.
authors.forename: Jennifer
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Vannest
authors.affiliation: Pediatric Neuroimaging Research Consortium, Cincinnati Children׳s Hospital Medical Center, 3333 Burnet Ave., MLC 5033, Cincinnati, OH, United States 45229-3039; (513)636-6959.
authors.forename: Thomas
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Maloney
authors.affiliation: Pediatric Neuroimaging Research Consortium, Cincinnati Children׳s Hospital Medical Center, 3333 Burnet Ave., MLC 5033, Cincinnati, OH, United States 45229-3039; (513)636-6959.
authors.forename: Rebecca K
authors.initials: RK
authors.lastname: Tsevat
authors.affiliation: Communication Sciences Research Center & the Division of Speech Pathology, Cincinnati Children׳s Hospital Medical Center, 3333 Burnet Ave., MLC 15008, Cincinnati, OH, United States 45229-3039.
authors.forename: Sarah
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Eikenberry
authors.affiliation: Communication Sciences, Case Western Reserve University, 11635 Euclid Ave., Cleveland, OH, United States 44106.
authors.forename: Barbara
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Lewis
authors.affiliation: Waisman Center, University of Wisconsin-Madison, 1500 Highland Ave, Madison, WI, United States 53705.
authors.forename: Lawrence D
authors.initials: LD
authors.lastname: Shriberg
authors.affiliation: Imaging Research Center, Department of Radiology, Cincinnati Children׳s Hospital Medical Center, 3333 Burnet Ave., MLC 5033, Cincinnati, OH, United States 45229-3039.
authors.forename: Jean
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Tkach
authors.affiliation: Pediatric Neuroimaging Research Consortium, Cincinnati Children׳s Hospital Medical Center, 3333 Burnet Ave., MLC 5033, Cincinnati, OH, United States 45229-3039; (513)636-6959.
authors.forename: Scott K
authors.initials: SK
authors.lastname: Holland
mesh_terms: D001307:Auditory Perception / Q000502:physiology; D001921:Brain / Q000503:physiopathology*; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D002648:Child; D005260:Female; D005385:Fingers / Q000502:physiology; D006801:Humans; D016014:Linear Models; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging; D008297:Male; D009043:Motor Activity / Q000502:physiology; D009069:Movement Disorders / Q000503:physiopathology*; D009434:Neural Pathways / Q000503:physiopathology; D009483:Neuropsychological Tests; D012815:Signal Processing, Computer-Assisted; D013064:Speech Disorders / Q000503:physiopathology*
keywords: Fine motor praxis; Finger tapping; Sound disorders; fMRI