Objectives: The objective of this study was to examine the psychometric properties of the ‘physical well-being, health and motor development inventory’ used to assess school readiness in ordinary and mentally retarded pre-school children. Methods: A descriptive study examining validity was conducted using random sampling. Two hundred students (160 ordinary and 40 mentally retarded children) ...

Peripheral sensory feedback plays a crucial role in ensuring correct motor execution throughout hand grasp control. Previous studies utilized local anesthesia to deprive somatosensory feedback in the digits or hand, observations included sensorimotor deficits at both corticospinal and peripheral levels. However, the questions of how the disturbed and intact sensory input integrate and interact ...

The combination of the unique biomechanical properties of the human hand with the anatomy and physiology of the motor cortex and its descending pathways lead to an unprecedented behavioral repertoire. A prominent feature in the taxonomy of hand function is the distinction between power grip and fi nger individuation, which represent extremes along the continuous dimensions of stability and prec...

BACKGROUND Music-supported therapy has been shown to be an effective tool for rehabilitation of motor deficits after stroke. A unique feature of music performance is that it is inherently social: music can be played together in synchrony. AIM The present study explored the potential of synchronized music playing during therapy, asking whether synchronized playing could improve fine motor reha...

Sensory information is acquired in spatial coordinate systems linked to sense organs, yet movement must be executed in coordinate systems linked to motor effector organs. Neurophysiological experiments are yielding new insights into how the brain transforms coordinate systems to facilitate movement.

Theoretical constructs on the values of splinting the hand are reviewed. Therapists treating poststroke patients face a fast changing technology environment. This new technology allows scientists and physicians the opportunity to evaluate brain function. Scientists can increase understanding of the effects of stroke on function based upon location and severity. Physicians can evaluate the effec...

OBJECTIVE Rett syndrome is a rare neurodevelopmental disorder that is usually associated with a mutation on the X-linked MECP2 gene. Hand function is particularly affected and we discuss theoretical and practical perspectives for optimising hand function in Rett syndrome. METHODS We reviewed the literature pertaining to hand function and stereotypies in Rett syndrome and developed a toolkit f...