TY - JOUR
T1 - Development of state estimation explains improvements in sensorimotor performance across childhood
AU - King, Bradley R.
AU - Oliveira, Marcio A.
AU - Contreras-Vidal, Jose L.
AU - Clark, Jane E.
PY - 2012/6/1
Y1 - 2012/6/1
N2 - Previous developmental research examining sensorimotor control of the arm in school-age children has demonstrated age-related improvements in movement kinematics. However, the mechanisms that underlie these age-related improvements are still unclear. This study hypothesized that changes in sensorimotor performance across childhood can be attributed, in part, to the development of state estimation, defined as estimates computed by the central nervous system, which specify both current and future hand positions and velocities (i.e., hand "state"). Two behavioral experiments were conducted, in which 6- to 12-year-old children and young adults executed goal-directed arm movements. Results from Experiment 1 revealed that young children (i.e., ∼6-8 years) have less precise proprioceptive feedback for static (i.e., stationary) hand state estimation compared with older children (i.e., ∼10-12 years), resulting in increased variability of target-directed reaching movements. Experiment 2 demonstrated that young children rely on delayed and unreliable state estimates during the execution of goal-directed hand movements (i.e., dynamic state estimation), resulting in both increased movement errors and directional variability. Collectively, these results suggest that improvements in sensorimotor behavior across childhood can be attributed, at least partially, to the development of both static and dynamic state estimation.
AB - Previous developmental research examining sensorimotor control of the arm in school-age children has demonstrated age-related improvements in movement kinematics. However, the mechanisms that underlie these age-related improvements are still unclear. This study hypothesized that changes in sensorimotor performance across childhood can be attributed, in part, to the development of state estimation, defined as estimates computed by the central nervous system, which specify both current and future hand positions and velocities (i.e., hand "state"). Two behavioral experiments were conducted, in which 6- to 12-year-old children and young adults executed goal-directed arm movements. Results from Experiment 1 revealed that young children (i.e., ∼6-8 years) have less precise proprioceptive feedback for static (i.e., stationary) hand state estimation compared with older children (i.e., ∼10-12 years), resulting in increased variability of target-directed reaching movements. Experiment 2 demonstrated that young children rely on delayed and unreliable state estimates during the execution of goal-directed hand movements (i.e., dynamic state estimation), resulting in both increased movement errors and directional variability. Collectively, these results suggest that improvements in sensorimotor behavior across childhood can be attributed, at least partially, to the development of both static and dynamic state estimation.
KW - Motor development
KW - Multisensory
KW - Reaching
KW - Visuomotor
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=84861878025&partnerID=8YFLogxK
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/citedby.url?scp=84861878025&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.1152/jn.00932.2011
DO - 10.1152/jn.00932.2011
M3 - Article
C2 - 22378169
AN - SCOPUS:84861878025
VL - 107
SP - 3040
EP - 3049
JO - Journal of Neurophysiology
JF - Journal of Neurophysiology
SN - 0022-3077
IS - 11
ER -