Cerebellar gray and white matter volume and their relation with age and manual motor performance in healthy older adults

ObjectivesFunctional neuroimaging and voxel‐based morphometry studies have confirmed the important role of the cerebellum in motor behavior. However, little is known about the relationship between cerebellar gray (GMv) and white matter (WMv) volume and manual motor performance in aging individuals. This study aims to quantify the relationship between cerebellar tissue volume and manual motor performance.Experimental designTo gain more insight into cerebellar function and how it relates to the role of the primary motor cortex (M1), we related cerebellar GMv, WMv, and M1v to manual motor performance in 217 healthy older individuals. Left and right cerebellar GMv and WMv, and M1v were obtained using FreeSurfer. The following motor measures were obtained: grip force, tapping speed, bimanual visuomotor coordination, and manual dexterity.Principal observationsSignificant positive relationships were observed between cerebellar GMv and WMv and grip strength, right cerebellar WMv and right‐hand tapping speed, right cerebellar WMv and dexterity, M1v and grip strength, and right M1v and left‐hand dexterity, though effect sizes were small.ConclusionsOur results show that cerebellar GMv and WMv are differently associated with manual motor performance. These associations partly overlap with the brain‐behavior associations between M1 and manual motor performance. Not all observed associations were lateralized (i.e., ipsilateral cerebellar and contralateral M1v associations with motor performance), which could point to age‐related neural dedifferentiation. The current study provides new insights in the role of the cerebellum in manual motor performance. In consideration of the small effect sizes replication studies are needed to validate these results. Hum Brain Mapp 36:2352–2363, 2015. © 2015 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.Peer Reviewedhttp://deepblue.lib.umich.edu/bitstream/2027.42/111082/1/hbm22775.pd

Physiotherapists' experiences of promoting physical activity in persons with Down syndrome

Introduktion: Personer med Downs syndrom är en grupp i samhället som generellt har visats vara mer inaktiva, ha lägre aerob kapacitet och mindre muskelmassa än andra grupper. Hälsorelaterade sjukdomar, övervikt och förtidigt åldrande är vanligt förekommande och bland de ledande orsakerna till mortalitet hos personer med Downs syndrom. Studier har visat att fysisk aktivitet har tydligt positiva effekter för hälsa och ökad livskvalitet hos personer med Downs syndrom. Syfte: Syftet med studien är att belysa fysioterapeuters erfarenheter av att främja fysisk aktivitet hos personer med Downs syndrom. Metod: I studien tillämpades kvalitativ metod. Datainsamlingen bestod av semistrukturerade intervjuer med fem legitimerade fysioterapeuter som arbetar med personer med Downs syndrom. Intervjuerna analyserades och tolkades genom kvalitativ innehållsanalys. Resultat: Resultatet har sammanställts enligt fem huvudkategorier: Att vara fysiskt aktiv med fysiska utmaningar, Att vara en professionell kompis, Att träna men inte träna, Omgivningen kan vara en lycka eller last, Att visa vägen. Konklusion: Fysioterapeuter har en viktig roll i främjandet av fysisk aktivitet hos personer med Downs syndrom. I sin yrkesroll jobbar de nära såväl personen med Downs syndrom som dennas sociala omgivning för att optimera förutsättningarna för fysisk aktivitet. Genom att vara en förebild i kunskap och agerande kan fysioterapeuten visa vägen för den sociala omgivningen så att de i sin tur kan förmedla engagemang och individanpassat stöd utifrån personens fysiska och motivationsrelaterade utmaningar. Detta kan vara avgörande för utfallet av fysisk aktivitet

Physiotherapists' experiences of promoting physical activity in persons with Down syndrome

Introduktion: Personer med Downs syndrom är en grupp i samhället som generellt har visats vara mer inaktiva, ha lägre aerob kapacitet och mindre muskelmassa än andra grupper. Hälsorelaterade sjukdomar, övervikt och förtidigt åldrande är vanligt förekommande och bland de ledande orsakerna till mortalitet hos personer med Downs syndrom. Studier har visat att fysisk aktivitet har tydligt positiva effekter för hälsa och ökad livskvalitet hos personer med Downs syndrom. Syfte: Syftet med studien är att belysa fysioterapeuters erfarenheter av att främja fysisk aktivitet hos personer med Downs syndrom. Metod: I studien tillämpades kvalitativ metod. Datainsamlingen bestod av semistrukturerade intervjuer med fem legitimerade fysioterapeuter som arbetar med personer med Downs syndrom. Intervjuerna analyserades och tolkades genom kvalitativ innehållsanalys. Resultat: Resultatet har sammanställts enligt fem huvudkategorier: Att vara fysiskt aktiv med fysiska utmaningar, Att vara en professionell kompis, Att träna men inte träna, Omgivningen kan vara en lycka eller last, Att visa vägen. Konklusion: Fysioterapeuter har en viktig roll i främjandet av fysisk aktivitet hos personer med Downs syndrom. I sin yrkesroll jobbar de nära såväl personen med Downs syndrom som dennas sociala omgivning för att optimera förutsättningarna för fysisk aktivitet. Genom att vara en förebild i kunskap och agerande kan fysioterapeuten visa vägen för den sociala omgivningen så att de i sin tur kan förmedla engagemang och individanpassat stöd utifrån personens fysiska och motivationsrelaterade utmaningar. Detta kan vara avgörande för utfallet av fysisk aktivitet

Exploring factors related to physical activity in cervical dystonia

Background People with disabilities have reported worse health status than people without disabilities and receiving fewer preventive health services such as counseling around exercise habits. This is noteworthy considering the negative consequences associated with physical inactivity. No research has been conducted on physical activity in cervical dystonia (CD), despite its possible major impact on self-perceived health and disability. Considering the favorable consequences associated with physical activity it is important to know how to promote physical activity behavior in CD. Knowledge of variables important for such behavior in CD is therefore crucial. The aim of this study was to explore factors related to physical activity in individuals with cervical dystonia. Methods Subjects included in this cross-sectional study were individuals diagnosed with CD and enrolled at neurology clinics (n = 369). Data was collected using one surface mailed self-reported questionnaire. Physical activity was the primary outcome variable, measured with the Physical Activity Disability Survey. Secondary outcome variables were: impact of dystonia measured with the Cervical Dystonia Impact Scale; fatigue measured with the Fatigue Severity Scale; confidence when carrying out physical activity measured with the Exercise Self-Efficacy Scale; confidence in performing daily activities without falling measured with the Falls Efficacy Scale; enjoyment of activity measured with Enjoyment of Physical Activity Scale, and social influences on physical activity measured with Social Influences on Physical Activity in addition to demographic characteristics such as age, education level and employment status. Results The questionnaire was completed by 173 individuals (47 % response rate). The multivariate association between related variables and physical activity showed that employment, self-efficacy for physical activity, education level and consequences for daily activities explained 51 % of the variance in physical activity (Adj R 0.51, F (5, 162) = 35.611, p = 0.000). Employment and self-efficacy for physical activity contributed most strongly to the association with physical activity. Conclusions Considering the favorable consequences associated with physical activity it could be important to support the individuals with CD to remain in work and self-efficacy to physical activity as employment and self-efficacy had significant influence on physical activity level. Future research is needed to evaluate causal effects of physical activity on consequences related to CD

Reactive grip force control in persons with cerebellar stroke : effects on ipsilateral and contralateral hand

This study investigates the cerebellar contribution to reactive grip control by examining differences between (22-48 years) subjects with focal cerebellar lesion due to ischaemic stroke (CL) and healthy subjects (HS). The subjects used a pinch grip to grasp and restrain an instrumented handle from moving when it was subject to unpredictable load forces of different rates (2, 4, 8, 32 N/s) or amplitudes (1, 2, 4 N). The hand ipsilateral to the lesion of the cerebellar subjects showed delayed and more variable response latencies, e.g., 278 +/- 162 ms for loads delivered at 2 N/s, compared to HS 180 +/- 53 ms (P = 0.005). The CL also used a higher pre-load grip force with the ipsilateral hand, 1.6 +/- 0.8 N, than the HS, 1.3 +/- 0.6 N (P = 0.017). In addition, the contralateral hand in subjects with unilateral cerebellar stroke showed a delayed onset of the grip response compared to HS. Cerebellar lesions thus impair the reactive grip control both in the ipsilateral and contralateral hand.</p

Reliability of the Swedish version of the Exercise Self-Efficacy Scale (S-ESES): a test–retest study in adults with neurological disease

Objective: To examine the test-retest reliability of the Swedish translated version of the Exercise Self-Efficacy Scale (S-ESES) in people with neurological disease and to examine internal consistency. Design: Test-retest study.Subjects: A total of 30 adults with neurological diseases including: Parkinson's disease; Multiple Sclerosis; Cervical Dystonia; and Charcot Marie Tooth disease.Method: The S-ESES was sent twice by surface mail. Completion interval mean was 16 days apart. Weighted kappa, intraclass correlation coefficient 2,1 [ICC (2,1)], standard error of measurement (SEM), also expressed as a percentage value (SEM%), and Cronbach's alpha were calculated.Results: The relative reliability of the test-retest results showed substantial agreement measured using weighted kappa (MD = 0.62) and a very high-reliability ICC (2,1) (0.92). Absolute reliability measured using SEM was 5.3 and SEM% was 20.7. Excellent internal consistency was shown, with an alpha coefficient of 0.91 (test 1) and 0.93 (test 2).Conclusion: The S-ESES is recommended for use in research and in clinical work for people with neurological diseases. The low-absolute reliability, however, indicates a limited ability to measure changes on an individual level.</p