Evidence of early development of action planning in the human foetus: a kinematic study

Zoia, Stefania; Blason, Laura; D’Ottavio, G.; Bulgheroni, Maria; Pezzetta, Eva; Scabar, Aldo; Castiello, Umberto

doi:10.1007/s00221-006-0607-3

Cited by 237 publications

(138 citation statements)

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“…The ontogeny of motor action/intention understanding, and more generally the ontogeny of motor cognition in humans, is a fascinating but still controversial issue. A number of studies support a predisposition of the motor system toward the processing of socially relevant information, even before birth (Castiello et al, 2010;Zoia et al, 2007). Recently, two different views have been compared: The so-called Bgenetic account^suggests that heritable genetic factors and predisposition explain the Bmirrorness^of MNs; on the other hand, the Bassociative account^supports the major role of sensorimotor experience (R. Cook, Bird, Catmur, Press, & Heyes, 2014).…”

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confidence: 99%

The motor way: Clinical implications of understanding and shaping actions with the motor system in autism and drug addiction

Casartelli

Chiamulera

2015

Cogn Affect Behav Neurosci

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To understand others' minds is crucial for survival; however, it is quite puzzling how access to others' minds can be-to some extent-direct and not necessarily mediated by conceptual reasoning. Recent advances in neuroscience have led to hypothesize a role for motor circuits not only in controlling the elementary physical features of movement (e.g., force, direction, and amplitude), but also in understanding and shaping human behavior. The concept of Bmotor cognition^refers to these aspects, and neurophysiological, neuroimaging, and behavioral studies in human and nonhuman primates support this view. From a clinical perspective, motor cognition represents a challenge in several domains. A thorough investigation of the neural mechanisms mediating motor action/intention understanding and automatized/compulsive behaviors seems to be a promising way to tackle a range of neurodevelopmental and drug-related disorders. On the one hand, anomalies in motor cognition may have cascade effects on social functioning in individuals with autism spectrum disorder (ASD); on the other, motor cognition may help explain the pathophysiology of drug-seeking and drug-taking behaviors in the most severe phase of drug addiction (i.e., see drug dependence, motor low-order cue reactivity). This may represent a promising approach that could improve the efficacy of rehabilitative interventions. The only way to shed light on multifactorial disorders such as ASD and drug addiction is through the investigation of their multiple factors. This motor way can promote new theoretical and experimental perspectives that would help bridge the gap between the basic neuroscience approach and clinical practice.

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confidence: 99%

The motor way: Clinical implications of understanding and shaping actions with the motor system in autism and drug addiction

Casartelli

Chiamulera

2015

Cogn Affect Behav Neurosci

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“…There are two lines of arguments however, why a pathway from motor control towards cognitive control is likely. First, prospective motor control starts to develop during the first months of life and to some extend even before birth (van der Meer et al, 1995;von Hofsten, 1983von Hofsten, , 2004Zoia et al, 2007), whereas executive functions emerge later in infancy (Barkley, 2012;Diamond, 2006). Second, Ridler and colleagues (2006) demonstrated long-term correlations between the onsets of standing and walking in infancy and executive function performance about 30 years later.…”

Section: Discussion Study IIImentioning

confidence: 99%

“…First signs of goal-directed hand movements were demonstrated in fetuses at the twenty-second week of gestation (Zoia et al, 2007).…”

Section: The Development Of Reachingmentioning

confidence: 99%

Infants in Control: Prospective Motor Control and Executive Functions in Action Development

Gottwald¹

2018

Preprint

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This thesis assesses the link between action and cognition early in development. Thus the notion of an embodied cognition is investigated by tying together two levels of action control in the context of reaching in infancy: prospective motor control and executive functions.The ability to plan our actions is the inevitable foundation of reaching our goals. Thus actions can be stratified on different levels of control. There is the relatively low level of prospective motor control and the comparatively high level of cognitive control. Prospective motor control is concerned with goal-directed actions on the level of single movements and movement combinations of our body and ensures purposeful, coordinated movements, such as reaching for a cup of coffee. Cognitive control, in the context of this thesis more precisely referred to as executive functions, deals with goal-directed actions on the level of whole actions and action combinations and facilitates directedness towards mid-and long-term goals, such as finishing a doctoral thesis. Whereas prospective motor control and executive functions are well studied in adulthood, the early development of both is not sufficiently understood.This thesis comprises three empirical motion-tracking studies that shed light on prospective motor control and executive functions in infancy. Study I investigated the prospective motor control of current actions by having 14-month-olds lift objects of varying weights. In doing so, multi-cue integration was addressed by comparing the use of visual and non-visual information to non-visual information only. Study II examined the prospective motor control of future actions in action sequences by investigating reach-to-place actions in 14-month-olds. Thus the extent to which Fitts' law can explain movement duration in infancy was addressed. Study III lifted prospective motor control to a higher that is cognitive level, by investigating it relative to executive functions in 18-months-olds.Main results were that 14-month-olds are able to prospectively control their manual actions based on object weight. In this action planning process, infants use different sources of information. Beyond this ability to prospectively control their current action, 14-month-olds also take future actions into account and plan their actions based on the difficulty of the subsequent action in action sequences. In 18-month-olds, prospective motor control in manual actions, such as reaching, is related to early executive functions, as demonstrated for behavioral prohibition and working memory. These findings are consistent with the idea that executive functions derive from prospective motor control. I suggest that executive functions could be grounded in the development of motor control. In other words, early executive functions should be seen as embodied.

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“…8 Hand contacts with different body parts are still accidental at this time, but become goal-oriented from 18 weeks onward. 9 With myelination of the spinothalamic tract and the beginning of cortical areal differentiation at 28 weeks, cortical control of fetal behavior is increasing, but the influence of the brainstem and midbrain remains predominant until well after birth. 10 Hence, with fetal behavior being closely related to maturation processes of the fetal brain, alteration of behavior may indicate pathology of the CNS.…”

Section: Images Of the Fetal Face (Figs 73 To 86)mentioning

confidence: 99%

Advanced Obstetrical and Gynecological Ultrasound: Imaging with New Technologies

Honemeyer¹

2013

Donald School Journal of Ultrasound in Obstetrics and Gynecology

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Since, ultrasound was introduced as diagnostic tool in obstetrics and gynecology by Professor Ian Donald 6 decades ago, realtime imaging has become the most common sonographic technique used in obstetrics and gynecology. When uncertain findings on real-time gray scale during two-dimensional sonography require further evaluation, advanced techniques are often necessary. Such advanced techniques include color and power Doppler, three-and four-dimensional ultrasound and techniques of volume manipulation (rendering), such as surface and maximum mode, magic cut, volume calculation (VOCAL), NICHE mode, and -as latest innovation, HD flow (Doppler) and HD life surface rendering. The authors would like to illustrate by means of a series of images and case presentations, how these new diagnostic tools find their clinical application in the daily routine of care in obstetrics and gynecology.

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Evidence of early development of action planning in the human foetus: a kinematic study

Cited by 237 publications

References 33 publications

The motor way: Clinical implications of understanding and shaping actions with the motor system in autism and drug addiction

The motor way: Clinical implications of understanding and shaping actions with the motor system in autism and drug addiction

Infants in Control: Prospective Motor Control and Executive Functions in Action Development

Advanced Obstetrical and Gynecological Ultrasound: Imaging with New Technologies

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