Relations between gross motor skills and executive functions, controlling for the role of information processing and lapses of attention in 8-10 year old children

Abstract

This study aimed to systematically investigate the relation between gross motor skills and aspects of executive functioning (i.e. verbal working memory, visuospatial working memory, response inhibition and interference control) in 8–10 year old children. Additionally, the role of information processing (speed and variability) and lapses of attention in the relation between gross motor skills and executive functions was investigated. Data of 732 Dutch children from grade 3 and 4 were analyzed (50.0% boys, 50.4% grade 3, age = 9.16 ± 0.64 years). Gross motor skills were assessed using three items of the Körper Koordinationstest für Kinder and one item of the Bruininks-Oseretsky test of Motor Proficiency, Second Edition. Executive functions were assessed using the Wechsler Digit Span task (verbal working memory), the Visuospatial Memory task (visuospatial working memory), the Stop Signal task (response inhibition) and a modified version of the Flanker task (interference control). Information processing and lapses of attention were obtained by applying an ex-Gaussian analysis on go trials of the Stop Signal task. Multilevel regression analysis showed that gross motor skills were significantly related to verbal working memory, visuospatial working memory and response inhibition, but not to interference control. Lapses of attention was a significant predictor for all executive functions, whereas processing speed was not. Variability in processing speed was only predictive for visuospatial working memory. After controlling for information processing and lapses of attention, gross motor skills were only significantly related to visuospatial working memory and response inhibition. The results suggest that after controlling for information processing and lapses of attention, gross motor skills are related to aspects of executive functions that are most directly involved in, and share common underlying processes with, gross motor skills.

The Role of Executive Functions for Motor Performance in Preschool Children as Compared to Young Adults

“…Interestingly, previous research has indicated that while interrelations between cognitive and motor functions found in young adults appear rather specific (but less strong), the connection between the two domains seems to be stronger at the extreme ends of the lifespan (Livesey et al, 2006;Stöckel and Hughes, 2016;Oberer et al, 2017;Spedden et al, 2017;Stöckel et al, 2017;van der Fels et al, 2019). As such, a first aim of the present study was to assess if, and how, the cognitivemotor functions of preschoolers differ from that of young adults, who served as a control group representing the upper bound of cognitive-motor development.…”

Relationships between gross motor skills, cardiovascular fitness, and visuospatial working memory-related brain activation in 8- to 10-year-old children

“…Behavioral studies have shown that gross motor skills are related to the executive functions that are most directly involved in gross motor tasks in children, such as visuospatial working memory (VSWM) (Rigoli, Piek, Kane, & Oosterlaan, 2012;van der Fels et al, 2019). VSWM refers to the ability to maintain and manipulate visuospatial information over brief periods of time (Baddeley & Hitch, 1994).…”

“…Therefore, we could have missed aspects of gross motor skills that might have been related to VSWM-related brain activity. Furthermore, the review by van der Fels et al (2015) showed that the strongest relationships are found between complex motor skills (e.g., fine motor skills or bilateral body coordination) and executive functions. Circuit-based assessments have recently emerged as a dynamic method and more complex way of measuring motor skills.…”

“…These tests are more sensitive to assessor experience, however, and the validity and reliability of circuitbased assessments need to be further investigated (Robinson et al, 2015). At the neuropsychological level, it can be argued that these complex motor skills require greater involvement of executive functions than relatively simple motor skills (Best, 2010;van der Fels et al, 2015). This implies that complex forms of motor skills share more overlapping neural networks with executive functions than gross motor skills.…”

“…There is accumulating evidence that gross motor skills and cardiovascular fitness are related to executive functioning in children (Haapala, 2013;Van der Fels et al, 2015). Executive functioning refers to a subset of interrelated processes that are involved in purposeful, goal-directed behavior, including inhibition, working memory, and cognitive flexibility (Miyake et al, 2000;Banich, 2009;Diamond, 2013).…”