Search PubMed⌕ Search

SEARCH · Search PubMed

Results for “HANDWRITING”

Search indexed PubMed citations on genomics, clinical trials, systematic reviews and public health. Explore titles, authors and supplied subject terms, then open the PubMed record.

Quote a phrase for an exact phrase match. Source license links do not imply unrestricted reuse.

At least 1,549 records · Page 86Linked to original sources

Pen and instrument grips and clinical performance in dental students.

The hand grips used by 114 students for holding dental handpieces and pens were examined, classified, and related to each student's grade in a broadly-based assessment of clinical performance. It was found that there was a marked tendency for students with unusual dental handpiece grips to be in the lower clinical grades. More surprisingly, there was a similar simple relationship between unusual writing pen grips and clinical grades. No difference in clinical performance was detected between students using the two generally recommended forms of handpiece grip. The results have implication for interceptive and remedial teaching of dental students experiencing manipulative difficulties.

Clinical Competence↗

A coordination of hand preference and skill replicated.

Annett (1970a) described 283 subjects classified for hand preference and measured for the movement time of each hand on a peg moving task. A new sample of 804 subjects has been examined and classified as before. The mean differences between hands for each preference group are very similar in both samples. Hand preference can be regarded as anchored to an objective measure of manual skill. Both preference and skill are continuously distributed variables, not discrete ones. The quest for the 'essence' of left handedness should be replaced by studies of the characteristics of the distributions involved and of the criteria used to identify segments of the distributions.

Functional Laterality↗

Spatial interactions during bimanual coordination patterns: the effect of directional compatibility.

Whereas previous bimanual coordination research has predominantly focused on the constraining role of timing, the present study addressed the role of spatial (i.e., directional) constraints during the simultaneous production of equilateral triangles with both upper limbs. In addition to coordination modes in which mirror-image and isodirectional movements were performed (compatible patterns), new modes were tested in which the left limb lagged with respect to the right by one triangle side (non-compatible patterns). This resulted in the experimental manipulation of directional compatibility between the limbs. In addition, triangles with either horizontal or vertical orientations were to be drawn in order to assess the role of static images on movement production. Results supported the important role of directional constraints in bimanual coordination. Furthermore, triangles in vertical orientations (with a vertical symmetry axis, i.e., one apex pointing up) were drawn more successfully than those in horizontal orientations (with a horizontal symmetry axis, i.e., one apex pointing left or right), suggesting that the static aspects of a geometric form may affect movement dynamics. Finally, evidence suggested that cognitive processes related to integration of the submovements into a unified plan mediate the performance of new coordination patterns. The implications of the present finding for clinical populations are discussed

Adult↗

The regulation of fine movements in patients with Charcot Marie Tooth, type Ia: some ideas about continuous adaptation.

The flexibility of the human motor system is remarkable. Even when parts of the system are damaged, the output often remains optimal or near optimal. The neuromotor system is designed to keep the output optimal by shifting between input sources. This capability is termed the principle of continuous adaptation. This article describes an experiment in which patients suffering from a hereditary motor and sensory neuropathy, type 1a (Charcot Marie Tooth disease, type 1a), had to perform fine motor movements. We examined whether they were able to regulate these movements in spite of the fact that the somatosensory input and motor output was substantially impaired as a result of the chronic, slowly progressing neuropathy. It was predicted that these patients were able to perform fine movements as long as the movements were well known and over-learned. Furthermore, it was predicted that these patients would compensate for the loss of somatosensory information by becoming more dependent on vision. A second prediction was that the quality of the motor performance would break down when these patients had to perform a novel motor pattern. The performance of the patients (n=10) was contrasted with the performance of 20 healthy subjects. The results indicated that the patients, indeed, were able to perform the over-learned movements and that their performance deteriorated significantly when they had to perform a novel motor pattern. No indication, however, could be found for visual compensation.

Acceleration↗

Planning reaching and grasping movements: theoretical premises and practical implications.

This paper presents the background, premises, and results of a model of movement planning. The model's central claims are fourfold: (a) A task is defined by a set of prioritized requirements, or what we call a constraint hierarchy; (b) movement planning works first by specifying a goal posture and then by specifying a movement to that goal posture; (c) movements have characteristic forms; and (d) movements can be shaped through simultaneous performance of different movements, even by the same effector. We review the model and then speculate on its implications for clinical concerns, especially spasticity

Arm↗

Are graphomotor tasks affected by working in the contralateral hemispace in 6- to 10-year-old children?

It has been shown that crossing the midline affects the performance of fine motor skills but the underlying mechanisms are not well understood. This issue is particularly important with respect to the development of motor activities such as writing or pointing in children. Forty-eight right-handed children performed goal-directed movements toward targets positioned either at the midline, or in the left (contralateral side), or right (ipsilateral) hemispace. Findings revealed that movements were more accurate in ipsilateral than in contralateral space and their overall accuracy increased by 42% between 6 and 10 years of age. Differences in movement time among hemispaces depended on the joints predominantly involved in producing the movements (wrist versus fingers). Lower accuracy of movements in contralateral workspace is also present when participants do not have to cross the midline but only move within this workspace. In motor proficient children, no developmental trends were found for these hemispace effects.

Brain↗

Spatial coupling in children with hemiplegic cerebral palsy during bimanual circle and line drawing.

The effect of amplitude incongruence (small circles-large circles) and form incongruence (circles-lines) on the performance of the affected and non-affected arm was examined in 12 children with hemiplegic cerebral palsy in bimanual rhythmic drawing tasks. Amplitude and form incongruence are assumed to be associated with aspects of movement execution and movement planning, respectively. The following questions were addressed: Does amplitude or form incongruence in bimanual coordination result in: (a) accommodation of the affected or non-affected arm, or both, (b) an increase of temporal variability of drawing movements of the affected or non-affected arm, and (c) a decrease of bimanual coordination stability? Form incongruence resulted in accommodation of both affected and non-affected arm in a similar way found in non-disabled participants. Despite this accommodation, the temporal variability of both affected and non-affected arm was increased, and coordination stability decreased, because the spatial trajectories of affected and non-affected arm were still rather dissimilar. Amplitude incongruence resulted in accommodation of either the affected arm (large circles required) or non-affected arm (small circles required), and in an increase or decrease of temporal variability of the affected arm, depending on the degree of spatial similarity of the trajectories of affected and non-affected arm. These findings suggest that in children with hemiplegic cerebral palsy aspects of movement execution, but not aspects of movement planning are affected by the "hemiplegic"

Cerebral Palsy↗

Variations in writing posture and cerebral organization.

Two tachistoscopic tests of cerebral lateralization were administered to 73 subjects classified by handedness, sex, and hand orientation in writing. The results indicated that the direction of cerebral lateralization could be indexed from a subject's handedness and hand posture during writing. In subjects with a normal writing posture, the linguistically specialized hemisphere was contralateral to the dominant hand, and the visuospatially specialized hemisphere was ipsilateral; the reverse was true in subjects with an "inverted" hand position during writing. Females and subjects having an inverted hand posture manifested smaller degrees of lateral differentiation than males and subjects with a typical hand posture.

Adult↗

Music related upper limb pain in schoolchildren.

Two British secondary schools (one a specialist music school) were surveyed to assess the prevalence of upper limb pain among specialist music students compared with students in a regular school setting. Female students tended to report pain more often than male students, but for both significantly higher prevalence was found in the music school. Pain in the regular school was most often attributed to writing, whereas in the music school it was associated with the playing of all instruments, but most particularly with cello, clarinet, and flute. Music students reported long hours of practice, but it appeared that the intensity of practice may be more important as a determinant of pain than the total hours spent practising. The results of the study are in substantial agreement with those previously published from Australia and North America. On the balance of probabilities the pain is due to overuse syndrome, which is very common in musicians and well known in writers.

Adolescent↗

Aids for visual impairment.

This article provides only a flavour of the type and range of aids available to the visually impaired person. Many other aids for leisure, learning, and daily living are illustrated in the RNIB equipment and games catalogue.

Adolescent↗