Reynolds Jess E, Licari Melissa K, Billington Jac, Chen Yihui, Aziz-Zadeh Lisa, Werner Julie, Winsor Anne M, Bynevelt Michael
School of Sport Science, Exercise & Health, The University of Western Australia, 35 Stirling Highway, Crawley 6009, Western Australia, Australia.
School of Sport Science, Exercise & Health, The University of Western Australia, 35 Stirling Highway, Crawley 6009, Western Australia, Australia.
Int J Dev Neurosci. 2015 Dec;47(Pt B):309-19. doi: 10.1016/j.ijdevneu.2015.10.003. Epub 2015 Oct 30.
The aim of this study was to reveal cortical areas that may contribute to the movement difficulties seen in children with Developmental Coordination Disorder (DCD). Specifically, we hypothesized that there may be a deficit in the mirror neuron system (MNS), a neural system that responds to both performed and observed actions. Using functional MRI, 14 boys with DCD (x=10.08 years ± 1.31, range=7.83-11.58 years) and 12 typically developing controls (x=10.10 years ± 1.15, range=8.33-12.00 years) were scanned observing, executing and imitating a finger sequencing task using their right hand. Cortical activations of mirror neuron regions, including posterior inferior frontal gyrus (IFG), ventral premotor cortex, anterior inferior parietal lobule and superior temporal sulcus were examined. Children with DCD had decreased cortical activation mirror neuron related regions, including the precentral gyrus and IFG, as well as in the posterior cingulate and precuneus complex when observing the sequencing task. Region of interest analysis revealed lower activation in the pars opercularis, a primary MNS region, during imitation in the DCD group compared to controls. These findings provide some preliminary evidence to support a possible MNS dysfunction in children with DCD.
本研究的目的是揭示可能导致发育性协调障碍（DCD）儿童运动困难的皮质区域。具体而言，我们假设镜像神经元系统（MNS）可能存在缺陷，该神经系统对执行和观察到的动作均有反应。使用功能磁共振成像，对14名患有DCD的男孩（x = 10.08岁±1.31，范围 = 7.83 - 11.58岁）和12名发育正常的对照儿童（x = 10.10岁±1.15，范围 = 8.33 - 12.00岁）进行扫描，让他们用右手观察、执行和模仿手指序列任务。检查了包括额下回后部（IFG）、腹侧运动前皮质、顶下小叶前部和颞上沟在内的镜像神经元区域的皮质激活情况。患有DCD的儿童在观察序列任务时，与镜像神经元相关区域的皮质激活减少，包括中央前回和IFG，以及后扣带回和楔前叶复合体。感兴趣区域分析显示，与对照组相比，DCD组在模仿过程中，主要MNS区域即岛盖部的激活较低。这些发现提供了一些初步证据，支持DCD儿童可能存在MNS功能障碍。
