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BMC Neurology
Published in: BMC Neurology 1/2017

Open Access 01-12-2017 | Research article

Short-term motor learning through non-immersive virtual reality task in individuals with down syndrome

Authors: Carlos Bandeira de Mello Monteiro, Talita Dias da Silva, Luiz Carlos de Abreu, Felipe Fregni, Luciano Vieira de Araujo, Fernando Henrique Inocêncio Borba Ferreira, Claudio Leone

Published in: BMC Neurology | Issue 1/2017

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Abstract

Background

Down syndrome (DS) has unique physical, motor and cognitive characteristics. Despite cognitive and motor difficulties, there is a possibility of intervention based on the knowledge of motor learning. However, it is important to study the motor learning process in individuals with DS during a virtual reality task to justify the use of virtual reality to organize intervention programs. The aim of this study was to analyze the motor learning process in individuals with DS during a virtual reality task.

Methods

A total of 40 individuals participated in this study, 20 of whom had DS (24 males and 8 females, mean age of 19 years, ranging between 14 and 30 yrs.) and 20 typically developing individuals (TD) who were matched by age and gender to the individuals with DS. To examine this issue, we used software that uses 3D images and reproduced a coincidence-timing task.

Results

The results showed that all individuals improved performance in the virtual task, but the individuals with DS that started the task with worse performance showed higher difference from the beginning. Besides that, they were able to retain and transfer the performance with increase of speed of the task.

Conclusion

Individuals with DS are able to learn movements from virtual tasks, even though the movement time was higher compared to the TD individuals. The results showed that individuals with DS who started with low performance improved coincidence- timing task with virtual objects, but were less accurate than typically developing individuals.

Trial registration

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Metadata
Title
Short-term motor learning through non-immersive virtual reality task in individuals with down syndrome
Authors
Carlos Bandeira de Mello Monteiro
Talita Dias da Silva
Luiz Carlos de Abreu
Felipe Fregni
Luciano Vieira de Araujo
Fernando Henrique Inocêncio Borba Ferreira
Claudio Leone
Publication date
01-12-2017
Publisher
BioMed Central
Published in
BMC Neurology / Issue 1/2017
Electronic ISSN: 1471-2377
DOI
https://doi.org/10.1186/s12883-017-0852-z

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