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Motor Development Laboratory

• Research Overview
• Current Projects
• Members

Dr. Rosa Angulo-Barroso

4718 Kinesiology Bldg.
401 Washtenaw Ave.
Ann Arbor, MI 48109-2214
Phone: (734) 764-9955

Dr. Beverly Ulrich is now Director of the Developmental Neuromotor Control Lab.

Research Overview

Our goal is to conduct translational science, with the theoretical work we do enabling us to build a solid base for conducting clinically relevant work and clinical intervention trials. The theoretical foundation with which we work is that of dynamic systems, also known as complex systems. The clinical populations we study have been Down syndrome and myelomeningocele. We work largely with pediatric populations but, our developmental approach leads us to design studies involving the age spectrum, from infancy, through preadolescents, and the elderly. We focus heavily on gait patterns. We use a behavioral approach, and tools of EMG, motion capture, instrumented gait mats, pediatric and adult-sized treadmills, mathematical modeling, and sensory stimulation to probe the underlying nature of developmental neuromotor control.

Current Projects

Treadmill Training and Infants “At Risk”: Evidence-Based Developmental Outcomes

After the completion of a first safety/observational study designed to determine if, when, and how infants at risk respond to the treadmill without receiving TM training, our results demonstrated that infants at risk including those with mild levels of CP produced alternating TM steps by 8 months of age and the frequency and quality of their stepping improved over developmental time without TM training. Based on these exciting results, we are now prepared to test the application of our TM intervention with infants at-risk for CP.

Purpose: To investigate the use of the treadmill (TM) with infants with muscle problems and motor delays to determine whether this intervention will improve the onset and quality of their independent walking

• We are hoping to determine whether the TM can be used as an early intervention to improve independent walking in infants with muscle problems and motor delays.
• We also hope to evaluate whether this can be used as a screening tool for earlier diagnosis of infants at risk for CP.

Subjects: Forty-five infants “at risk” will be recruited into the study. At 6-13 mo. corrected age, infants at risk will be randomly assigned to the experimental training group or to the control group.

Procedures: A small, motorized TM is placed in the homes of infants in the experimental group. The experimental group begins TM training (8 minutes/day x 5 days/week) when they can take a minimum of 10 spontaneous treadmill steps in a one-minute trial. The primary care givers are trained to implement TM stepping protocol with their infant. Compliance with the TM stepping protocol is monitored monthly by a staff member who visits each parent and inquire about how the training is progressing and answer any questions they may have. In addition, monthly measurements are taken in all infants: frequency and quality of treadmill stepping, level of physical activity for a period of 24 hours, level of motor skill development, level of spasticity, cognitive and social skills, and physical growth. All infants receive regular pediatric PT services. At the onset of walking, 3- and 6-months later, gait analysis is conducted in all infants in addition to all the other growth, motor and cognitive measures.

Safety/monitoring procedures:

• Parents receive training on use of treadmill and proper implementation of protocol
• Protocol adherence monitored monthly
• Step frequency, foot contacts, and spasticity monitored monthly
• PT services will not be interrupted; all children should receive PT if deemed necessary

Capacity to Select and Remember Complex Leg Movement Patterns in Infants with and without Disabilities

The purpose of this project is to examine infants' memory capacity to select and remember complex leg movements as a means to gain visual and auditory stimulation from an overhead mobile. Infants will be positioned supine on a crib from where they can see the mobile. During the first 2 minutes, infants will move spontaneously but they will not receive any type of reinforcement. After this, and for the next 10 minutes, infants will receive the reinforcement (that is, movement and sound from the mobile) every time they produce a predetermined movement. To complete the session, infants will receive 2 minutes of extinction during which the mobile will not move. Following the first testing session, infants will be tested 2 more times in the same experimental task. Each session will be separated 48 hours apart from each other. The questions to answer are: Can infants select and remember a complex leg movement pattern as a result of changes in the environment? What is the effect of practice on the quantity and quality of their movements?

View a short video showing the apparatus in more detail.

Effects of Iron Deficiency Anemia in the Motor Activity of Chilean and Indian Infants

Several studies have indicated a slower developmental progress in infants suffering from iron deficiency anemia (IDA) (Walter et al., 1989; Lozoff et al., 1982, 1987, 1991). Furthermore, Lozoff and her colleagues (1987) found a long-lasting effect in those iron deficient anemic infants who were tested 5 years later. Specifically they found that these children demonstrated lower levels of mental and motor functioning. Interestingly their motor skills were further affected than their cognitive ones.

The purpose of this study is to assess the levels of motor activity in normally developing and IDA infants at 6, 12 and 18 months of age.

Longitudinal Study of Early Locomotor Training in Infants with Down Syndrome

Our previous research has demonstrated that a treadmill can be used as an early intervention to hasten the onset of walking. These results indicate that infants trained on treadmills display earlier onset of functional locomotor behaviors including walking and walk with a better gait pattern suggesting better balance.

Our current project will evaluate the effects of increasing the intensity of the treadmill procedures on the onset of independent walking. We will also evaluate effects of the treadmill training on physical stamina as measured by level of physical activity, walking quality, and the ability to adapt to small obstacles in the environment while walking. Given the consistent results in the literature suggesting the benefits of locomotion in further cognitive and social development, we will examine the relationship between locomotor, cognitive and social skills.

This project also proposes to initiate the science needed to study the ontogeny of treadmill stepping in infants at risk for cerebral palsy (CP). Longitudinal measurements will allow us to determine: if and when infants at risk for CP respond to the treadmill, the developmental trajectory of their response, what developmental factors, including physical and cognitive, are related to their response patterns, and whether their pattern of response provide information useful for predicting a diagnosis of CP an/6d the onset of walking. The results will provide information needed to determine if and when the treadmill intervention program could be utilized with this population.

The Design of an Optimal Treadmill Training Protocol to Improve Onset of Gait in Infants with Down Syndrome

Based on our current findings that regular treadmill exercise results in earlier onset of locomotor behavior in infants with Down syndrome, our goal is to investigate manipulations of the onset, duration and intensity of the treadmill training. Our current research indicates that we were successful in reducing the delay in onset of walking by more than 100 days through treadmill training provided by the parent in their home. We are confident that by fine tuning the treadmill training procedures we can continue to reduce this delay and observe additional benefits to the child.

Treadmill Exercise and Infants with Down Syndrome: Impact on Cardiovascular Health and Pattern of Physical Activity

The patterns of physical activity and obesity in individuals with DS may represent a risk for cardiovascular problems. The purpose of this study is to investigate whether an early treadmill exercise intervention can provide benefits to the cardiovascular system of infants with DS. This study will establish the developmental profile of physical activity and heart rate patterns in infants with DS over a longitudinal period. The relationship among biological factors, physical activity, and heart rate level will be tested. We will also analyze changes in physical activity and heart rate as a result of treadmill exercise.

Members

Faculty:
    Rosa Angulo-Barroso, Ph.D. (rangulo@umich.edu)
Graduate Students:
    Chad Tiernan, M.S. (chadwt@umich.edu)
Collaborators:
    Betsy Lozoff, M.D. (blozoff@umich.edu), Center for Human Growth and Development


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