Fetal Onset of General Movements

Lüchinger, Annemarie B.; Hadders‐Algra, Mijna; Kan, Colette M van; Vries, J.I.P. de

doi:10.1203/pdr.0b013e31815ed03e

Cited by 133 publications

(93 citation statements)

References 16 publications

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“…In humans, small, slow, cyclic bending of the head and/or trunk are detected with 4D-ultrasonography at 5 weeks post-conception [8]. Waxing and waning general movements can be observed slightly later, at 7 weeks, and persist throughout pregnancy and the first months after term birth [9][10][11]. They consist of complex, variable, flexion-extensions of the whole body and limbs, they are not triggered by external stimuli and lack distinctive sequencing of different body parts.…”

Section: Prenatal Movementsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Development of human locomotion

Lacquaniti¹,

Ivanenko²,

Zago³

2012

Current Opinion in Neurobiology

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Neural control of locomotion in human adults involves the generation of a small set of basic patterned commands directed to the leg muscles. The commands are generated sequentially in time during each step by neural networks located in the spinal cord, called Central Pattern Generators. This review outlines recent advances in understanding how motor commands are expressed at different stages of human development. Similar commands are found in several other vertebrates, indicating that locomotion development follows common principles of organization of the control networks. Movements show a high degree of flexibility at all stages of development, which is instrumental for learning and exploration of variable interactions with the environment

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Section: Prenatal Movementsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Development of human locomotion

Lacquaniti¹,

Ivanenko²,

Zago³

2012

Current Opinion in Neurobiology

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“…Qualitative changes in general movements can also be observed. 6 Using fourdimensional (4D) sonography, we have found that from 13 gestational weeks onwards, a goal orientation of hand movements appears and a target point can be recognized for each hand movement. According to the spatial orientation, they classified the hand movements into several subtypes: hand to head, hand to mouth, hand near mouth, hand to face, hand near face, hand to eye and hand to ear.…”

Section: Prenatal Morphological and Functional Development Of The Fetmentioning

confidence: 99%

Fetal Brain Function: Lessons Learned and Future Challenges of 4D Sonography

Kurjak¹,

Predojević²,

Kadić³

2011

Donald School Journal of Ultrasound in Obstetrics and Gynecology

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Maturation of the central nervous system (CNS) is reflected in fetal behavior. Modern technology, such as four-dimensional (4D) sonography improved assessment of fetal behavior in all three trimesters of pregnancy. After summing our own experiences and experiences of the leading authors in the field of fetal and neonatal neurology, new prenatal screening test for assessment of fetal behavior has been suggested. Test was named Kurjak antenatal neurodevelopmental test (KANET). Up to now results of KANET are encouraging and they have been published in several prominent journals. Nevertheless, potential of KANET in the assessment of integrity of the fetal central nervous system needs to be confirmed by studies that are in progress in several world university centers.Keywords: Fetal brain development, Four-dimensional ultrasound, Neurological deficit, Perinatal neurological assessment. PRENATAL MORPHOLOGICAL AND FUNCTIONAL DEVELOPMENT OF THE FETAL CENTRAL NERVOUS SYSTEMDevelopment of the human central nervous system (CNS) begins in the early embryonic period and proceeds through a sequence of very complicated processes long after delivery. Early embryonic development is characterized by its immobility. Important prerequisite for fetal movements is the existence of the interneuronal and neuromuscular connections. The earliest interneuronal connections, the synapses, can be detected in the spinal cord shortly before the onset of embryonic motility, at 6 to 7 weeks of gestation.1 Therefore, the neural activity leading to the first detectable movements is considered to originate from the spinal motoneurons.2 As mentioned, another important prerequisite for the motility is the development and innervation of muscle fibers. It is well known that primitive muscle fibers (myotubes) are able to contract as soon as they are innervated by motor neurons.3 Between 6 and 8 weeks of gestation, muscle fibers have formed by fusion of myoblasts, efferent and afferent neuromuscular connections have developed, and spontaneous neural activity causing motility can begin. The first spontaneous embryonic movements are gross body movements and they can be observed at the 7 to 7.5th week of gestation. They consist of slow flexion and extension of the fetal trunk, accompanied by the passive displacement of arms and legs. These so-called vermicular movements appear in irregular sequences. Simultaneously with the onset of spontaneous movements, at the 7.5th week of gestation, the earliest motor reflex activity can be observed, indicating the existence of the first afferentefferent circuits in the spinal cord. The first reflex movements are massive and indicate a limited number of synapses in a reflex pathway. General movements are the first complex, wellorganized movement pattern, which involve head, trunk and limb movements. This pattern has been interpreted as the first sign of a supraspinal control on motor activity and can be recognized from 8 to 9 weeks of gestation onwards. 4 The brainstem is fashioned around the 7th week of gestati...

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“…Spontaneous self‐generated movements are seen to occur in utero as early as 7 weeks gestational age (Lüchinger, Hadders‐Algra, van Kan, & de Vries, 2008). At this first stage, movements of the arms are associated with writhing movements of the trunk and whole body (de Vries, Visser, & Prechtl, 1982; Prechtl, 1986).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Prospective organization of neonatal arm movements: A motor foundation of embodied agency, disrupted in premature birth

Delafield‐Butt

Freer

Perkins

et al. 2018

Developmental Science

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Prospective motor control moves the body into the future, from where one is to where one wants to be. It is a hallmark of intentionality. But its origin in development is uncertain. In this study, we tested whether or not the arm movements of newborn infants were prospectively controlled. We measured the spatiotemporal organization of 480 full‐term neonatal arm movements and 384 arm movements of prematurely born infants at‐risk for neurodevelopmental disorder. We found 75% of healthy term‐birth neonatal movements and 68% of prematurely born infant movements conformed to the τ G‐coupling model of prospective sensorimotor control. Prospective coupling values were significantly reduced in the latter (p = .010, r = .087). In both cases prospectively controlled movements were tightly organized by fixed‐duration units with a base duration of 218 ms and additional temporal units of 145 ms. Yet distances remained constant. Thus, we demonstrate for the first time a precise prospective spatiotemporal organization of neonatal arm movements and demonstrate that at‐risk infants exhibit reduced sensorimotor control. Prospective motor control is a hallmark of primary sensorimotor intentionality and gives a strong embodied foundation to conscious motor agency.

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Fetal Onset of General Movements

Cited by 133 publications

References 16 publications

Development of human locomotion

Development of human locomotion

Fetal Brain Function: Lessons Learned and Future Challenges of 4D Sonography

Prospective organization of neonatal arm movements: A motor foundation of embodied agency, disrupted in premature birth

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