Part 2: Motor Development, Learning, and Adaptive Change.

This book provides a concise yet comprehensive source of current information on Down syndrome. Research workers, scientists, medical graduates and paediatricians will find it an excellent source for reference and review. This book focuses on exciting areas of research on prenatal diagnosis - Down syndrome screening after assisted reproduction techniques, noninvasive techniques, genetic counselling and ethical issues. Whilst aimed primarily at research worker on Down syndrome, we hope that the appeal of this book will extend beyond the narrow confines of academic interest and be of interest to a wider audience, especially parents and relatives of Down syndrome patients.

Co-ordination of movement plays a key role in human development and is an important area in sport and health sciences. This book looks in detail at how children develop basic skills, such as walking and reaching for objects, and more complex skills such as throwing and catching a ball accurately or riding a bicycle. Development of Movement Co-ordination in Children is informed by five major theoretical perspectives and are explained in an introductory chapter: * neural maturation * information processing * direct perception * dynamic systems * constraint theory. The international contributions are brought together under the headings of ergonomics, health sciences and sport. Focusing on practical applications, individual chapters cover many different aspects of movement behaviour and development, ranging from children's over-estimation of their physical abilities and the links to injury proneness, to the co-ordination of kicking techniques. Both normal and abnormal development is considered. This text will be of considerable interest to students, teachers and professionals in the fields of sport science, kinesiology, physical education, ergonomics and developmental psychology.

"The chapter traces some key historical developments in the field of Down syndrome. After describing general issues of classification in intellectual disabilities, we describe Langdon Down's identification of the syndrome in the 1860s; the movement to name the syndrome after Down; the identification of trisomy 21 as the syndrome's cause; and the beginnings of sustained research attention to the syndrome. We end with a glimpse into the future, discussing issues of longer life spans, more integrated lives, and the roles of families, organizations, and self-advocates. Working together, researchers, practitioners, and individuals and their families can all continue to advance the lives of persons with Down syndrome"--

Mental retardation is a term for a pattern of persistently slow learning of basic motor and language skills ("milestones") during childhood, and a significantly below-normal global intellectual capacity as an adult. One common criterion for diagnosis of mental retardation is a tested intelligence quotient (IQ) of 70 or below. This book presents leading-edge research from around the world.

Bringing together leading experts--and providing vital insights to guide clinical practice--this is the first volume to comprehensively address childhood motor disorders from a neuropsychological perspective. The book explores the neural and behavioral bases of movement disorders and summarizes current findings from applied research. Existing approaches to assessment and neuroimaging are critically examined, and new and innovative methods presented. Authors also synthesize the latest knowledge on motor difficulties associated with specific developmental and neurological problems: cerebral palsy; neuromuscular disease; autism; brain injury; disorders of coordination, speech, and written language; and more. Other important topics covered include psychosocial effects of motor skills impairments, frequently encountered comorbidities, and the status of available intervention approaches.

The study of motor control is evolving into a field of natural science comparable in its rigor and exactness to established fields such as classical physics. This advancement necessitates a resource that offers more precise terminology and rigorous logics. Neurophysiological Basis of Motor Control, Third Edition, rises to the challenge by building on its foundation with thoroughly updated information, expanded content, and an organizational overhaul. By emphasizing the neurophysiological mechanisms involved in the processes of generating voluntary movements, the text offers a distinct understanding of how the brain generates control signals and how the body executes them. Author Mark Latash, PhD—founding editor of the journal Motor Control and past president of the International Society of Motor Control (ISMC)—combines his expertise with the experience of new coauthor Tarkeshwar Singh, PhD, director of the Sensorimotor Neuroscience and Learning Laboratory at Penn State University. In the third edition of this book, previously titled Neurophysiological Basis of Movement, the authors present the following: New chapters on motor learning and sensorimotor integration Expanded sections dedicated to the role of different sensory modalities in motor control, kinesthetic perception, and action–perception interactions An exploration of the basis of neuroanatomy, aging and development, motor disorders, and basic concepts such as coordination, reflexes, voluntary movement, sensation, and perception Supported with hundreds of illustrations and chapter introductions that provide smooth transitions from one topic to the next, the third edition also incorporates thought-provoking problems that encourage students to think critically and become aware of the types of motor control issues that have yet to be studied or solved. At the end of each section, additional problems are offered in short essay and multiple-choice formats as a means of self-testing. Other supplemental learning aids include chapter summaries as well as key terms and topics. Neurophysiological Basis of Motor Control, Third Edition, deepens students’ knowledge of the link between the brain and movement with basic facts about neural motor control, neuroanatomy, and movement disorders. The text will help usher in a new era in the study of motor control, promoting independent thinking and sharing thought-provoking ideas on current theories of motor control and coordination.