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Motor Contingency Learning and Infants with Spina Bifida

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  08 January 2013

Heather B. Taylor ,
Marcia A. Barnes ,
Susan H. Landry ,
Paul Swank ,
Jack M. Fletcher  and
Furong Huang
Heather B. Taylor*
Affiliation:
Department of Pediatrics, University of Texas Health Science Center, Houston, Texas TIRR Memorial Hermann, Houston, Texas
Marcia A. Barnes
Affiliation:
Department of Pediatrics, University of Texas Health Science Center, Houston, Texas
Susan H. Landry
Affiliation:
Department of Pediatrics, University of Texas Health Science Center, Houston, Texas
Paul Swank
Affiliation:
Department of Pediatrics, University of Texas Health Science Center, Houston, Texas
Jack M. Fletcher
Affiliation:
Department of Psychology, University of Houston, Houston, Texas
Furong Huang
Affiliation:
Department of Pediatrics, University of Texas Health Science Center, Houston, Texas
*
Correspondence and reprint requests to: Heather B. Taylor, Department of Pediatrics, University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston, 7000 Fannin, Suite 2300, Houston, TX 77030. E-mail: [email protected]
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Abstract

Infants with Spina Bifida (SB) were compared to typically developing infants (TD) using a conjugate reinforcement paradigm at 6 months-of-age (n = 98) to evaluate learning, and retention of a sensory-motor contingency. Analyses evaluated infant arm-waving rates at baseline (wrist not tethered to mobile), during acquisition of the sensory-motor contingency (wrist tethered), and immediately after the acquisition phase and then after a delay (wrist not tethered), controlling for arm reaching ability, gestational age, and socioeconomic status. Although both groups responded to the contingency with increased arm-waving from baseline to acquisition, 15% to 29% fewer infants with SB than TD were found to learn the contingency depending on the criterion used to determine contingency learning. In addition, infants with SB who had learned the contingency had more difficulty retaining the contingency over time when sensory feedback was absent. The findings suggest that infants with SB do not learn motor contingencies as easily or at the same rate as TD infants, and are more likely to decrease motor responses when sensory feedback is absent. Results are discussed with reference to research on contingency learning in infants with and without neurodevelopmental disorders, and with reference to motor learning in school-age children with SB. (JINS, 2013, 19, 1–10)

Keywords

Sensory-motorNeurodevelopmentDisabilityEarly learningMemoryDevelopment
Type
Research Articles
Information
Journal of the International Neuropsychological Society , Volume 19 , Issue 2 , February 2013 , pp. 206 - 215
Copyright
Copyright © The International Neuropsychological Society 2013

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