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- All Subjects: Executive Function
- Creators: Ofori, Edward
- Creators: Arnold, Nathaniel
Description
Individuals fluent in sign language who have at least one deaf parent are considered native signers while those with non-signing, hearing parents are non-native signers. Musculoskeletal pain from repetitive motion is more common from non-natives than natives. The goal of this study was twofold: 1) to examine differences in upper extremity (UE) biomechanical measures between natives and non-natives and 2) upon creating a composite measure of injury-risk unique to signers, to compare differences in scores between natives and non-natives. Non-natives were hypothesized to have less favorable biomechanical measures and composite injury-risk scores compared to natives. Dynamometry was used for measurement of strength, electromyography for ‘micro’ rest breaks and muscle tension, optical motion capture for ballistic signing, non-neutral joint angle and work envelope, a numeric pain rating scale for pain, and the modified Strain Index (SI) as a composite measure of injury-risk. There were no differences in UE strength (all p≥0.22). Natives had more rest (natives 76.38%; non-natives 26.86%; p=0.002) and less muscle tension (natives 11.53%; non-natives 48.60%; p=0.008) for non-dominant upper trapezius across the first minute of the trial. For ballistic signing, no differences were found in resultant linear segment acceleration when producing the sign for ‘again’ (natives 27.59m/s2; non-natives 21.91m/s2; p=0.20). For non-neutral joint angle, natives had more wrist flexion-extension motion when producing the sign for ‘principal’ (natives 54.93°; non-natives 46.23°; p=0.04). Work envelope demonstrated the greatest significance when determining injury-risk. Natives had a marginally greater work envelope along the z-axis (inferior-superior) across the first minute of the trial (natives 35.80cm; non-natives 30.84cm; p=0.051). Natives (30%) presented with a lower pain prevalence than non-natives (40%); however, there was no significant difference in the modified SI scores (natives 4.70 points; non-natives 3.06 points; p=0.144) and no association between presence of pain with the modified SI score (r=0.087; p=0.680). This work offers a comprehensive analysis of all the previously identified UE biomechanics unique to signers and helped to inform a composite measure of injury-risk. Use of the modified SI demonstrates promise, although its lack of association with pain does confirm that injury-risk encompasses other variables in addition to a signer’s biomechanics.
ContributorsRoman, Gretchen Anne (Author) / Swan, Pamela (Thesis advisor) / Vidt, Meghan (Committee member) / Peterson, Daniel (Committee member) / Lockhart, Thurmon (Committee member) / Ofori, Edward (Committee member) / Arizona State University (Publisher)
Created2018
Description
The aim of this study was to examine the effects of Assisted Cycle Therapy (ACT) on self-efficacy and exercise perception in older adults with Down syndrome (DS) after a three times a week for 8 weeks intervention. Thirteen participants were in the ACT group in which a motor assisted their cycling to be performed at least 30% faster than voluntary cycling (VC), 11 participants were in the voluntary cycling group and two participants were in the no cycling (NC) group. The results showed that both exercise groups (i.e., ACT and VC) improved in their self-efficacy after the 8 week intervention. In addition, exercise perception improved following ACT and not VC or NC. Our results are discussed with respect to their future implications for exercise in the DS population. It might be that the yielded results were due to differences in effort required by each intervention group as well as the neurotrophic factors that occur when muscle contractions create synaptic connections resulting in improvement in cognition and feelings of satisfaction. In the future, research should focus on the psychological factors such as social accountability and peer interaction as they relate to ACT and physical activity in person's with DS.
ContributorsTucker, Kori Ann (Author) / Ringenbach, Shannon (Thesis director) / Arnold, Nathaniel (Committee member) / Holzapfel, Simon (Committee member) / School of Nutrition and Health Promotion (Contributor) / Barrett, The Honors College (Contributor)
Created2018-05
Description
Cognitive functioning is an extremely crucial part of daily living. In individuals with Down Syndrome (DS) these tasks get even more challenging. The aim of this study is to determine the effects of Assisted Cycling Therapy (ACT) on cognitive functions in children with Down Syndrome (DS). This study examines the change in cognitive functioning using tests like Reaction time, Tower of London, and Card Sorting over an eight week intervention. All seven participants in the study were assigned to complete the ACT intervention, in which they rode a stationary bike with the assistance of a motor to maintain a cadence of at least 35% greater than their voluntary cycling speed. All participants completed the ACT intervention but a few were unable to complete some cognitive functioning tests due to their intellectual abilities. Overall, the results of this study showed that information processing, task-switching and problem solving improved following the eight week ACT intervention. These results provided more scope for future research in this field which can be done by modifying the time period of the intervention, increasing sample size of the study as well as conducting additional cognitive function tests. The results of our study are discussed with respect to the upward regulation of neurotrophic factors which are involved in increasing the functioning within the prefrontal cortex following exercise intervention.
ContributorsParab, Sujan Rajesh (Author) / Ringenbach, Shannon (Thesis director) / Ofori, Edward (Committee member) / Barrett, The Honors College (Contributor) / College of Health Solutions (Contributor)
Created2023-05
Description
Falls are a public health concern for older adults with or without cognitive impairment, including clinical Mild Cognitive Impairment (MCI) and Alzheimer’s Disease (AD) dementia. Executive function (EF) is linked to falls and is notably impaired in individuals with MCI and AD dementia. However, it is unclear which EF assessments are associated with falls in older adults with intact cognition, MCI, and AD dementia. Apolipoprotein E4 (ApoE4) increases the risk of MCI and AD dementia, with limited information suggesting decreased EF and gait impairment in ApoE4 carriers. The purpose of this study was to 1) investigate the relationships between EF assessments and falls (fall history and future fall) by cognitive status (intact cognition, MCI, AD dementia) and 2) determine if ApoE4 moderates the relationship between EF and falls across cognitive status. EF assessments included Digit Span (DS), Trail Making Test (ΔTMT), Stroop Interference Test, Controlled Oral Word Association assessments of phonemic and semantic fluency (COWAC), and Clock Drawing Test. Binary logistic regression was used with secondary data to analyze the EF and falls relationship. Results showed a significant association of the ΔTMT with fall history but may not be appropriate for use with people with AD dementia due to a floor effect. Significant interaction effects were shown between AD dementia and DS, ΔTMT, and EF as a latent variable, where individuals with a fall history had better EF performance. The interaction effects are influenced by the lower percentage of reported falls in people with severe AD dementia. In the second aim, a confounding effect exposed a potential four-way interaction where higher EF in ApoE4 non-carriers with AD dementia experienced a future fall without a fall history. Overall, more research is needed to determine which EF assessments are best suited for fall risk assessment and whether ApoE4 plays a role in the relationship between EF and falls. Since the low percentage of reported falls in people with severe AD dementia exposed a differing trend between EF and falls, more research is needed to develop valid and reliable tools for collecting fall data in individuals with severe AD dementia.
ContributorsDelgado, Ferdinand (Author) / Der Ananian, Cheryl (Thesis advisor) / Yu, Fang (Thesis advisor) / Mackinnon, David P (Committee member) / Peterson, Daniel S (Committee member) / Ofori, Edward (Committee member) / Arizona State University (Publisher)
Created2023
Description
Background: Down syndrome is the leading genetic cause of intellectual disabilities. Executive function is an area that people with Down syndrome have a diminished capacity compared to those in the general population. In recent years it has been determined that acute and chronic exercise has a small but positive effect on measures of executive function in typically developed individuals. The effect has been recorded separately in both aerobic, high-rate passive and resistance exercises in adolescents with DS but has not been compared between exercise types in adults with DS. Methods: A randomized crossover study was utilized to determine the effect of resistance exercise, assisted cycling therapy, and no exercise on executive function and enjoyment in adults with Down syndrome. Resistance Training (RT)- participants completed a total of 16- repetitions of approximately 75% of a 1-RM in the leg press, chest press, seated row, and latissimus pulldown. ACT- participants completed 30-minutes of cycling at 35% above voluntary (e.g., self-selected pace) rate. No-Training (NT)- participants spent 35-minutes playing board games. Cognitive assessments were recorded pre- and post- intervention. The Physical Activity Enjoyment Survey was collected post-intervention. Statistics: The cognitive measures and Physical Activity Self-efficacy scale were analyzed using the delta scores (pre-post) in a Linear mixed models analyais. The main effect of sequence (A, B, C) and intervention (RT, ACT, NT), and visit were assessed. Significance level was set with α=0.05. If any differences were detected, the Bonferroni post-hoc test was used to determine differences. Physical Activity Enjoyment Scale post scores were compared using a General Linear Model. Alpha was set at 0.05 with a Bonferroni post-hoc test to determine differences. A secondary analysis was conducted investigating the effect of participants that completed testing individually compared to those that completed the testing in a group setting. Results: There were no significant difference in the delta score of any of the measures. The secondary analysis also found no significant difference but showed a trend that those tested individually had opposite results than those tested in a group.
ContributorsArnold, Nathaniel (Author) / Ringenbach, Shannon (Thesis advisor) / Lee, Chong (Committee member) / Der Ananian, Cheryl (Committee member) / Holzapfel, Simon (Committee member) / Bosch, Pamela (Committee member) / Arizona State University (Publisher)
Created2021
Description
This study examines the effectiveness of two modes of exercise on self-efficacy (SE) and exercise perception (EP) in adults with Down syndrome (DS). Thirteen participants attended four sessions: a baseline assessment, an Assisted Cycling Therapy (ACT) session, a resistance training (RT) session, and a session of no training (NT). In the baseline assessment, 1-repetition max (1RM) measurements and voluntary pedal rate measurements were taken. In the cycling intervention, the participant completed 30 minutes of assisted cycling at 35 percent greater than their voluntary pedaling rate. In the resistance training session, 2 sets of 8-12 repetitions of the leg press, chest press, seated row, leg curl, shoulder press, and latissimus pulldown were performed. During the session of no training, participants played board games with student researchers for 35 minutes.Two subsets of the Physical Activity and Self Efficacy Survey were administered prior to each session (i.e., pretest) and after the intervention (i.e., post-test). The results were consistent with the hypothesis that ACT would lead to higher SE than RT or NT. However, ACT did not lead to higher EP than RT or NT as hypothesized. Additionally, it was hypothesized that RT would lead to higher SE and EP than NT, but the results did not support this. In conclusion, an acute session of ACT demonstrated a significant trend for improved self-efficacy in adults with DS.
ContributorsOberbillig, Nicole (Author) / Ringenbach, Shannon (Thesis director) / Ofori, Edward (Committee member) / School of International Letters and Cultures (Contributor) / College of Health Solutions (Contributor) / Barrett, The Honors College (Contributor)
Created2020-05