Matching Items (62)
Description
Down syndrome (DS), which is determined by an extra 21 chromosome, is one of the most common developmental disabilities across all races and societies. One of the hallmarks of people with DS is that they have deficits in cognitive control compared with their peers. In addition to broad cognitive impairment, persons with DS have physical characteristics which limit their ability to perform activities of daily living (ADL) including deficits in fine motor control needed for handling money, self-care, eating, etc. As the relative prevalence of DS at birth lessens, and as life expectancy increases, DS will be most commonly represented amongst the elderly. Thus, intervention is needed in older adults with DS to improve their manual dexterity to sustain their independence and quality of life. The aim of this study was to examine the influence of Assisted Cycling Therapy (ACT) compared to voluntary cycling (VC) and no cycling (NC) on fine motor control in older adults with Down Syndrome (DS). Twenty-five older adults with DS were randomly assigned to one of three, 30 minute interventions, which took place over an eight-week period of time. 1) Thirteen older adults with DS completed the ACT intervention, which is stationary cycling with the assistance of a motor to maintain a cadence at least 35% greater than voluntary cycling. 2) Ten older adults with DS completed voluntary cycling (VC) and 3) Two older adults with DS were in our no cycling (NC) intervention. Fine motor control was measured with the Purdue Pegboard placing pegs in small holes in 30 s with the right hand alone, the left hand alone, and bimanually pre and post 8 weeks of intervention. Our results showed that bimanual and total score (i.e., right, left and bimanually) fine motor control improved following both ACT and VC cycling exercise but not NC. This suggests that 30 minutes of exercise over 8 weeks has some positive effects on manual dexterity. Different mechanisms for this improvement will be discussed. This information is important to the independence and quality of life of older adults with DS.
ContributorsMendoza, Ezekiel Arceo (Author) / Ringenbach, Shannon (Thesis director) / Ofori, Edward (Committee member) / College of Health Solutions (Contributor) / Barrett, The Honors College (Contributor)
Created2020-05
Description
The relationship between sleep and physical activity is an area of growing scientific interest, particularly in the context of older adults. The importance of examining long sleep duration and its influence on physical activity in this demographic becomes increasingly relevant given rising healthcare costs. This dissertation aims to investigate this intricate relationship via secondary analysis by examining the effects of moderate time-in-bed (TIB) restriction (60 minutes per night)) on various intensities of physical activity (sedentary, light, moderate, vigorous, moderate-vigorous physical activity) in older adults classified as long sleepers and average duration sleepers. It was hypothesized that moderate TIB restriction would result in differential changes in physical activity levels across various intensities, with long sleepers exhibiting increased physical activity and average sleepers displaying decreased activity, potentially influenced by alterations in TST (total sleep time) and SE (sleep efficiency). Utilizing a randomized controlled trial design, this study examined the effect of treatment changes in objectively measures activity (waist actigraphy) and subjects physical activity levels as measured by the Godin Leisure-Time Exercise Questionnaire . Eligible participants were long sleepers (sleeping > 9 hours per night) and average sleepers (sleeping 7-9 hours per night). Both types of sleepers were either randomized to TIB restriction or asked to maintain their average sleep patterns. Mean TIB restriction compared with baseline was 39.5 minutes in average sleepers and 52.9 minutes in long sleepers randomized to TIB restriction . Contrary to the original hypothesis, no significant effect of TIB restriction was observed across all physical activity levels in either long sleepers or average sleepers. However, a notable association was found between increased sleep efficiency (+0.09% [SD = ± 4.64%]) and light physical activity (±31 minutes [SD = ± 104.81, R=0.445, P < 0.007]) in long sleepers undergoing TIB restriction. While this study presents several methodological limitations, including its nature as a secondary analysis and the less-than-intended achievement of TIB restriction, it adds a valuable layer to the existing body of research on sleep and physical activity in older adults. The findings suggest that moderate TIB restriction may not be sufficiently impactful to change behavior in physical activity levels, thus highlighting the need for more nuanced, targeted research in this domain.
ContributorsPerry, Christopher (Author) / Youngstedt, Shawn D (Thesis advisor) / Petrov, Megan (Committee member) / Swan, Pamela (Committee member) / Buman, Matthew (Committee member) / Ringenbach, Shannon (Committee member) / Arizona State University (Publisher)
Created2023