Poitras I, Martinie O, Robert MT, Campeau-Lecours A, Mercier C. Impact of Sensory Deficits on Upper Limb Motor Performance in Individuals with Cerebral Palsy: A Systematic Review.
Brain Sci 2021;
11:brainsci11060744. [PMID:
34205153 PMCID:
PMC8227331 DOI:
10.3390/brainsci11060744]
[Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/06/2021] [Revised: 05/27/2021] [Accepted: 05/31/2021] [Indexed: 12/28/2022] Open
Abstract
People living with cerebral palsy (CP) exhibit motor and sensory impairments that affect unimanual and bimanual functions. The importance of sensory functions for motor control is well known, but the association between motor and sensory functions remains unclear in people living with CP. The objective of this systematic review was to characterize the relationship between sensory deficits and upper limb motor function in individuals living with CP.
METHODS
Five databases were screened. The inclusion criteria were: (1) including people living with CP, (2) reporting measurements of upper limb motor and sensory functions. A qualitative analysis of the studies' level of evidence was done.
RESULTS
Thirty-three articles were included. Twenty-five articles evaluated tactile functions, 10 proprioceptive functions and 7 visual functions; 31 of the articles reported on unimanual functions and 17 of them reported on bimanual functions. Tactile functions showed a moderate to high association; it was not possible to reach definitive conclusions for proprioceptive and visual functions.
CONCLUSIONS
The heterogeneity of the results limits the ability to draw definitive conclusions. Further studies should aim to perform more comprehensive assessments of motor and sensory functions, to determine the relative contribution of various sensory modalities to simple and more complex motor functions.
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