People with motor difficulties in childhood are more likely to have cognitive issues in midlife

What is it about?

Motor difficulties characterized by slowness and clumsiness of movement are the main symptom of developmental coordination disorder, which affects about 5%–6% of kids. These children may struggle with tasks like tying shoelaces or riding a bike and may have somewhat poorer cognitive abilities than their peers, especially in executive functions, which are needed to organize and control actions. Many of these children continue to have motor difficulties into adulthood, but there is limited research on their cognitive abilities as adults. We followed a group of people from birth to age 40. At age 9, some were identified to have motor difficulties. At age 40, we tested their cognitive abilities. We found that those with motor difficulties in childhood were more likely to have relatively low scores in midlife on tests of executive functions, processing speed, attention and working memory, as well as across all cognitive domains. Put simply, they struggled with organizing and controlling their actions, thinking quickly, concentrating, and juggling several things in their mind at once. Even when mild, these kinds of challenges may be significant in today's complex world.

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Photo by Olav Ahrens Røtne on Unsplash

Photo by Olav Ahrens Røtne on Unsplash

Why is it important?

Childhood motor difficulties have long-term implications beyond just movement issues. Understanding these effects can improve diagnosis and rehabilitation for neurodevelopmental disorders. Knowing the cognitive challenges of adults with a history of motor difficulties can aid in the differential diagnostics of conditions like developmental coordination disorder and ADHD. Although these cognitive challenges are often mild, they can make it harder for patients to benefit from motor rehabilitation, as they might struggle with focusing on instructions or scheduling exercises. It is crucial for rehabilitation programs to address both motor and cognitive needs. Our study's strengths include using objective assessments of childhood motor difficulties and a long-term follow-up, rather than relying on potentially inaccurate, retrospective self-reports from adults. We also assessed all major cognitive domains, providing a comprehensive view of the cognitive issues these individuals face.

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