• Journal of The Korean Society of Integrative Medicine
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• v.9 no.4
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• pp.29-38
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• 2021

Purpose : Therapeutic exercise should improve the health outcomes of rehabilitation in children with neurodevelopmental disability. The purpose of this study was to investigate the feasibility of primitive reflex integration exercises on forward head posture, balance ability, and concentration in children with neurodevelopmental disability. Methods : This study included 10 children with neurodevelopmental disability. Primitive reflex integration exercises were performed for 40 minutes, twice a week for 8 weeks (16 sessions). The reflective markers were placed at the center of the shoulders and on the ears. A caliper was used to measure the distance between the attachments of the reflective markers to assess the forward head posture. Pediatric balance scale was used to quantify balance ability. Their abilities in terms of changeless sitting, looking at the teacher, putting children's hands on their knees, and looking at immovable and movable objects, were assessed to quantify concentration. Results : There were significant improvements in forward head posture after the intervention (p=.005). Primitive reflex integration exercises significantly improved balance ability of children with neurodevelopmental disability (p=.027). There were also significant improvements in changeless sitting (p=.005), looking at the teacher (p=.004), putting children's hands on their knees (p=.005), and looking at the immovable (p=.004) and movable (p=.004) objects. Conclusion : This study showed that primitive reflex integration exercises were a useful intervention to improve forward head posture, balance, and concentration in children with neurodevelopmental disability. Therefore, primitive reflex integration exercises may also promote and improve their general development. Further studies with appropriate sample size and control group are needed to conclude the effectiveness of primitive reflex integration exercises on improving posture, motor function, and concentration in children with neurodevelopmental disability.

• Journal of Korean Physical Therapy Science
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• v.13 no.2
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• pp.121-127
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• 2006

Consideration for therapy method and oral motor function character of children with cerebral palsy. Therapists who treat for feeding disorder children owing the regression of oral motor function are necessary to gain knowledge about dysfunction of sensing, perception and cognition with baffling to eat and inhibition of primitive reflex, oral anatomy and function, and motor control (trunk, head, positioning of the upper limbs and the lower limbs and muscle tone). Oral motor function program is a comprehensive rehabilitation program which requires systematized enforcement and collaborated attempts to physiotherapists, occupational therapists, speech therapists, psychotherapists. Especially, physical therapists are not accustomed to oral motor program, hoping to provide diffusely and apply new therapy approach method for many areas (bell's palsy, respiratory failure, speech articulation). It will comprise to study owing to holistic approach with clinic.

• Korean Journal of Biological Psychiatry
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• v.23 no.4
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• pp.179-184
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• 2016

Objectives This study was conducted to investigate the possibility of neurological soft signs as an endophenotype for schizophrenia by examining neurological soft signs in patients, their unaffected siblings and normal comparison subjects. Methods The study sample consisted of 32 patients, 25 of their unaffected siblings and 30 normal comparison subjects. Neurological soft signs were evaluated using the Cambridge Neurological Inventory Part 2. soft sign assessment. Results The patients were significantly more impaired than normal comparison subjects (p = 0.047) on primitive reflex. The patients were significantly more impaired than siblings (p = 0.004) and normal comparison subjects (p = 0.021) on motor coordination. The siblings performed better on sensory integration than the patients (p = 0.020) and normal comparison subjects (p = 0.036). Conclusions This study suggests that neurological soft signs might be a potential biomarker for schizophrenia, but might not be an endophenotype for schizophrenia.

• The Journal of Korean Physical Therapy
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• v.32 no.6
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• pp.325-328
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• 2020

Purpose: This study examined the effects of the directions of neck rotation position on the muscle activity and strength of the elbow flexor and extensor muscle. Methods: Forty-one healthy adults participated in this study. The subjects were asked to their elbow 90° flexion in three different neck rotations (neutral, ipsilateral, and contralateral) in the sitting position. The muscle activities of the biceps and triceps brachii muscle were measured using surface electromyography. And the muscle strength of the elbow flexor was measured using dynamometer. One way repeated measures ANOVA was used to compare the muscle activity and strength of the elbow flexor and extensor depending on the different neck turning directions. Results: There were significant differences between contralateral neck rotation and ipsilateral neck rotation, contralateral neck rotation and neutral position. But, there was no significant difference in the triceps brachii muscle activity in comparison with the neck rotation. There were significant differences between contralateral neck rotation and ipsilateral neck rotation, contralateral neck rotation and neutral position. Conclusion: To summarize this study, the elbow flexor and extensor muscle activity and strength was highest in the contralateral neck rotation position. In other words, it was possible to confirm the effect of Asymmetrical Tonic Neck Reflex in healthy adults whose primitive reflexes were inhibition, and head and neck positions should be considered during clinical evaluation and treatment.

• International Journal of Advanced Culture Technology
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• v.7 no.1
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• pp.231-236
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• 2019

Background/Objectives: This paper proposes a dual mode feedback-controlled cycling system for children with spastic cerebral palsy to rehabilitate upper extremities. Repetitive upper limb exercise in this therapy aims to both reduce and analyze the abnormal torque patterns of arm movements in three- dimensional space. Methods/Statistical analysis: We designed an exercycle robot which consists of a BLDC motor, a torque sensor, a bevel gear and bearings. Mechanical structures are customized for children of age between 7~13 years old and induces reaching and pulling task in a symmetric circulation. The shafts and external frames were designed and printed using 3D printer. While the child performs active/passive exercise, angular position, angular velocity, and relative torque of the pedal shaft are measured and displayed in real time. Findings: Experiment was designed to observe the features of a cerebral palsy child's exercise. Two children with bilateral spastic cerebral palsy participated in the experiment and conducted an active exercise at normal speed for 3 sets, 15 seconds for each. As the pedal reached 90 degrees and 270 degrees, the subject showed minimum torque, in which the child showed difficulty in the pulling task of the cycle. The passive exercise assisted the child to maintain a relatively constant torque while visually observing the movement patterns. Using two types of exercise enabled the child to overcome the abnormal torque measured in the active data by performing the passive exercise. Thus, this system has advantage not only in allowing the child to perform the difficult task, which may contribute in improving the muscle strength and endurance and reducing the spasticity but also provide customizable system according to the child's motion characteristic. Improvements/Applications: Further study is needed to observe how passive exercise influences the movement characteristics of an active motion and how customized experiment settings can optimize the effect of pediatric rehabilitation for spastic cerebral palsy.