Gaze behaviour during foot precision task
Research type
Research Study
Full title
Visual information gathering strategies of children with cerebral palsy during a precision foot placement task.
IRAS ID
246146
Contact name
Richard Foster
Contact email
Sponsor organisation
Liverpool John Moores University
Duration of Study in the UK
0 years, 4 months, 15 days
Research summary
Cerebral palsy (CP) affects the development of movement and posture (Rosenbaum, Dev Med Child Neurol, 2007). Head instability, where the sensory organs of the visual and vestibular system are located, may make it difficult for children with CP to perform activities of daily living (ADL). The limited research in this area reports excessive head movements in tasks such as the sit-to-stand transition (Dan, Brain Dev, 2000) and walking (Heyrman, Gait Posture, 2013; Holt, Phys Ther, 1999). Separate reports also indicate that visual impairments occur in 60-70% of children with CP (Fazzi, Dev Med Child Neurol, 2012). Vision is used in a feedforward manner during locomotion (Patla, Exp Brain Res, 2003) and is important for scanning the environment ahead. Considering the location of the visual system, it is reasoned that a stable head should benefit this visual information processing.
The head is displaced throughout many ADL, however visual information remains clear throughout, this is due to the vestibulo-ocular reflex (VOR) which produces eye movements to correct for head movement. No research has assessed the function of this reflex in CP.
The proposed study aims to explore the relationship between reduced stability of the head and the way children with CP visually scan their environment during a visually-guided walking task (the children will be asked to step into two floor-based targets). This task requires them to gather and process information and produce movement. Outcome measures will focus on control of changes in head position, and where and when they look (gaze behaviour) during the task. A basic assessment of VOR function will be carried out, the child will be rotated on a chair and pupil position will be assessed to evaluate the compensatory eye movements, driven by the VOR. Data from children with CP will be compared to typically developing children.REC name
East Midlands - Leicester Central Research Ethics Committee
REC reference
18/EM/0278
Date of REC Opinion
4 Oct 2018
REC opinion
Further Information Favourable Opinion