Goal directed reaching and postural control in supine position in healthy infants

The present study focussed on the development and interaction of reaching a nd posture in supine position in young infants. The kinematics of goal dire cted reaches and the concurrent ground reaction forces of the total body ce ntre of pressure (COP) in cranial-caudal and medial-lateral direction were recorded in twelve healthy fullterm infants at 4 and 6 months of age. From eight infants, data were available at both ages. The results indicated that between 4 and 6 months, postural stability during reaching in supine posit ion increased, as the oscillatory COP displacement in the medial-lateral di rection decreased significantly with increasing age. Concurrently, reaching performance improved, which was reflected by a decrease in the number of m ovement units (MU), the length of the displacement-path of the hand and an increase of the length and duration of the first MU. The kinematic data of the reaching movements and the COP data were correlated at both ages, but t he nature of the relation changed. At 4 months of age, the number of MU was related to the number of COP oscillations in the cranial-caudal direction, whereas at 6 months the maximum velocity of the hand movement was related to the maximum velocity of COP displacement in cranial-caudal and medial-la teral direction. This change might point to the development of a more subtl e control of postural adjustments during reaching movements in supine posit ion. (C) 2000 Elsevier Science B.V. All rights reserved.