Disorganization and timing of motor behavior : insight from gesture impairments and movement patterns in schizophrenia

Background: Motor symptoms are frequent phenomena across the entire course of schizophrenia1. Some have argued that disorganized behavior was associated with aberrant motor behavior. We have studied the association of motor disturbances and disorganization in two projects focusing on the timing of movements. Method: In two studies, we assessed motor behavior and psychopathology. The first study applied a validated test of upper limb apraxia in 30 schizophrenia patients2,3. We used standardized video assessments of hand gestures by a blinded rater. The second study tested the stability of movement patterns using time series analysis in actigraphy data of 100 schizophrenia patients4. Both stability of movement patterns and the overall amount of movement were calculated from data of two hours with high degrees of social interaction comparable across the 100 subjects. Results: In total, 67% of the patients had gesture performance deficits3. Most frequently, they made spatial, temporal and body-part-as-object errors. Gesture performance relied on frontal lobe function2. Poor gesture performance was associated with increased disorganization scores. In the second study, we found disorganization to be predicted only by more irregular movement patterns irrespective of the overall amount of movement4. Conclusion : Both studies provide evidence for a link between aberrant timing of motor behavior and disorganization. Disturbed movement control seems critical for disorganized behavior in schizophrenia.

Patterns of motor abilities and technical skills as predictors of success for young elite football players

Sport-motor tests play an important role in football talent selections. However, single tests represent only parts of the complex game performance. The best game performance therefore does not necessarily need to go hand in hand with the best results in all tests of a test battery. Considering the complexity of the game performance appropriately, a holistic perspective together with a person-oriented approach are applied. Thereby, systems consisting of several variables are identified and analysed in a longitudinal study. Following this idea, six sport-motor tests were aggregated into a subsystem. 106 young male elite football players were tested three times (2011, 2012, 2013; Mage, t2011=12.26, SD=0.29). One year later (2014) their performance level was enquired. Data were analysed using the LICUR method, a cluster analytical method. Four patterns were identified, which remained stable at all measuring points. The players frequently show intraindividual and structurally similar patterns over time. At the third measuring point, a pattern occurred out of which the players are significantly more likely to advance to the highest performance level one year later. This pattern appears consistently above average, but does not always show best test performances. The significantly frequent development along structurally stable patterns suggests a predictive validity of the subsystem sport-motor tests between the ages of 12 to 15. Above average, but not necessarily outstanding performances both in the motor abilities as well as in the football specific tests appears to be particularly promising. This finding emphasizes the need of a holistic perspective in the talent selection.

Patterns of motor abilities and technical skills as predictors of success for young elite football players

Sport-motor tests play an important role in football talent selections. However, single tests represent only parts of the complex game performance. The best game performance therefore does not necessarily need to go hand in hand with the best results in all tests of a test battery. Considering the complexity of the game performance appropriately, a holistic perspective together with a person-oriented approach are applied. Thereby, systems consisting of several variables are identified and analysed in a longitudinal study. Following this idea, six sport-motor tests were aggregated into a subsystem. 106 young male elite football players were tested three times (2011, 2012, 2013; Mage, t2011=12.26, SD=0.29). One year later (2014) their performance level was enquired. Data were analysed using the LICUR method, a cluster analytical method. Four patterns were identified, which remained stable at all measuring points. The players frequently show intraindividual and structurally similar patterns over time. At the third measuring point, a pattern occurred out of which the players are significantly more likely to advance to the highest performance level one year later. This pattern appears consistently above average, but does not always show best test performances. The significantly frequent development along structurally stable patterns suggests a predictive validity of the subsystem sport-motor tests between the ages of 12 to 15. Above average, but not necessarily outstanding performances both in the motor abilities as well as in the football specific tests appears to be particularly promising. This finding emphasizes the need of a holistic perspective in the talent selection.

Less structured movement patterns predict severity of positive syndrome, excitement, and disorganization

Disorganized behavior is a key symptom of schizophrenia. The objective assessment of disorganized behavior is particularly challenging. Actigraphy has enabled the objective assessment of motor behavior in various settings. Reduced motor activity was associated with negative syndrome scores, but simple motor activity analyses were not informative on other symptom dimensions. The analysis of movement patterns, however, could be more informative for assessing schizophrenia symptom dimensions. Here, we use time series analyses on actigraphic data of 100 schizophrenia spectrum disorder patients. Actigraphy recording intervals were set at 2 s. Data from 2 defined 60-min periods were analyzed, and partial autocorrelations of the actigraphy time series indicated predictability of movements in each individual. Increased positive syndrome scores were associated with reduced predictability of movements but not with the overall amount of movement. Negative syndrome scores were associated with low activity levels but unrelated with predictability of movement. The factors disorganization and excitement were related to movement predictability but emotional distress was not. Thus, the predictability of objectively assessed motor behavior may be a marker of positive symptoms and disorganized behavior. This behavior could become relevant for translational research.

Holistic patterns as an instrument to predict promising young football players

Multidimensional talent models represent the current state of the art. However, it remains unclear how these different dimensions interact. Based on current theories of human development, person-oriented approaches seem to be particularly appropriate for talent research. The present study adopts this approach by looking at how a holistic system consisting of the dimensions motivation, motor behaviour and the stage of development goes along with athletic performance. For this purpose, it has to be examined which patterns were formed by the constructs net hope, motor abilities, technical skills and the so far achieved percentage of the predicted adult height and how these patterns are related to subsequent sporting success. 119 young elite football players were questioned and tested three times at intervals of one year, beginning at the age of 12. At the age of 15, the performance level the players had reached was examined. At all three measuring points, four patterns were identified which displayed partial structural and high individual stability. As expected, the players showing values above average in all factors were significantly more likely to advance to the highest performance level. Physically strong, precocious developed players though having some technical weaknesses, have good chances to reach the middle performance level. The results point to the importance of holistic approaches for the prediction of performance among promising football talents in the medium-term and thus provide valuable clues for their selection and promotion.

Holistic patterns as an instrument to predict performance of promising young football players

Multidimensional talent models represent the current state of the art. However, it remains unclear how these different dimensions interact. Based on current theories of human development, person-oriented approaches seem to be particularly appropriate for talent research. The present study adopts this approach by looking at how a holistic system consisting of the different dimensions motivation, motor behaviour and the stage of development goes along with athletic performance. For this purpose, it has to be examined which patterns were formed by the constructs net hope (Elbe et al., 2003), motor abilities (3 motor tests; Höner et al., 2014), technical skills (3 motor tests; Höner et al., 2014) and the so far achieved percentage of the predicted adult height (Mirwald et al, 2002) and how these patterns are related to subsequent sporting success. 119 young elite football players were questioned and tested three times at intervals of one year, beginning at the age of 12. At the age of 15, the performance level the players had reached was examined (national, regional or no talent card). At all three measuring points, four patterns were identified which displayed partial structural and high individual stability. As expected, the players showing values above average in all factors were significantly more likely to advance to the highest performance level (Odds ratio = 2.2, p < .01). Physically strong, precocious developed players though having some technical weaknesses, have good chances to reach the middle performance level (OR = 1.6, p = .01). Players showing values under average, have an one and a half times higher probability to advance to the lowest performance level (p < .01). The results point to the importance of holistic approaches for the prediction of performance among promising football talents in the medium-term and thus provide valuable clues for their selection and promotion.