Sharing Our World: Impact of Group Motor Skill Learning on Joint Attention in Children with Autism Spectrum Disorder.

Impaired joint attention is a common feature of autism spectrum disorder (ASD), affecting social interaction and communication. We explored if group basketball learning could enhance joint attention in autistic children, and how this relates to brain changes, particularly white matter development integrity. Forty-nine autistic children, aged 4-12 years, were recruited from special education centers.

The effect of Tai Chi training on the dual-tasking performance of stroke survivors: a randomized controlled trial.

Objective: To compare the effect of Tai Chi training with conventional exercise on dual-tasking performance among stroke survivors.

Design: An assessor-blinded, randomized controlled trial.

Subjects: Community-dwelling stroke survivors.

The performance of stroke survivors in turning-while-walking while carrying out a concurrent cognitive task compared with controls.

Background: Turning-while-walking is one of the commonest causes of falls in stroke survivors. It involves cognitive processing and may be challenging when performed concurrently with a cognitive task. Previous studies of dual-tasking involving turning-while-walking in stroke survivors show that the performance of physical tasks is compromised.

Effect of Tai Chi Training on Dual-Tasking Performance That Involves Stepping Down among Stroke Survivors: A Pilot Study.

Descending stairs demands attention and neuromuscular control, especially with dual-tasking. Studies have demonstrated that stroke often degrades a survivor's ability to descend stairs. Tai Chi has been shown to improve dual-tasking performance of healthy older adults, but no such study has been conducted in stroke survivors.

Changes of heart rate variability and prefrontal oxygenation during Tai Chi practice versus arm ergometer cycling.

[Purpose] Exercise has been shown to improve cardiovascular fitness and cognitive function. Whether the inclusion of mind over exercise would increase parasympathetic control of the heart and brain activities more than general exercise at a similar intensity is not known. The aim of this study was to compare the effects of Tai Chi (mind-body exercise) versus arm ergometer cycling (body-focused exercise) on the heart rate variability and prefrontal oxygenation level.

The effect of performing a dual-task on postural control and selective attention of older adults when stepping backward.

[Purpose] The purpose of the study was to investigate the postural control and cognitive performance of older adults when stepping backward with and without a concurrent cognitive task. [Subjects and Methods] Thirty young adults and twenty-eight older adults (mean age=21.3 ± 1.

Fall risk in Chinese community-dwelling older adults: A physiological profile assessment study.

Aim: The short-form Physiological Profile Assessment (PPA) is increasingly used in clinical practice for assessing fall risk in older people. However, a normative database is only available for Caucasian populations. The purpose of the present study was to develop a normative database for Hong Kong Chinese older people and examine the fall risk profile of this population.