Existence of neurophysiologic changes can assist in understanding the role of hypotonia in motor development of subjects with Down syndrome?

Abstract

The purpose of this study was to analyze and verify the existence of neurophysiological changes in individuals with Down syndrome, such as hyporeflexia, static and dynamic, which, if present, may cause impairment in sensory-motor control of muscles, and consequently hypotonia, contributing to changes in motor development. The electromyographic signal (EMG), start and termination electromyographic signal, was collected from 24 volunteers with a diagnosis of Down syndrome and 25 volunteers as controls for 2 different situations: the dynamic latency period and monosynaptic reflex (static) patellar and Achilles. For neurophysiological aspects, it was observed that for all variables analyzed, statistical difference (p<0.05) between groups. The existence of neurophysiological changes (delay of the latency period) demonstrated in this study originated from an impairment in sensory-motor control, which may account for the decreased muscle tone, presents as one of several possible factors for the changes in motor development of children, which shows important due to neuromuscular disorders that can interfere in functional activities.