The Neuromagnetic Activity of the Somatosensory Cortices and the Ankle Force Control Is Altered in Children with Cerebral Palsy

It well recognized that children with cerebral palsy (CP) have somatosensory processing deficits that limit their proprioception, stereognosis, and tactile discrimination. Since CP involves damage to both the sensory and motor systems, it is unclear whether the noted sensory deficits contribute to the motor impairments seen in these children, or if they are more independent symptoms that share a common cause (i.e., perinatal brain damage). Results from diffusion tensor imaging (DTI) has provided some insight on this symptomatic relationship, by showing that the damaged thalamocortical tracts are related to the reduced muscular strength seen in children with CP [2]. Further understanding of how the somatosensory processing deficits interact with the motor impairments will be critical for improved understanding of the motor control problems seen in these children.