NEW THESIS: New methods shed light on social and motor coordination in individuals with ESSENCE
A new thesis by Max Thorsson from the Gillberg Neuropsychiatry Centre contributes valuable knowledge about social and motor coordination in individuals with ESSENCE.
A new thesis from the Gillberg Neuropsychiatry Centre, University of Gothenburg, introduces innovative methods to assess social and motor coordination in individuals with Neurodevelopmental and neuropsychiatric disorders (NDDs) or Early Symptomatic Syndromes Eliciting Neurodevelopmental Clinical Examinations (ESSENCE).
With a background in physiotherapy and a keen interest in analysing human movements, PhD student Max Thorsson’s research focuses on exploring the complexities underlying social and motor coordination in these individuals. Recognising that movement quality goes beyond just results, Max’s research highlights the timing aspects of execution, and his work developed new, non-invasive, time-efficient technologies to deepen insight into these areas, while remaining encouraging for participants and patients.
The temporal aspects of social and motor coordination are crucial; objective and precise assessments may unveil the underlying functions that hinder execution.
– Max Thorsson
Max Thorsson’s research had two principles objectives:
1) Develop a tablet-based motor test to assess visuomotor strategies in children with NDDs
2) Create a video camera system for non-invasively analysing social gaze during face-to-face interaction in individuals with NDDs
Tablet-based motor test
The SpaceSwipe motor test was developed to be a time-efficient and objective way to assess children’s motor coordination while being feasible for children with NDDs. In the test, children use their fingertips to guide an alien inside a moving spaceship on a touch screen, measuring skills like error correction, inhibition, and flexibility. Gamified elements, such as the moving spaceship and stars along the trajectories, make the task engaging, while the test captures key temporal features of motor control. This new tool not only made the motor testing more encouraging but also provided insights into which functions may underlie motor difficulties in children with NDDs.
Face-to-face eye-tracking system
A new dual-camera system using deep learning technology, i+i, was developed to provide a non-invasive and objective method for assessing eye gaze during face-to-face interactions. This system was shown to be accurate enough to determine which facial areas two individuals looked at during interaction, offering an objective solution, and alternative to wearable solutions such as eye-tracking glasses. When applied to an experiment involving reciprocal information sharing, the method proved useful for studying the effects of communication roles and autistic traits on gaze. The method showed the potential to uncover new findings about social gaze patterns in individuals with and without NDD problems.
The four studies highlighted key findings:
- The tablet-based motor test tailored for children with NDDs improved time efficiency and provided detailed insights into motor performance
- The test applied to children revealed correlations between motor regulation difficulties and NDD symptoms, particularly inhibitory control and flexibility
- The dual-camera system, supported by deep learning, successfully tracked gaze during face-to-face interactions, yielding deeper understanding of social behaviour
- The system also found links between reduced eye contact and autistic traits, and showed how communication roles influence gaze behaviour
The two novel methods offer new, objective ways to evaluate and address the social and motor challenges in individuals with NDDs.
Max Thorsson will defend his thesis on the 25th of October 2024 09:00am at the Arvid Carlsson Lecture Hall, Medicinaregatan 3, Gothenburg. (In English)
Max's doctoral thesis is available online at: https://hdl.handle.net/2077/80669
TEXT BY: ANNA SPYROU
