Neural and Kinematic Metrics of Handwriting in Neurotypical Adults

The Detailed Assessment of Speed of Handwriting (DASH 17+) assessment provides information about the speed and legibility of an individual’s handwriting without addressing the underlying neural and biomechanical mechanisms related to these issues. Handwriting difficulties in general and DASH17+ performance in particular are early signs of neuromotor difficulties. With a better understanding of both the biomechanical and neurological underpinnings of the task, individualized interpretations and interventions can be developed. This paper examined the relationship between brain activity, behavioral and performance outcomes, by combining a standardized referenced norm test the DASH17+, exploring the on-line process of handwriting using the MovAlyzeR software, and simultaneously exploring the brain activity, using functional near-infrared spectroscopy (fNIRS), during execution of the task. By taking a multi-modal assessment approach to deconstruct pauses and performance on the DASH17+ in a typically developing adult population (mean=20.35±1.27 years), we have started to unravel some of the neural correlates using fNIRS as well as the more advanced biomechanical output variables from MovAlyzeR software. Our research indicates that even in typically developing populations, underlying mechanics and mechanisms change between tasks, within tasks, and even from one trial block to another that are not reflected in the DASH17+ assessment alone. This suggests that we can use this multi-modal approach when working with children with DCD, that may start to reveal more on the neural underpinnings of the pauses and other differences that have been spoken of in previous work.