Thesis defense Céline Crajé (Donders Series 46)

14 January 2011

Promotor: Prof.dr. B. stenbergen, copromotor: Dr. J. van der Kamp

Planning and control of tool use in healthy subjects and after brain damage

To perform an action appropriately, it is necessary to plan the action in advance. This is especially important when an object is grasped for a subsequent action, which is often the case in tool use (for example, grasping a pencil to write, or a cup to drink). In these actions, objects are grasped in such a way that allows the subsequent action to be performed. Recently, it was shown that individuals with motor problems as a result of Cerebral Palsy, not only have problems with action execution, but also with action planning, which was further investigated in this PhD project. An important finding is that action planning is sensitive for improvement in children with Cerebral Palsy. Mental practice is suggested to be a promising method to improve action planning.