Abstract
In the treatment of children with severe motor and intellectual disabilities, respiratory movement therapy was given, the effects on the cerebral blood flow were examined, and brain activity was studied. The subjects were six children with Grade Ⅰ of Oshima's classification. Their mean age was 16.5 years (6～25 years). Before, during and after movement therapy, cerebral circulatory dynamic and respiratory metabolism were continuously measured, and the data were compared among the three periods. Although the data varied depending on subjects, four of the six subjects showed a response pattern in which the oxygenated hemoglobin and total hemoglobin levels significantly increased during and after movement therapy compared with before therapy. With respect to respiratory metabolism as well, the data showed variations, and there were no parameters showing marked changes among the three periods in any of the six subjects. In two subjects, however, oxygen consumption per minute after movement therapy tended to decrease compared with before therapy. These results suggest the possibility that movement therapy contributes to cerebral blood flow increase, thereby giving some effects on brain activity.
