Dynamic features of handwriting and cortico-cortical functional connectivity during basic geometric drawing based on gender

Abstract

The aim of the study is to investigate the dynamic features of handwriting and the directional connectivity in brain among young children during basic drawing task. Seven children participated in the study where four of them were female. To exercise motor ability, three different unlined shapes were selected which the subject must gaze and trace on WACOM digitizing tablet. While doing the basic drawing task, brain signals (EEG) were recorded to analyze the information pathway based on partial directed coherence (PDC) method. Result showed that all subjects regardless of gender performed the basic drawing task with preferred rule. Again, regardless of gender, PDC showed that most information sources came from parietal, frontal and occipital areas even-though dynamic features of handwriting (pressure and altitude) showed gender preferences. It is found also that gazing while planning for tracing and actually doing the tracing activity shows almost similar result, i.e. similar sources of information. Based from the pattern of information pathway in the brain among the subjects during gazing, the tracing activity is thought to be well planned. Most of the subjects make use of areas where visual processing, pattern recognition, motor planning and perception midline and route finding are executed during the performances.