Differential performance on a motor task according to the preference for task-irrelevant elements that are chosen or assigned: A randomized controlled study.

This study explored the impact of choice and preference for what is chosen or assigned on performance on a motor task. Using an experimental design with a dart-throwing task, 90 novice participants were randomized into four groups: Choice-Like condition, Choice-Dislike condition, Assigned-Like condition, and Assigned-Dislike condition, resulting of the manipulation of choice (vs. assignation) of a task-irrelevant element and preference (irrelevant element: darts color and design). The study found that participants who were given the opportunity to choose their own dart for a throwing task performed better than those who were not given the choice. Participants who threw a dart they preferred also had better scores than those who threw a dart they did not like. However, the interactive effects of choice and preference on performance were inconclusive, and whereas being assigned with a disliked element was the worst condition for performance, and being allowed to choose preferred elements the most facilitatory one, nothing else can be concluded on the impact of both conditions alone or in combination. These results suggest that both choice and preference can positively impact performance in closed motor learning tasks and have practical applications for training and execution in athletic performance. Further investigations are warranted to delve into the interplay of choice and preference in diverse contexts and populations.

Experimental insights into cognition, motor skills, and artistic expertise in Paleolithic art.

The production of Paleolithic art represents one of the most intricate technical and cognitive endeavors of Homo sapiens, marked by its profound antiquity and vast temporal and spatial framework. Despite its significance, there have been no prior studies aimed at understanding the cognitive and motor skills linked to the creation of realistic images characteristic of this artistic cycle. This research integrates archaeology and experimental psychology, premised on the assumption that the neurological basis of Anatomically Modern Humans has not changed substantially since the Upper Paleolithic. This work employs an innovative interdisciplinary approach, utilizing psychometric tests and drawing and engraving tasks monitored by motion-sensing gloves, to compare the performance of experts and non-experts in visual arts when faced with challenges akin to those of Upper Paleolithic artistic production. The results revealed that expertise in visual arts is linked to enhanced spatial abilities and specific patterns in drawing from memory. Additionally, both experts and non-experts displayed similar motor skills when engraving using Paleolithic techniques, suggesting that these techniques required specialized training in the contemporary experts. In conclusion, this research deepens our understanding of the processes involved in Upper Paleolithic artistic production.

Assessment of newborn neuropsychomotor development born with exposure to SARS-CoV-2 in the perinatal period using the Bayley III scale at 6 months of age.

OBJECTIVE: This study aimed to evaluate the Neuropsychomotor Development (NPMD) of newborns exposed to SARS-CoV-2 in the perinatal period using the Bayley III scale at 6 months of age. METHODS: Childcare appointments were scheduled for the included newborns in the study. During the 6-month consultation, the Screening Test for Bayley III Scale and, based on it, children were classified as "low risk", "moderate risk" or "high risk" in the domains: of cognitive, receptive language, expressive language, fine motor, and gross motor. Those classified as "moderate risk"; or "high risk" received guidance about NPMD stimuli and were instructed to maintain follow-up. RESULTS: Only 13 (37.1 %) of the newborns were classified as low risk in receptive language and 18 (51.4 %) in gross motor skills, with the domains most affected. Prematurity was a risk for cognitive incompetence (moderate risk/high-risk classification) (coefficient: 1.89, Odds Ratio = 6.7, 95 % CI 1.3‒35, p = 0.02). Lower birth weight that 2.500g had a similar effect on cognitive incompetence (coefficient: 1.9, Odds Ratio = 6.2, 95 % CI 1.2‒32.2, p = 0.02). Exclusive breastfeeding at hospital discharge (n = 8) was protective for incompetence (high risk/moderate risk) in the language domain (coefficient -2.14, OR = 0.12, 95 % CI 0.02‒0.71, p = 0.02). CONCLUSIONS: The children included in the study must be monitored and their development monitored in order to clarify whether there is a relationship between the delay in NPMD and perinatal exposure to COVID-19, as delays were observed in these preliminary results.

Exploring motor skill acquisition in bimanual coordination: insights from navigating a novel maze task.

In this study, we introduce a novel maze task designed to investigate naturalistic motor learning in bimanual coordination. We developed and validated an extended set of movement primitives tailored to capture the full spectrum of scenarios encountered in a maze game. Over a 3-day training period, we evaluated participants' performance using these primitives and a custom-developed software, enabling precise quantification of performance. Our methodology integrated the primitives with in-depth kinematic analyses and thorough thumb pressure assessments, charting the trajectory of participants' progression from novice to proficient stages. Results demonstrated consistent improvement in maze performance and significant adaptive changes in joint behaviors and strategic recalibrations in thumb pressure distribution. These findings highlight the central nervous system's adaptability in orchestrating sophisticated motor strategies and the crucial role of tactile feedback in precision tasks. The maze platform and setup emerge as a valuable foundation for future experiments, providing a tool for the exploration of motor learning and coordination dynamics. This research underscores the complexity of bimanual motor learning in naturalistic environments, enhancing our understanding of skill acquisition and task efficiency while emphasizing the necessity for further exploration and deeper investigation into these adaptive mechanisms.

Identifying profiles of actual and perceived motor competence measured with aligned instruments: Differences in (enjoyment of) physical fitness.

A person-centred approach was used to examine whether children with various actual and perceived motor competence (AMC and PMC) profiles differ in (enjoyment of) physical fitness (PF). The strength of the relationship between AMC and PMC was also assessed through aligned assessment tools. A sample of 287 7-11-year-old children (47.40% boys, Mage = 8.92 ± .78 years) was assessed on AMC with the KörperkoordinationsTest für Kinder (KTK3), and on PF with six validated fitness tests. Animated videos fully aligned with the AMC- and PF-tests were used to assess children's PMC and enjoyment of PF, respectively. Cluster analyses identified one convergent (i.e. high AMC-high PMC) and three partially convergent AMC-PMC profiles (i.e. low AMC-high PMC). Furthermore, children with relatively high AMC (i.e. high-average profile) reported higher PF (F = 30.99, p < .001), while children with relatively high PMC (i.e. average-high profile) reported higher enjoyment of PF (F = 9.02, p < .001). The correlation between AMC and PMC was significant but weak (r = .16). Overall, it seems important to invest in both children's AMC and PMC as they may support a higher (enjoyment of) PF, potentially leading to higher PA-levels.

When it comes to physical fitness, actual motor competence rather than perceived motor competence seemed to play the biggest role. As extra high perceived motor competence did not add additional benefits in terms of physical fitness, there might have been a ceiling effect of perceived motor competence.When looking at enjoyment of physical fitness, perceived motor competence seemed to be a more important factor than actual motor competence. However, profile analyses revealed that a relatively high perceived motor competence score may not fully compensate the loss of enjoyment in physical fitness when children's actual motor competence is relatively low.

Implicit learning provides advantage over explicit learning for gait-cognitive dual-task interference.

Dual-task performance holds significant relevance in real-world scenarios. Implicit learning is a possible approach for improving dual-task performance. Analogy learning, utilizing a single metaphor to convey essential information about motor skills, has emerged as a practical method for fostering implicit learning. However, evidence supporting the effect of implicit learning on gait-cognitive dual-task performance is insufficient. This exploratory study aimed to examine the effects of implicit and explicit learning on dual-task performance in both gait and cognitive tasks. Tandem gait was employed on a treadmill to assess motor function, whereas serial seven subtraction tasks were used to gauge cognitive performance. Thirty healthy community-dwelling older individuals were randomly assigned to implicit or explicit learning groups. Each group learned the tandem gait task according to their individual learning styles. The implicit learning group showed a significant improvement in gait performance under the dual-task condition compared with the explicit learning group. Furthermore, the implicit learning group exhibited improved dual-task interference for both tasks. Our findings suggest that implicit learning may offer greater advantages than explicit learning in acquiring autonomous motor skills. Future research is needed to uncover the mechanisms underlying implicit learning and to harness its potential for gait-cognitive dual-task performance in clinical settings.

The effectiveness of different attentional foci on the acquisition of sport-specific motor skills in healthy adults: a systematic review with network meta-analysis.

Background: The acquisition of motor skills is a key element in many sports. A motor learning principle, which is frequently used to support skill acquisition is the application of different attentional foci. The effectiveness of different attentional foci on performance and the learning of motor skills has been investigated in various sports using randomised controlled trials. The aim of the present study was to investigate the effectiveness of different attentional foci (such as external (EFA) and internal attentional foci (IFA), but also holistic and switching foci) on the performance and learning of a sport-specific motor task in healthy individuals. Methods: This study was a systematic review with network meta-analysis. We followed the Prisma reporting guideline and the Cochrane handbook for systematic reviews. Cinahl, Embase, Medline and Cochrane Central were searched for eligible studies. Network meta-analyses were performed for the post-acquisition, retention and transfer test endpoints. Results: Twelve studies were included in the review. At post-acquisition an EFA was the most effective intervention compared to the control intervention (SMD: 0.9855; 95% CI [0.4-1.57]; p: 0.001). At the retention and transfer test endpoints, a holistic focus of attention had the highest effectiveness compared to an IFA (SMD 0.75; 95% CI [-0.1 to 1.6]; p: 0.09) and (SMD 1.16; 95% CI [0.47-1.86]; p: 0.001). Discussion: For all three endpoints, we analysed a greater effectiveness of an EFA and holistic focus compared to an IFA. Several promising different attentional focus interventions were identified. The largest effects were analysed for a holistic focus. However, only one study used this intervention and therefore there remains uncertainty about the effectiveness. With regard to the inconsistency observed, the analysis at post-acquisition should be interpreted with caution. Modified versions of the EFA were the imagined and the dynamic EFA. Both were only explored in single studies and should therefore be investigated in further follow-up studies that directly compare them.

Vagus nerve stimulation during training fails to improve learning in healthy rats.

Learning new skills requires neuroplasticity. Vagus nerve stimulation (VNS) during sensory and motor events can increase neuroplasticity in networks related to these events and might therefore serve to facilitate learning on sensory and motor tasks. We tested if VNS could broadly improve learning on a wide variety of tasks across different skill domains in healthy, female adult rats. VNS was paired with presentation of stimuli or on successful trials during training, strategies known to facilitate plasticity and improve recovery in models of neurological disorders. VNS failed to improve either rate of learning or performance for any of the tested tasks, which included skilled forelimb motor control, speech sound discrimination, and paired-associates learning. These results contrast recent findings from multiple labs which found VNS pairing during training produced learning enhancements across motor, auditory, and cognitive domains. We speculate that these contrasting results may be explained by key differences in task designs, training timelines and animal handling approaches, and that while VNS may be able to facilitate rapid and early learning processes in healthy subjects, it does not broadly enhance learning for difficult tasks.

Correlation between gross motor coordination and basic coordination capacities in normal-weight and overweight/obese children aged 9-10 years.

Background: Gross motor coordination (GMC) plays a crucial factor in children's motor development and daily activities. It encompasses various sub-capacities, such as spatial orientation, rhythm, and motor reaction, collectively referred to as basic coordination capacities (BCC). However, children who are overweight and obese (OW/OB) often display poorer GMC. This study aims to examine the impact of gender and weight status (BMI categories) on children's GMC and BCC. It also seeks to investigate the impact of BCC and BMI on GMC. Method: The study involved 266 participants, 135 in the NW group (boys: n = 75; girls: n = 60) and 131 in the OW/OB group (boys: n = 68; girls: n = 63). An NW status is defined by a BMI z-score between ≥-2SD to ≤1SD, while an OW/OB status corresponds to a BMI z-score > 1SD. Physical activity was assessed using the Physical Activity Questionnaire for Children, developed by the University of Saskatchewan, Canada. We used six field tests to evaluate BCC, including single leg standing test (static balance), YBT (dynamic balance), rhythmic sprint test (rhythm), reaction time test (motor reaction), target standing broad test (kinesthetic differentiation), and numbered medicine ball running test (spatial orientation). GMC was evaluated with Kiphard-Schilling's Body Coordination Test (KTK). Result: The motor quotient (MQ) was primarily affected by weight status (F = 516.599, p < 0.001; gender: F = 6.694, p = 0.01), with no significant interaction effect (F = 0.062, p = 0.803). In BCC, gender had a significant main effect on rhythm capacity (F = 29.611, p < 0.001) and static balance (F = 11.257, p = 0.001) but did not significant influence other sub-capacities (p > 0.05). Weight status impacted dynamic balance (F = 11.164, p = 0.001). The interaction of gender and weight status significantly impacted motor reaction (F = 1.471, p = 0.024) and kinesthetic differentiation (F = 5.454, p = 0.02), but did not affect other sub-capacities (p > 0.05). The physical activity was not significant affected by gender (F = 0.099, p = 0.753), weight status (F = 0.171, p = 0.679) and the interactions of two variables (F = 0.06, p = 0.806). In the regression analysis, except motor reaction (p > 0.05), other BCC sub-capacities influenced GMC to varying extents (ß = -0.103-0.189, p < 0.05). Nonetheless, only two types of balance significantly mediated the relationship between BMI and GMC (BMI→MQ: ß = -0.543, p < 0.001; BMI→YBT: ß = -0.315, p < 0.001; BMI→SLS: ß = -0.282, p < 0.001; SLS→MQ: ß = 0.189, p < 0.001; YBT→MQ: ß = 0.182, p < 0.001). Conclusion: Compared to gender, the main effect of weight status on most GMC and BCC's sub-capacities was more pronounced. OW/OB children exhibited poorer GMC, which is related to their reduced static and dynamic balance due to excess weight. Kinesthetic differentiation, spatial orientation, and rhythm capacity are not significantly associated with BMI, but these sub-capacities positively influence gross motor coordination (GMC), except for hand-eye motor reaction.

Interlimb coordination and spatiotemporal variability during walking and running in children with developmental coordination disorder and typically developing children.

BACKGROUND: A different interlimb coordination and higher variability in movement patterns is evident in children with Developmental Coordination Disorder (DCD). The impact of DCD on interlimb coordination during walking and running is unknown. AIM: To assess interlimb coordination and spatiotemporal variability during overground walking and running in children with and without DCD. METHODS: Children with DCD and typically developing children (TDC), from 8 to 12 years participated. Children were equipped with portable sensors. Participants walked and ran for 3 min in an oval-path at their comfortable pace. Interlimb coordination, expressed by the phase coordination index (PCI), and spatiotemporal variability (coefficient of variance (CoV)) were collected. RESULTS: Twenty-one children with DCD and 23 TDC participated. During walking, PCI showed similar values in both groups, but a higher spatiotemporal variability was observed in children with DCD. During running, PCI was higher (reduced coordination) in children with DCD than TDC and a higher spatiotemporal variability was shown. CONCLUSIONS AND IMPLICATIONS: Only during running, interlimb coordination of children with DCD was lower than TDC. During both walking and running tasks, spatiotemporal variability was higher in DCD. Current results implicate that difficulties in children with DCD is more prominent when motor coordination is more challenged. WHAT THIS PAPER ADDS: This paper adds to the literature on coordination and gait pattern in children with Developmental Coordination Disorder (DCD) through a cross-sectional analysis of interlimb coordination and variability of spatiotemporal measures of overground walking and running. Overground walking and running were performed in a large oval-path allowing the assessment of coordination and gait patterns in an ecological valid set-up. Our results indicate that during a more demanding task, namely running, children with DCD display a less coordinated running pattern, expressed by a significantly higher phase coordination index, than typically developing peers. During walking, the interlimb coordination was similar between both groups. The current result is in accordance with the hybrid model of DCD that states that motor coordination difficulties in DCD are dpendent on the interaction of the task, individual and environment. This highlights the importance of implementing running assessments in children with DCD and the need for task-oriented running training in clinical practice The study also supports previous findings that children with DCD show a higher variability in their gait pattern of both walking and running, expressed by higher coefficient of variance of spatiotemporal measures, than typically developing peers. Further understanding in the normal development of interlimb coordination during walking and running from childhood into adulthood will enhance interpretations of the phase coordination index in children with and without DCD.

Coordination and coordination variability during single-leg drop jump landing in children.

Coordinative patterns require experience and learning to be acquired, producing movements that offer efficient solutions to various situations and involving certain degree of variability. This coordination variability implies functionality in movement, but it can be impacted by the type of sport practice from early years. The purpose of this work is to analyze the coordination variability and coordination patterns in a specific action such as single-leg landing in children practicing gymnastics, volleyball and non-sporting children. Thirty children (15 girls) performed 10 successful trials of single-leg landing from a height of 25 cm. A motion capture system (9 cameras) was used to capture 3D thigh and shank kinematics. To identify the significant effect of children's groups on coordination and coordination variability during single-leg landing, one-dimensional Statistical Parametric Mapping (SPM) was used. Regarding the coordination patterns, in the frontal plane, during the attenuation phase of single-leg landing, the control group exhibited a higher frequency of Anti-Phase with proximal dominancy compared to the sport groups (i.e., gymnastics, and volleyball). In addition, in the sagittal plane during the second peak phase, volleyball players exhibited a higher coordination variability than the gymnastics. The children in the control group showed a greater frequency of antiphasic movements, which indicates the influence of training at an early age, being a determining factor in the increase or not of variability.

Characterization of bilateral reaching development using augmented reality games.

Bilateral coordination is commonly impaired in neurodevelopmental conditions including cerebral palsy, developmental coordination disorder, and autism spectrum disorder. However, we lack objective clinical assessments that can quantify bilateral coordination in a clinically feasible manner and determine age-based norms to identify impairments. The objective of this study was to use augmented reality and computer vision to characterize bilateral reaching abilities in typically developing children. Typically developing children (n = 133) ages 6-17 years completed symmetric and asymmetric bilateral reaching tasks in an augmented reality game environment. We analyzed the number of target pairs they could reach in 50 s as well as the time lag between their hands reaching the targets. We found that performance on both tasks developed in parallel, with development slowing but not plateauing after age 12. Children performed better on the symmetric task than asymmetric, both in targets reached and with shorter hand lags. Variability between children in hand lag decreased with age. We also found gender differences with females outperforming males, which were most pronounced in the 10-11 year olds. Overall, this study demonstrates parallel development through childhood and adolescence of symmetric and asymmetric reaching abilities. Furthermore, it demonstrates the ability to quantify bilateral coordination using computer vision and augmented reality, which can be applied to assess clinical populations.

Cortico-basal ganglia plasticity in motor learning.

One key function of the brain is to control our body's movements, allowing us to interact with the world around us. Yet, many motor behaviors are not innate but require learning through repeated practice. Among the brain's motor regions, the cortico-basal ganglia circuit is particularly crucial for acquiring and executing motor skills, and neuronal activity in these regions is directly linked to movement parameters. Cell-type-specific adaptations of activity patterns and synaptic connectivity support the learning of new motor skills. Functionally, neuronal activity sequences become structured and associated with learned movements. On the synaptic level, specific connections become potentiated during learning through mechanisms such as long-term synaptic plasticity and dendritic spine dynamics, which are thought to mediate functional circuit plasticity. These synaptic and circuit adaptations within the cortico-basal ganglia circuitry are thus critical for motor skill acquisition, and disruptions in this plasticity can contribute to movement disorders.

Online reach adjustments induced by real-time movement sonification.

Movement sonification can improve motor control in both healthy subjects (e.g., learning or refining a sport skill) and those with sensorimotor deficits (e.g., stroke patients and deafferented individuals). It is not known whether improved motor control and learning from movement sonification are driven by feedback-based real-time ("online") trajectory adjustments, adjustments to internal models over multiple trials, or both. We searched for evidence of online trajectory adjustments (muscle twitches) in response to movement sonification feedback by comparing the kinematics and error of reaches made with online (i.e., real-time) and terminal sonification feedback. We found that reaches made with online feedback were significantly more jerky than reaches made with terminal feedback, indicating increased muscle twitching (i.e., online trajectory adjustment). Using a between-subject design, we found that online feedback was associated with improved motor learning of a reach path and target over terminal feedback; however, using a within-subjects design, we found that switching participants who had learned with online sonification feedback to terminal feedback was associated with a decrease in error. Thus, our results suggest that, with our task and sonification, movement sonification leads to online trajectory adjustments which improve internal models over multiple trials, but which themselves are not helpful online corrections.

Sleep benefits perceptual but not movement-based learning of locomotor sequences.

Practicing complex locomotor skills, such as those involving a step sequence engages distinct perceptual and motor mechanisms that support the recall of learning under new conditions (i.e., skill transfer). While sleep has been shown to enhance learning of sequences of fine movements (i.e., sleep-dependent consolidation), here we examined whether this benefit extends to learning of a locomotor pattern. Specifically, we tested the perceptual and motor learning of a locomotor sequence following sleep compared to wake. We hypothesized that post-practice sleep would increase locomotor sequence learning in the perceptual, but not in the motor domain. In this study, healthy young adult participants (n = 48; 18-33 years) practiced a step length sequence on a treadmill cued by visual stimuli displayed on a screen during training. Participants were then tested in a perceptual condition (backward walking with the same visual stimuli), or a motor condition (forward walking but with an inverted screen). Skill was assessed immediately, and again after a 12-h delay following overnight sleep or daytime wake (n = 12 for each interval/condition). Off-line learning improved following sleep compared to wake, but only for the perceptual condition. Our results suggest that perceptual and motor sequence learning are processed separately after locomotor training, and further points to a benefit of sleep that is rooted in the perceptual as opposed to the motor aspects of motor learning.

Boundaries of task-specificity: bimanual finger dexterity is reduced in musician's dystonia.

Task-specific dystonia leads to loss of sensorimotor control for a particular motor skill. Although focal in nature, it is hugely disabling and can terminate professional careers in musicians. Biomarkers for underlying mechanism and severity are much needed. In this study, we designed a keyboard device that measured the forces generated at all fingertips during individual finger presses. By reliably quantifying overflow to other fingers in the instructed (enslaving) and contralateral hand (mirroring) we explored whether this task could differentiate between musicians with and without dystonia. 20 right-handed professional musicians (11 with dystonia) generated isometric flexion forces with the instructed finger to match 25%, 50% or 75% of maximal voluntary contraction for that finger. Enslaving was estimated as a linear slope of the forces applied across all instructed/uninstructed finger combinations. Musicians with dystonia had a small but robust loss of finger dexterity. There was increased enslaving and mirroring, primarily during use of the symptomatic hand (enslaving p = 0.003; mirroring p = 0.016), and to a lesser extent with the asymptomatic hand (enslaving p = 0.052; mirroring p = 0.062). Increased enslaving and mirroring were seen across all combinations of finger pairs. In addition, enslaving was exaggerated across symptomatic fingers when more than one finger was clinically affected. Task-specific dystonia therefore appears to express along a gradient, most severe in the affected skill with subtle and general motor control dysfunction in the background. Recognition of this provides a more nuanced understanding of the sensorimotor control deficits at play and can inform therapeutic options for this highly disabling disorder.

High contextual interference improves retention in motor learning: systematic review and meta-analysis.

The effect of practice schedule on retention and transfer has been studied since the first publication on contextual interference (CI) in 1966. However, strongly advocated by scientists and practitioners, the CI effect also aroused some doubts. Therefore, our objective was to review the existing literature on CI and to determine how it affects retention in motor learning. We found 1255 articles in the following databases: Scopus, EBSCO, Web of Science, PsycINFO, ScienceDirect, supplemented by the Google Scholar search engine. We screened full texts of 294 studies, of which 54 were included in the meta-analysis. In the meta-analyses, two different models were applied, i.e., a three-level mixed model and random-effects model with averaged effect sizes from single studies. According to both analyses, high CI has a medium beneficial effect on the whole population. These effects were statistically significant. We found that the random practice schedule in laboratory settings effectively improved motor skills retention. On the contrary, in the applied setting, the beneficial effect of random practice on the retention was almost negligible. The random schedule was more beneficial for retention in older adults (large effect size) and in adults (medium effect size). In young participants, the pooled effect size was negligible and statically insignificant.

HABIT training in unilateral spastic cerebral palsy children having mirror movement disorder.

The single-arm feasibility study was planned to evaluate the therapeutic effect of hand arm bimanual intensive training in improving the fine and gross motor functions of hand, and in the reduction of intensity with respect to mirror movement disorder. The sample comprised unilateral spastic cerebral palsy children aged 6-16 years who were having mirror movement disorder and were able to make a gross grip. The hand arm bimanual intensive training was provided to the participants for 6 hours per day for 15 days for a total of 90 hours. Comparison of baseline and post-intervention showed that the functional independence level of children had improved, with improvement in unimanual and bimanual hand performance (p˂0.05). However, there was no improvement seen in the severity of mirror movements (p>0.05). Hence, hand arm bimanual intensive training was found to be effective in increasing the functional independence of cerebral palsy children by improving the hand function, but there was no effect on mirror movement disorder.

Relationship Between Prone Skills and Motor-Based Problem-Solving Abilities in Full-Term and Preterm Infants During the First 6 Months of Life.

Motor experiences shape cognitive development in infancy, with the prone position being one such crucial motor experience in the first 6 months of life. Although the motor benefits of the prone position are well-documented, its influence on early cognitive abilities remains insufficiently explored. This study quantified the relationship between prone motor skills and motor-based problem-solving abilities in 48 full-term and preterm infants aged 3-6 months. Prone skills were assessed using the Alberta Infant Motor Scale's prone domain. The Assessment of Problem-Solving in Play was utilized to measure motor-based problem-solving by observing how motor actions were used to solve toys. Advanced prone motor skills were correlated with an increase in sophisticated exploration skills and a concurrent decline in lower order exploration skills in all infants, with correlations being stronger in preterm infants. Notably, a 1-point increase in prone skills was associated with a 1.3-point increase in total motor-based problem-solving abilities in all infants. Our findings provide preliminary evidence for the contribution of prone play to cognitive development in infants, prompting considerations for assessment and intervention strategies. Further research is needed to ascertain if the delayed acquisition of prone motor skills is indicative of poor early problem-solving abilities in preterm infants.