The relationship between motor programming and executive abilities: Constructs measured by the Push-Turn-Taptap task from the Behavioral Dyscontrol Scale-Electronic Version

The relationship between executive functioning and three components of motor programming ( motor control, motor planning, and motor learning) was examined. Participants were 54 adults aged 18 to 68 years. Instruments included the Push -Turn-Taptap task from the Behavioral Dyscontrol Scale-Electronic Version and a battery of traditional neuropsychological measures. The results showed that, after controlling for age, processing speed, and motor speed, all three components of motor programming accounted for additional 12 to 19% of variance in executive functioning. Additionally, task complexity, but not task novelty, accounted for the relationship between executive functioning and motor learning and motor control, but not motor planning.