Reevaluating the theoretical model underlying the neurodevelopmental theory. A literature review

Abstract

The purpose of this paper is to evaluate the foundations of prevalent physical therapy technique based on the current research on motor control. The conceptual framework of the neurodevelopmental theory, as described in the writings of the Bobaths, is presented. Their explanations of central nervous system disorders and recommendations for intervention are based upon a unidirectional model of the nervous system in which postural and voluntary motion become two separate and distinct entities. Systems theory is an alternative model of nervous system structure. In systems theory, the organism is a circular network of interacting yet autonomous subsystems, rather than a vertical structure of descending controls. Relevant research that supports the systems viewpoint is discussed and applied to the theories in the neurodevelopmental approach. Thus, another model is offered for understanding the functioning of the central nervous system when it is intact and when it is in a pathological state.