Oral Proprioceptive Sensitivity and Upper Limb Kinesthetic Acuity: A Pilot Study

The goal of this observational study is to investigate whether differences in oral proprioceptive sensitivity are associated with differences in kinesthetic acuity of the upper limbs in children. The study examines two aspects of proprioception: oral proprioceptive sensitivity, which refers to the sensory response to proprioceptive stimulation of structures in the mouth, and upper-limb kinesthetic acuity, which refers to the ability to perceive the position or movement of the arms without relying on vision. The study will also explore whether oral and auditory sensory stimuli can produce small, transient visual losses, referred to as visual pseudoscotomas, during a perceptual test based on the Maddox rod. Participants will complete standardized experimental tasks designed to assess upper-limb kinesthetic acuity and oral proprioceptive sensitivity. The study is intended to contribute to the understanding of possible relationships between oral proprioception and proprioception of the upper limbs in children, and of how oral and auditory sensory information may interact with visual perception.