Projects / Programmes
The influence of changed sensory conditions on anticipatory postural adjustments
| Code |
Science |
Field |
Subfield |
| 3.08.00 |
Medical sciences |
Public health (occupational safety) |
|
| Code |
Science |
Field |
| B640 |
Biomedical sciences |
Neurology, neuropsychology, neurophysiology |
Posture, anticipatory postural adjustments, mirroring, sensory flow
Researchers (11)
Organisations (2)
Abstract
The purpose of the proposed project is to investigate the response of the anticipatory postural adjustments during reaching forward movement in different sensory conditions. The emphasis will be on the temporal relations between the anticipatory postural adjustments and the focal movements of the upper extremity and hip displacenets during postural perturbations. The shape, magnitude and temporal parameters of the COP displacements will be studied. Besides, their relationship to the postural control and mirror neurons of the human brain will be studied. The goal of our research is to combine the evaluation of EMG activity and kinematics displacements of body segments i.e. COP displacement and inter-segmental displacements. We are going to identifay the APAs response in different sensory conditions, i.e. different afferent flow from somatosensory and visual system; study the relationsheep between APAs and mirroring function of the human brain; propose the model of sensory integration of APAs.
The project is devided in four phases: preparation of software programs, two experiments and development of a model and comparition of experimentally aquired data to the model. Two sets of experiments will be performed with the same group of volunteers. This design will allow us to crosscorelate the acquired data. The sensory conditions will differ between trials: from the accurate visual information, through inaccurate to no visual information at all. Additionally the light touch through hypothenar region during reaching movement will be provided for half of the trials.
Significance for science
The newly developed software for the analysis of centre of pressure movements will provide an efficient means of description and interpretation of stabilometric data. Its web based application will enable different laboratories in Slovenia and in the world, with similar means of data acquisition to use the application and share and compare data. Our results are important for understanding of basic motor control mechanisms as well as are a basis for preparation of new therapeutic approaches based on scientific evidences. The results acquired in this project were already incorporated into a preparation of balance specific training for a group of community dwelling elderly subject with high functional capabilities. The results show that even subjects with high balance performance can significantly benefit with focused sensio-motor training where somatosensory, vestibular and visual flow is manipulated (Rugelj, Sevšek in Tomšič, 2011). The similar functional training based on the same theoretical sensiomotore basis was effective in a group of frail nursing home residents that is described in a RCT (Rugelj, 2010). Besides, it is reasonable to believe that this basic studies will lead to discover the factors within motor control that have a predictive validity for sudden falls of elderly. The results were presented in several national and international scientific meetings. An article for a leading motor control scientific journal is in final stage of preparation that is important for the clearing up of the anticipatory adjustments phenomena.
Significance for the country
The project is interdisciplinary and combines scientific fields of biophysics, biomechanics, neurobiology and health sciences. Researching the anticipatory postural adjustments, mirror function of central nervous system and dual tasking is currently one of the prime fields of motor control research. Besides basics answers this knowledge is used for preparation of targeted rehabilitation and preventive programmes especially in the elderly population concerning their balance function. In the frame of this project we disseminated the newest scientific discoveries and methods in the motor control to Slovenia. We also successfully cooperate with researcher from abroad (United Kingdom). The results are used and incorporated into a protocol of functional balance training for fall prevention of community dwelling elderly subjects as well as frail nursing home residents. In the last year two researchers from the field of anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) research joined our group. This ACL team is international in nature with most of the team located in Slovenia and key researchers in physiotherapy and sports medicine located in the United Kingdom.
In the frame of the project we developed software for analysis of stabilometric signals. This programming is innovation in the motor control community because it is web based and allows collaboration between different laboratories in Slovenia and wider. In the projects were enrolled besides interdisciplinary researchers (physicists, physiotherapists and occupational therapists) enrolled graduate and postgraduate students. This enabled them to work with contemporary methods and equipment in the field of biomechanics.
Most important scientific results
Annual report
2008,
2009,
final report,
complete report on dLib.si
Most important socioeconomically and culturally relevant results
Annual report
2008,
2009,
final report,
complete report on dLib.si
