Influences of illusionary position perception on anticipatory postural control associated with arm flexion

Anodal Transcranial Direct Current Stimulation Over the Supplementary Motor Area Improves Anticipatory Postural Adjustments in Older Adults

We examined the influence of anodal transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS) over the supplementary motor area (SMA) on anticipatory postural adjustments (APAs) and center of pressure (COP) sway in older adults. The study enrolled 12 healthy older adult volunteers. Subjects received anodal tDCS (2 mA) or sham stimulation over the SMA for 15 min and performed a self-paced rapid upward arm movement task on a force plate before, immediately after, and 15 min after the stimulation condition. APAs were measured as the temporal difference between activation onset in the deltoid anterior (AD) and biceps femoris (BF) muscles. The root mean square (RMS) area of COP sway, sway path length, medio-lateral mean velocity, and antero-posterior mean velocity of standing posture were also measured before and after the stimulation condition during the task. Anodal tDCS of the SMA extended APAs and decreased COP sway path length immediately after and 15 min after stimulation compared to baseline. These findings suggest that anodal tDCS over the SMA enhanced APAs function and improved postural sway during rapid upward arm movement in older adults.

Postural responses to various frequencies of vibration of the triceps surae and forefoot sole during quiet standing

The purpose of this study was to determine the role of somatosensory input to the sensory reference system in quiet standing. We applied vibration (0.5 mm amplitude, 1-60 Hz) to the triceps surae and the forefoot sole to stimulate the muscle spindles and the mechanoreceptors, respectively, and evaluated postural responses. Thirteen young healthy adults who showed backward-lean and forward-lean responses to vibration at high and low frequencies, respectively, participated in the full experiment. The lowest vibration frequencies inducing backward-lean responses (B-LF) were 15-55 Hz for the triceps surae and 16-60 Hz for the forefoot sole. The highest frequencies inducing forward-lean responses (F-HF) were 3-18 Hz for the triceps surae and 1-20 Hz for the forefoot sole. When vibration was simultaneously applied to the triceps surae and forefoot sole at F-HF, no response was induced in 70% of trials. A forward-lean response was induced in the remaining 30% of trials. Simultaneous vibration of the triceps surae and forefoot sole at B-LF induced backward-lean responses in all trials. All postural responses occurred 0.5-4.3 s after vibration onset. Postural responses to high-frequency vibration conceivably occur as a compensatory movement to the illusionary perception that standing position is deviating forward from quiet standing, which must be a reference position. Postural responses to low-frequency vibration possibly occur to equalize the positional information that is received from the triceps surae and the forefoot sole. Both postural responses are likely to involve the sensory reference system, which is located in the supraspinal nervous system.

Postural responses accompanying Achilles tendon vibration stimulation during various phases of sit-to-stand movement

The aim of this study was to determine the postural response accompanying Achilles tendon vibration stimulation during various phases of the sit-to-stand movement. Twelve healthy young adults performed the sit-to-stand movement in response to an auditory signal 2 s after a first one. Vibration stimulation with a 100 Hz frequency was applied to both Achilles tendons during the following phases: (1) 10 s of sitting before standing up; (2) 10 s plus a period until the standing position was achieved; and (3) 5 s after standing. The postural response after standing was analyzed with the center of foot pressure in the anteroposterior direction. Forward-leaning responses were identified in 78.3% and 63.3% of trials under conditions 1 and 2, respectively. Backward-leaning responses were identified in 93.3% of the trials under condition 3. Response latency (+/- standard deviation) was significantly longer under conditions 1 and 2 than under condition 3 (1: 872 +/- 576, 2: 1026 +/- 542, and 3:555 +/- 322 ms; ps < 0.05). Sensory information at the standing point might be anticipated based on sensory information received while sitting. Consequently, postural response as a compensatory movement would occur via the sensory reference system within the supraspinal nervous system.

Effects of experimentally induced low back pain on the sit-to-stand movement and electroencephalographic contingent negative variation

It is becoming increasingly evident that people with chronic, recurrent low back pain (LBP) exhibit changes in cerebrocortical activity that associate with altered postural coordination, suggesting a need for a better understanding of how the experience of LBP alters postural coordination and cerebrocortical activity. To characterize changes in postural coordination and pre-movement cerebrocortical activity related to the experience of acutely induced LBP, 14 healthy participants with no history of LBP performed sit-to-stand movements in 3 sequential conditions: (1) without experimentally induced LBP; NoPain1, (2) with movement-associated LBP induced by electrocutaneous stimulation; Pain, and (3) again without induced LBP; NoPain2. The Pain condition elicited altered muscle activation and redistributed forces under the seat and feet prior to movement, decreased peak vertical force exerted under the feet during weight transfer, longer movement times, as well as decreased and earlier peak hip extension. Stepwise regression models demonstrated that electroencephalographic amplitudes of contingent negative variation during the Pain condition significantly correlated with the participants' change in sit-to-stand measures between the NoPain1 and Pain conditions, as well as with the subsequent difference in sit-to-stand measures between the NoPain1 and NoPain2 conditions. The results, therefore, identify the contingent negative variation as a correlate for the extent of an individual's LBP-related movement modifications and to the subsequent change in movement patterns from before to after the experience of acutely induced LBP, thereby providing a direction for future studies aimed to understand the neural mechanisms underlying the development of altered movement patterns with LBP.

Effects of allocation of visuo-spatial attention to visual stimuli triggering unilateral arm abduction on anticipatory postural control

OBJECTIVE

We investigated the effects of allocation of visuo-spatial attention to visual stimuli triggering arm movement on anticipatory postural control.

METHODS

Fourteen healthy right-handed subjects participated in the study. Visual stimuli were randomly presented to the left or right visual field on a screen. An attention-directing cue or a non-directional cue was presented at 1000ms before visual stimulus onset. Subjects focused or divided visuo-spatial attention (focused- and divided-attention conditions, respectively) based on types of cues, and abducted the left or right arm rapidly in response to target stimuli (with 30% probability of visual stimuli) according to the side of presentation. Peak-to-peak amplitude of P1 and N1 components of event-related potentials (P1-N1 amplitude) elicited by visual stimuli and activation timing of postural muscles with respect to the middle deltoid were measured.

RESULTS

Compared with divided-attention condition, in focused-attention condition P1-N1 amplitude at occipital electrodes was enhanced and activation of the left hip abductors during right arm abduction was hastened. A significant correlation was observed between the attention-related changes in these two measurements.

CONCLUSIONS

Anticipatory postural control during right arm abduction was influenced by attention-related modulation of sensory-perceptual processing.

SIGNIFICANCE

These findings are important for understanding of the effects of visuo-spatial attention on anticipatory postural control.

Changes in the activity of the cerebral cortex relate to postural response modification when warned of a perturbation

OBJECTIVE

To determine whether the cerebral cortex contributes to modifying upcoming postural responses to external perturbations when provided with prior warning of the perturbation.

METHODS

Electroencephalographic (EEG) potentials were recorded from 12 healthy human subjects (21-32 years of age) before perturbing their balance with backward translations of a platform under their feet. The subjects responded with and without a visual cue that warned them 2s before the perturbation (the Cue and No Cue conditions, respectively).

RESULTS

Contingent negative variation (CNV) was evident before perturbation onset in only the Cue condition. In the Cue condition, the subjects also produced smaller center of pressure (CoP) displacements than in the No Cue condition. The cue-related difference in the subjects' CNV potentials correlated with the cue-related difference in their CoP displacements. No significant associations existed among the CNV potentials and any cue-related postural adjustments made before the perturbation.

CONCLUSIONS

Cortical activity before an externally triggered perturbation associates with modifications of the ensuing postural response.

SIGNIFICANCE

This is the first study to demonstrate a cortical correlate for changes in central postural set that modify externally triggered postural responses based on anticipation.

Postural muscle activity patterns during standing at rest and on an oscillating floor

Postural muscle activity pattern was examined in the eyes-closed state after adequate adaptation to floor anteroposterior oscillation. Twenty-three subjects were grouped almost evenly according to dominance of anterior or posterior postural muscles in the trunk and thigh during quiet stance. In the posterior-dominant group, this dominance was maintained at every frequency in most subjects. In the anterior-dominant group, this dominance was maintained in most subjects at 0.1 and 0.5 Hz but changed to posterior dominance at 1.0 and 1.5 Hz in about half the subjects. Periodicity of muscle activity was evaluated by EMG amplitude spectrum at the floor oscillation frequency. Periodicity of posterior-dominant muscles in the trunk and thigh increased with increasing oscillatory frequency. In the trunk, the periodicity did not differ significantly between posterior-dominant and anterior-dominant groups. However, in the thigh, periodicity was significantly lower in the anterior-dominant muscles. This was considered to be caused by nonperiodic alternating action of the anterior and posterior muscles. In the lower leg, posterior dominance was observed in quiet stance and at all oscillation frequencies. Periodicity of soleus and gastrocnemius increased at higher frequencies and was higher in gastrocnemius than in soleus. The periodicity difference between both muscles decreased with increasing oscillation frequency.

The effects of muscle vibration on anticipatory postural adjustments

The current study investigated the influence of changes in sensory information related to postural stability on anticipatory postural adjustments (APAs) in standing subjects. Subjects performed fast arm movements and a load release task while standing on a stable force platform or on an unstable board. We manipulated sensory information through vibration of the Achilles tendons and additional finger touch (contact forces under 1 N). Changes in the background activity of leg, trunk, and arm muscles and displacements of the center of pressure (COP) were quantified within time intervals typical for APAs. In the arm movement task, leg and trunk muscles showed a significant drop in the APAs with finger touch, while the vibration and standing on the unstable board each led to an increase in the APA magnitude. In the load release task, ventral muscles decreased their APA activity with touch, while dorsal muscles showed increased inhibition during APAs. During vibration, dorsal and ventral muscles showed increased excitation and inhibition during APAs, respectively. An additional analysis of APAs at a joint level, has shown that in both tasks, an index related to the co-activation of agonist-antagonist muscle pairs (C-index) was modulated with touch, vibration, and stability particularly in leg muscles. Small changes in the other index related to reciprocal activation (R-index) were found only in trunk muscles. Light touch and vibration induced opposing changes in the C-index, suggesting their opposite effects on the stabilization of a reference point or vertical. We conclude that the central nervous system deploys patterns of adjustments in which increased co-contraction of distal muscles and reciprocal adjustments in trunk muscles are modified to ensure equilibrium under postural instability.