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Yuk J, Kitchen NM, Przybyla A, Scheidt RA, Sainburg RL. Symmetry and synchrony of bimanual movements are not predicated on interlimb control coupling. J Neurophysiol 2024; 131:982-996. [PMID: 38629153 DOI: 10.1152/jn.00476.2023] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/20/2023] [Revised: 04/11/2024] [Accepted: 04/11/2024] [Indexed: 05/31/2024] Open
Abstract
Previous studies suggest that bimanual coordination recruits neural mechanisms that explicitly couple control of the arms, resulting in symmetric kinematics. However, the higher symmetry for actions that require congruous joint motions compared with noncongruous joint motions calls into question the concept of control coupling as a general policy. An alternative view proposes that codependence might emerge from an optimal feedback controller that minimizes control effort and costs in task performance. Support for this view comes from studies comparing conditions in which both hands move a shared or independent virtual objects. Because these studies have mainly focused on congruous bimanual movements, it remains unclear if kinematic symmetry emerges from such control policies. We now examine movements with congruous or noncongruous joint motions (inertially symmetric or asymmetric, respectively) under shared or independent cursors conditions. We reasoned that if a control policy minimizes kinematic differences between limbs, spatiotemporal symmetry should remain relatively unaffected by inertial asymmetries. As shared tasks reportedly elicit greater interlimb codependence, these conditions should elicit higher bilateral covariance regardless of inertial asymmetries. Our results indicate a robust spatiotemporal symmetry only under inertially symmetric conditions, regardless of cursor condition. We simulated bimanual reaching using an optimal feedback controller with and without explicit costs of kinematic asymmetry, finding that only the latter mirrored our empirical data. Our findings support the hypothesis that bimanual control policies do not include kinematic asymmetry as a cost when it is not demanded by task constraints suggesting that kinematic symmetry depends critically on mechanical movement conditions.NEW & NOTEWORTHY Previously, the control coupling hypothesis and task-dependent control hypothesis have been shown to be robust in the bimanually symmetrical movement, but whether the same policy remains robust in the bimanually asymmetrical movement remains unclear. Here, with evidence from empirical and simulation data, we show that a spatiotemporal symmetry between the arms is not predicated on control coupling, but instead it is predicated on the symmetry of mechanical conditions (e.g. limb inertia) between the arms.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jisung Yuk
- Department of Kinesiology, The Pennsylvania State University, University Park, Pennsylvania, United States
| | - Nick M Kitchen
- Department of Kinesiology, The Pennsylvania State University, University Park, Pennsylvania, United States
- Department of Neurology, Penn State Milton S. Hershey College of Medicine, Hershey, Pennsylvania, United States
| | - Andrzej Przybyla
- Department of Physical Therapy, University of North Georgia, Dahlonega, Georgia, United States
| | - Robert A Scheidt
- Joint Department of Biomedical Engineering, Marquette University and Medical College of Wisconsin, Milwaukee, Wisconsin, United States
| | - Robert L Sainburg
- Department of Kinesiology, The Pennsylvania State University, University Park, Pennsylvania, United States
- Department of Neurology, Penn State Milton S. Hershey College of Medicine, Hershey, Pennsylvania, United States
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Torres-Banduc M, Chirosa-Ríos I, Chirosa-Ríos L, Jerez-Mayorga D. Impact of Starting Knee Flexion Angle on Muscle Activity and Performance during Plyometrics without Jumping. SENSORS (BASEL, SWITZERLAND) 2023; 24:44. [PMID: 38202906 PMCID: PMC10780924 DOI: 10.3390/s24010044] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/19/2023] [Revised: 11/22/2023] [Accepted: 12/19/2023] [Indexed: 01/12/2024]
Abstract
Most of the existing research has focused on jump plyometrics, where landing reaction forces must be dissipated among lower limb articulations. In contrast, the investigation of resisted plyometrics without jumping, devoid of such landing forces, remains relatively limited. This study aimed to (i) investigate the impact of resisted plyometrics without jumping at two knee flexion angles (60 and 90 degrees) on vastus muscle activity relative to limb dominance and (ii) assess strength, power, and work during the concentric-eccentric phases of these exercises. Thirty-one healthy participants underwent quantification of lower limb muscle amplitude, strength, power, and work during resisted plyometrics without jumping from both 60° and 90° knee flexion positions. After anthropometric evaluations, participants used a dynamometer with a load equal to 80% of body weight while wireless surface electromyography electrodes recorded data. Statistical analyses utilized paired t-tests or nonparametric equivalents and set significance at p ≤ 0.05. Results showed significantly higher muscle activity in the vastus medialis (VM) (dominant: 47.4%, p = 0.0008, rs = 0.90; nondominant: 54.8%, p = 0.047, rs = 0.88) and vastus lateralis (VL) (dominant: 46.9%, p = 0.0004, rs = 0.86; nondominant: 48.1%, p = 0.021, rs = 0.67) muscles when exercises started at 90° knee flexion, regardless of limb dominance. Substantial intermuscle differences occurred at both 60° (50.4%, p = 0.003, rs = 0.56) and 90° (54.8%, p = 0.005, rs = 0.62) knee flexion, favoring VM in the nondominant leg. Concentric and eccentric strength, power, and work metrics significantly increased when initiating exercises from a 90° position. In conclusion, commencing resisted plyometrics without jumping at a 90° knee flexion position increases VM and VL muscle activity, regardless of limb dominance. Furthermore, it enhances strength, power, and work, emphasizing the importance of knee flexion position customization for optimizing muscle engagement and functional performance.
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Affiliation(s)
- Maximiliano Torres-Banduc
- Escuela de Kinesiología, Facultad de Ciencias de la Salud, Universidad de Las Américas, Viña Del Mar 2520000, Chile;
- Department of Physical Education and Sports, Faculty of Sports Sciences, University of Granada, 18071 Granada, Spain;
| | - Ignacio Chirosa-Ríos
- Department of Physical Education and Sports, Faculty of Sports Sciences, University of Granada, 18071 Granada, Spain;
| | - Luis Chirosa-Ríos
- Department of Physical Education and Sports, Faculty of Sports Sciences, University of Granada, 18071 Granada, Spain;
| | - Daniel Jerez-Mayorga
- Exercise and Rehabilitation Sciences Institute, School of Physical Therapy, Faculty of Rehabilitation Sciences, Universidad Andres Bello, Santiago 7570172, Chile;
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Nazarahari M, Ajami S, Jeon S, Arami A. Visual feedback decoding during bimanual circle drawing. J Neurophysiol 2023; 130:1200-1213. [PMID: 37820018 DOI: 10.1152/jn.00372.2022] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/06/2022] [Revised: 09/29/2023] [Accepted: 10/03/2023] [Indexed: 10/13/2023] Open
Abstract
The between-hand interference during bimanual tasks is a consequence of the connection between the neural controllers of movement. Previous studies showed the existence of an asymmetric between-hand interference (caused by neural cross talk) when different kinematics plans were to be executed by each hand or when only one was visually guided and received perturbed visual feedback. Here, in continuous bimanual circle drawing tasks, we investigated if the central nervous system (CNS) can benefit from visual composite feedback, i.e., a weighted sum of hands' positions presented for the visually guided hand, to control the nonvisible hand. Our results demonstrated improvement in the nonvisible nondominant hand (NDH) performance in the presence of the composite feedback. When NDH was visually guided, the dominant hand's (DH) performance during asymmetric drawing deteriorated, whereas its performance during symmetric drawing improved. This indicates that the CNS's ability to leverage composite feedback, which can be the result of decoding the nonvisible hand positional information from the composite feedback, is task-dependent and can be asymmetric. Also, the nonvisible hand's performance degraded when DH or NDH was visually guided with amplified error feedback. The results of the amplified feedback condition do not strongly support the asymmetry of the interference during asymmetric circle drawing. Comparing muscle activations in the asymmetric experiment, we concluded that the observed kinematic differences were not due to alternation in muscle co-contractions.NEW & NOTEWORTHY Many daily activities involve bimanual coordination while simultaneous movement of the hands may result in interference with their movements. Here, we studied whether the central nervous system could use the relevant information in composite feedback, i.e., a weighted sum of positional information of nonvisible and visible hands, to improve the movement of the nonvisible hand. Our results suggest the ability to decode and associate task-relevant information from the composite feedback.
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Affiliation(s)
- Milad Nazarahari
- Department of Mechanical and Mechatronics Engineering, University of Waterloo, Waterloo, Ontario, Canada
| | - Sahand Ajami
- Department of Mechanical and Mechatronics Engineering, University of Waterloo, Waterloo, Ontario, Canada
| | - Soo Jeon
- Department of Mechanical and Mechatronics Engineering, University of Waterloo, Waterloo, Ontario, Canada
| | - Arash Arami
- Department of Mechanical and Mechatronics Engineering, University of Waterloo, Waterloo, Ontario, Canada
- KITE Institute, University Health Network (UHN), Toronto, Ontario, Canada
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Kitchen NM, Yuk J, Przybyla A, Scheidt RA, Sainburg RL. Bilateral arm movements are coordinated via task-dependent negotiations between independent and codependent control, but not by a "coupling" control policy. J Neurophysiol 2023; 130:497-515. [PMID: 37529832 PMCID: PMC10655823 DOI: 10.1152/jn.00501.2022] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/13/2022] [Revised: 07/20/2023] [Accepted: 07/28/2023] [Indexed: 08/03/2023] Open
Abstract
Prior research has shown that coordination of bilateral arm movements might be attributed to either control policies that minimize performance and control costs regardless of bilateral symmetry or by control coupling, which activates bilaterally homologous muscles as a single unit to achieve symmetric performance. We hypothesize that independent bimanual control (movements of one arm are performed without influence on the other) and codependent bimanual control (two arms are constrained to move together with high spatiotemporal symmetry) are two extremes on a coordination spectrum that can be negotiated to meet infinite variations in task demands. To better understand and distinguish between these views, we designed a task where minimization of either control costs or asymmetry would yield different patterns of coordination. Participants made bilateral reaches with a shared visual cursor to a midline target. We then covertly varied the gain contribution of either hand to the shared cursor's horizontal position. Across two experiments, we show that bilateral coordination retains high task-dependent sensitivity to subtle visual feedback gain asymmetries applied to the shared cursor. Specifically, we found a change from strong spatial covariation between hands during equal gains to more independent control during asymmetric gains, which occurred rapidly and with high specificity to the dimension of gain manipulation. Furthermore, the extent of spatial covariation was graded to the magnitude of perpendicular gain asymmetry between hands. These findings suggest coordination of bilateral arm movements flexibly maneuvers along a continuous coordination spectrum in a task-dependent manner that cannot be explained by bilateral control coupling.NEW & NOTEWORTHY Minimization of performance and control costs and efferent coupling between bilaterally homologous muscle groups have been separately hypothesized to describe patterns of bimanual coordination. Here, we address whether the mechanisms mediating independent and codependent control between limbs can be weighted for successful task performance. Using bilaterally asymmetric visuomotor gain perturbations, we show bimanual coordination can be characterized as a negotiation along a spectrum between extremes of independent and codependent control, but not efferent control coupling.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nick M Kitchen
- Department of Neurology, College of Medicine, Pennsylvania State University, Hershey, Pennsylvania, United States
- Department of Kinesiology, Pennsylvania State University, State College, Pennsylvania, United States
| | - Jisung Yuk
- Department of Kinesiology, Pennsylvania State University, State College, Pennsylvania, United States
| | - Andrzej Przybyla
- Department of Physical Therapy, University of North Georgia, Dahlonega, Georgia, United States
| | - Robert A Scheidt
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Marquette University and Medical College of Wisconsin, Milwaukee, Wisconsin, United States
| | - Robert L Sainburg
- Department of Neurology, College of Medicine, Pennsylvania State University, Hershey, Pennsylvania, United States
- Department of Kinesiology, Pennsylvania State University, State College, Pennsylvania, United States
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Karabanov AN, Chillemi G, Madsen KH, Siebner HR. Dynamic involvement of premotor and supplementary motor areas in bimanual pinch force control. Neuroimage 2023; 276:120203. [PMID: 37271303 DOI: 10.1016/j.neuroimage.2023.120203] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/14/2022] [Revised: 05/25/2023] [Accepted: 05/27/2023] [Indexed: 06/06/2023] Open
Abstract
Many activities of daily living require quick shifts between symmetric and asymmetric bimanual actions. Bimanual motor control has been mostly studied during continuous repetitive tasks, while little research has been carried out in experimental settings requiring dynamic changes in motor output generated by both hands. Here, we performed functional magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) while healthy volunteers performed a visually guided, bimanual pinch force task. This enabled us to map functional activity and connectivity of premotor and motor areas during bimanual pinch force control in different task contexts, requiring mirror-symmetric or inverse-asymmetric changes in discrete pinch force exerted with the right and left hand. The bilateral dorsal premotor cortex showed increased activity and effective coupling to the ipsilateral supplementary motor area (SMA) in the inverse-asymmetric context compared to the mirror-symmetric context of bimanual pinch force control while the SMA showed increased negative coupling to visual areas. Task-related activity of a cluster in the left caudal SMA also scaled positively with the degree of synchronous initiation of bilateral pinch force adjustments, irrespectively of the task context. The results suggest that the dorsal premotor cortex mediates increasing complexity of bimanual coordination by increasing coupling to the SMA while SMA provides feedback about motor actions to the sensory system.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anke Ninija Karabanov
- Department of Nutrition, Exercise, and Sports, Faculty of Science, University of Copenhagen, Denmark; Danish Research Centre for Magnetic Resonance, Centre for Functional and Diagnostic Imaging and Research, Copenhagen University Hospital Amager and Hvidovre, Hvidovre, Denmark
| | - Gaetana Chillemi
- Danish Research Centre for Magnetic Resonance, Centre for Functional and Diagnostic Imaging and Research, Copenhagen University Hospital Amager and Hvidovre, Hvidovre, Denmark; IRCCS Centro Neurolesi Bonino Pulejo, Messina, Italy
| | - Kristoffer Hougaard Madsen
- Danish Research Centre for Magnetic Resonance, Centre for Functional and Diagnostic Imaging and Research, Copenhagen University Hospital Amager and Hvidovre, Hvidovre, Denmark; Department of Applied Mathematics and Computer Science, Technical University of Denmark, Denmark
| | - Hartwig Roman Siebner
- Danish Research Centre for Magnetic Resonance, Centre for Functional and Diagnostic Imaging and Research, Copenhagen University Hospital Amager and Hvidovre, Hvidovre, Denmark; Department of Neurology, Copenhagen University Hospital Bispebjerg and Frederiksberg, Copenhagen, Denmark; Institute for Clinical Medicine, Faculty of Medical and Health Sciences, University of Copenhagen, Copenhagen Denmark
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Haupmann M, Huang M, Selly G, Bagesterio L, Quintero D. Identifying a Upper-Limb Phase-Dependent Variable under Perturbations for Powered Prosthesis Arm Control. ANNUAL INTERNATIONAL CONFERENCE OF THE IEEE ENGINEERING IN MEDICINE AND BIOLOGY SOCIETY. IEEE ENGINEERING IN MEDICINE AND BIOLOGY SOCIETY. ANNUAL INTERNATIONAL CONFERENCE 2023; 2023:1-5. [PMID: 38082582 DOI: 10.1109/embc40787.2023.10340763] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/18/2023]
Abstract
This paper investigates upper-limb kinematic reaching responses during a mechanical perturbation to understand interjoint arm coordination used towards powered prosthesis control development. Common prosthesis arm controllers use electromyography sensors with data-driven models to decode muscle activation signals in controlling prosthesis joint movements. However, these control approaches produce non-natural, discrete movements with no guarantee the controller can react to unexpected disturbances during continuous task motion. Determining a continuous phase-dependent variable for measuring a human's progression during reaching can derive a time-invariant kinematic function to control the prosthesis joint in a natural, continuous manner. A perturbation experimental study was conducted across three participants in evaluating the shoulder and elbow joint kinematics to examine the existence of a phase shift during reaching. Experimental results demonstrated the effects of arm proximal-distal interjoint coordination that validated the proposed mechanical phase variable of the shoulder used in parameterizing elbow joint kinematic for reaching. This could allow for a continuous phase-based control strategy that can handle disturbances to achieve arm reaching in prosthesis control.
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Madarshahian S, Latash ML. Effects of hand muscle function and dominance on intra-muscle synergies. Hum Mov Sci 2022; 82:102936. [PMID: 35217391 DOI: 10.1016/j.humov.2022.102936] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/03/2021] [Revised: 01/09/2022] [Accepted: 02/13/2022] [Indexed: 11/04/2022]
Abstract
The goal of the study was to explore the effects of hand dominance and muscle function (prime mover vs. supporting muscle) on recently discovered intra-muscle synergies as potential windows into their neural origin. Healthy right-handed subjects performed accurate cyclical force production tasks while pressing with the middle phalanges and distal phalanges of the fingers of the dominant and non-dominant hand. Surface electromyography was used to identify individual motor unit action potentials in two muscles, flexor digitorum superficialis (FDS) and extensor digitorum communis (EDC). Stable motor unit groups (MU-modes) were defined in each muscle and in both muscles together. The composition of the MU-modes allowed linking them to the reciprocal and co-activation command. Force-stabilizing synergies were quantified in each hand and during force production at both sites using the framework of the uncontrolled manifold hypothesis. Force-stabilizing synergies were seen in the spaces of MU-modes from FDS and EDC separately, but not of MU-modes defined for both muscles together. Synergy indices were similar for both hands and both sites of force application. In contrast, force-stabilizing synergies in the space of finger forces were present in the non-dominant hand and absent in the dominant hand. The data suggest existence of distributed mechanisms of synergic control. Finger force synergies are likely to reflect functioning of subcortical loops involving the basal ganglia and cerebellum, while MU-mode synergies are likely to reflect spinal circuitry. Studies of both force-based and motor-unit-based synergies may be clinically valuable for distinguishing effects of spinal and supraspinal disorders.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shirin Madarshahian
- Department of Kinesiology, The Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA 16802, USA
| | - Mark L Latash
- Department of Kinesiology, The Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA 16802, USA.
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Sokołowska B. A novel virtual reality approach for functional lateralization in healthy adults. Brain Res 2021; 1766:147537. [PMID: 34052260 DOI: 10.1016/j.brainres.2021.147537] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/23/2021] [Revised: 05/21/2021] [Accepted: 05/24/2021] [Indexed: 12/12/2022]
Abstract
Functional lateralization relates to a natural asymmetry in the dominance right or left body side, and is a fundamental principle of the brain. The hemispheres of the brain control the contralateral body side, and show subtle, yet striking, anatomical asymmetries and functional lateralization. Innovative technologies, including Virtual Reality (VR), are entering the areas of experimental research, modeling and simulation related to the study of lateralization, with new perspectives of different applications in modern medical practice. Researchers/clinicians note that there are fewer VR studies with healthy participants, and which are important in evaluating/interpreting clinical outcomes, and testing the usefulness, limitations, and sensitivity of VR. The presented influence of the domination of upper/lower limbs on the performance of VR exercises was studied in healthy right-handed adults. Virtual testing sessions were performed independently with both/ dominant/ non-dominant hands, and the similar VR sessions were conduced on a Wii Balance Board (WBB) with the choice of body side, at different levels of the difficulty. The obtained results are consistent with other studies which show that cognitive-motor training in VR with the WBB platform is a very sensitive and promising tool for recognizing/assessing functional asymmetries of the right-left body side not only in disturbed lateralization, but also in the test training of healthy subjects.
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Affiliation(s)
- Beata Sokołowska
- Bioinformatics Laboratory, Mossakowski Medical Research Centre Polish Academy of Sciences, Warsaw, Poland.
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