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Vermette MJ, Prince F, Bherer L, Messier J. Concentrating to avoid falling: interaction between peripheral sensory and central attentional demands during a postural stability limit task in sedentary seniors. GeroScience 2024; 46:1181-1200. [PMID: 37482601 PMCID: PMC10828328 DOI: 10.1007/s11357-023-00860-z] [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: 11/29/2022] [Accepted: 06/25/2023] [Indexed: 07/25/2023] Open
Abstract
Evidence suggests falls and postural instabilities among seniors are attributed to a decline in both the processing of afferent signals (e.g., proprioceptive, vestibular) and attentional resources. We investigated the interaction between the non-visual and attentional demands of postural control in sedentary seniors. Old and young adults performed a postural stability limit task involving a maximal voluntary leaning movement with and without vision as well as a cognitive-attentional subtraction task. These tasks were performed alone (single-task) or simultaneously (dual-task) to vary the sensory-attentional demands. The functional limits of stability were quantified as the maximum center of pressure excursion during voluntary leaning. Seniors showed significantly smaller limits of postural stability compared to young adults in all sensory-attentional conditions. However, surprisingly, both groups of subjects reduced their stability limits by a similar amount when vision was removed. Furthermore, they similarly decreased their anterior-posterior stability limits when concurrently performing the postural and the cognitive-attentional tasks with vision. The overall average cognitive performance of young adults was higher than seniors and was only slightly affected during dual-tasking. In contrast, older adults markedly degraded their cognitive performance from the single- to the dual-task situations, especially when vision was unavailable. Thus, their dual-task costs were higher than those of young adults and increased in the eyes-closed condition, when postural control relied more heavily on non-visual sensory signals. Our findings provide the first evidence that as posture approaches its stability limits, sedentary seniors allot increasingly large cognitive attentional resources to process critical sensory inputs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Marie Julie Vermette
- École de Kinésiologie et des Sciences de l'Activité Physique (EKSAP), Université de Montréal, 2100 Boul. Édouard-Montpetit, Montréal, QC, H3T 1J4, Canada
- Centre de Recherche de l'Institut Universitaire de Gériatrie de Montréal (CRIUGM), 4545 Chemin Queen Mary, Montréal, QC, H3W 1W5, Canada
| | - François Prince
- Département de Chirurgie, Faculté de Médecine, Université de Montréal, CP6128, Succursale Centre-Ville, Montréal, QC, H3C 3J7, Canada
| | - Louis Bherer
- Centre de Recherche de l'Institut Universitaire de Gériatrie de Montréal (CRIUGM), 4545 Chemin Queen Mary, Montréal, QC, H3W 1W5, Canada
- Département de Médecine, Faculté de Médecine, Université de Montréal, Montréal, QC, Canada
- Institut de Cardiologie de Montréal, Montréal, QC, Canada
| | - Julie Messier
- École de Kinésiologie et des Sciences de l'Activité Physique (EKSAP), Université de Montréal, 2100 Boul. Édouard-Montpetit, Montréal, QC, H3T 1J4, Canada.
- Centre de Recherche de l'Institut Universitaire de Gériatrie de Montréal (CRIUGM), 4545 Chemin Queen Mary, Montréal, QC, H3W 1W5, Canada.
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Cleworth TW, Peters RM, Chua R, Inglis JT, Carpenter MG. Effects of postural threat on perceptions of lower leg somatosensory stimuli during standing. Front Neurosci 2023; 17:1191976. [PMID: 37621714 PMCID: PMC10445653 DOI: 10.3389/fnins.2023.1191976] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/27/2023] [Accepted: 07/04/2023] [Indexed: 08/26/2023] Open
Abstract
Height-induced postural threat affects emotional state and standing balance behaviour during static, voluntary, and dynamic tasks. Facing a threat to balance also affects sensory and cortical processes during balance tasks. As sensory and cognitive functions are crucial in forming perceptions of movement, balance-related changes during threatening conditions might be associated with changes in conscious perceptions. Therefore, the purpose of this study was to examine the changes and potential mechanisms underlying conscious perceptions of balance-relevant information during height-induced postural threat. A combination of three experimental procedures utilized height-induced postural threat to manipulate emotional state, balance behavior, and/or conscious perceptions of balance-related stimuli. Experiment 1 assessed conscious perception of foot position during stance. During continuous antero-posterior pseudorandom support surface rotations, perceived foot movement was larger while actual foot movement did not change in the High (3.2 m, at the edge) compared to Low (1.1 m, away from edge) height conditions. Experiment 2 and 3 assessed somatosensory perceptual thresholds during upright stance. Perceptual thresholds for ankle rotations were elevated while foot sole vibrations thresholds remained unchanged in the High compared to Low condition. This study furthers our understanding of the relationship between emotional state, sensory perception, and balance performance. While threat can influence the perceived amplitude of above threshold ankle rotations, there is a reduction in the sensitivity of an ankle rotation without any change to foot sole sensitivity. These results highlight the effect of postural threat on neurophysiological and cognitive components of balance control and provide insight into balance assessment and intervention.
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Affiliation(s)
- Taylor W. Cleworth
- School of Kinesiology and Health Science, York University, Toronto, ON, Canada
- Centre for Vision Research, York University, Toronto, ON, Canada
| | - Ryan M. Peters
- Faculty of Kinesiology, University of Calgary, Calgary, AB, Canada
- Hotchkiss Brain Institute, University of Calgary, Calgary, AB, Canada
| | - Romeo Chua
- School of Kinesiology, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC, Canada
| | - J. Timothy Inglis
- School of Kinesiology, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC, Canada
- International Collaboration for Repair Discoveries, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC, Canada
- Djavad Mowafaghian Centre for Brain Health, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC, Canada
| | - Mark G. Carpenter
- School of Kinesiology, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC, Canada
- International Collaboration for Repair Discoveries, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC, Canada
- Djavad Mowafaghian Centre for Brain Health, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC, Canada
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Horváth Á, Ferentzi E, Ragó A, Köteles F. The retention of proprioceptive information is suppressed by competing verbal and spatial task. Q J Exp Psychol (Hove) 2023; 76:783-791. [PMID: 35410549 PMCID: PMC10031633 DOI: 10.1177/17470218221096251] [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] [Indexed: 11/15/2022]
Abstract
Proprioceptive information makes us able to perceive the position of our joints from an internal point of view. In the certain cases, proprioceptive information has to be stored in short-term memory, for example, during the learning of new motor skills or the assessment of proprioceptive accuracy. However, there are contradictory findings about the modality-specific storage of proprioceptive information in working memory. In this preregistered study, we applied the interference paradigm, assessing proprioceptive memory capacity in the subdominant elbow joint for 35 young individuals in five different experimental conditions: (a) without competing task/interference (baseline condition), (b) with motor interference, (c) with spatial interference, (d) with visual interference, and (e) with verbal interference. Proprioceptive span was lower in the verbal and spatial interference condition than in the baseline condition, whereas no significant differences were found for the motor and visual conditions. These results indicate that individuals use verbal and spatial strategies to encode proprioceptive information in short-term memory, and, in contrast to our expectation, the motor subsystem of working memory is not substantially involved in this process.
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Affiliation(s)
- Áron Horváth
- Doctoral School of Psychology, Eötvös Loránd University (ELTE), Budapest, Hungary
- Institute of Health Promotion and Sport Sciences, Eötvös Loránd University (ELTE), Budapest, Hungary
| | - Eszter Ferentzi
- Institute of Health Promotion and Sport Sciences, Eötvös Loránd University (ELTE), Budapest, Hungary
| | - Anett Ragó
- Institute of Psychology, Eötvös Loránd University (ELTE), Budapest, Hungary
| | - Ferenc Köteles
- Institute of Health Promotion and Sport Sciences, Eötvös Loránd University (ELTE), Budapest, Hungary
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4
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Dual-Task Interference Slows Down Proprioception. Motor Control 2023:1-15. [PMID: 36599354 DOI: 10.1123/mc.2022-0075] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/09/2022] [Revised: 10/28/2022] [Accepted: 10/29/2022] [Indexed: 01/05/2023]
Abstract
It is well-known that multitasking impairs the performance of one or both of the concomitant ongoing tasks. Previous studies have mainly focused on how a secondary task can compromise visual or auditory information processing. However, despite dual tasking being critical to motor performance, the effects of dual-task performance on proprioceptive information processing have not been studied yet. The purpose of the present study was, therefore, to investigate whether sensorimotor task performance would be affected by the dual task and if so, in which phase of the sensorimotor task performance would this negative effect occur. The kinematic variables of passive and active knee movements elicited by the leg drop test were analyzed. Thirteen young adults participated in the study. The dual task consisted of performing serial subtractions. The results showed that the dual task increased both the reaction time to counteract passive knee-joint movements in the leg drop test and the threshold to detect those movements. The dual task did not affect the speed and time during the active knee movement and the absolute angle error between the final and the target knee angles. Furthermore, the results showed that the time to complete the sensorimotor task was prolonged in dual tasking. Our findings suggest that dual tasking reduces motor performance due to slowing down proprioceptive information processing without affecting movement execution.
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Welker CG, Collins SH, Okamura AM. Human Perception of Wrist Flexion and Extension Torque During Upper and Lower Extremity Movement. IEEE TRANSACTIONS ON HAPTICS 2022; 15:741-752. [PMID: 36343009 DOI: 10.1109/toh.2022.3219031] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/03/2023]
Abstract
Real-world application of haptic feedback from kinesthetic devices is implemented while the user is in motion, but human wrist torque magnitude discrimination has previously only been characterized while users are stationary. In this study, we measured wrist torque discrimination in conditions relevant to activities of daily living, using a previously developed backdrivable wrist exoskeleton capable of applying wrist flexion and extension torque. We implemented a torque comparison test using a two-alternative forced-choice paradigm while participants were both seated and walking on a treadmill, with both a stationary and a moving wrist. Like most kinesthetic haptic devices, the wrist exoskeleton output torque is commanded in an open-loop manner. Thus, the study design was informed by Monte Carlo simulations to verify that the errors in the wrist exoskeleton output torque would not significantly affect the results. Results from ten participants show that although both walking and moving wrist conditions result in higher Weber Fractions (worse perception), participants were able to detect relatively small changes in torque of 12-19% on average in all grouped conditions. The results provide insight regarding the torque magnitudes necessary to make wrist-worn kinesthetic haptic devices noticeable and meaningful to the user in various conditions relevant to activities of daily living.
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Horváth Á, Ragó A, Ferentzi E, Körmendi J, Köteles F. Short-term retention of proprioceptive information. Q J Exp Psychol (Hove) 2020; 73:2148-2157. [PMID: 32972307 PMCID: PMC7672777 DOI: 10.1177/1747021820957147] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
Abstract
The Joint Position Reproduction test (JPR), one of the most widely used measurements to estimate proprioceptive accuracy, requires the short term storage of proprioceptive information. It has been suggested that visuospatial sketchpad plays a fundamental role in the memorization of proprioceptive information. The current study aimed to investigate this assumption. To do so, we developed and used a novel JPR protocol to measure the retention capacity with respect to sequences of different positions. Our goal was to develop the original task further to make it comparable with other widely used short-term memory measurements, in which the memory capacity was determined by the number of the items participants retain (memory span). We compared participants’ (N=39) performance in this task to that of results of Corsi block-tapping task (capacity of the visuospatial sketchpad) and Digit span task (capacity of the phonological loop). Proprioceptive memory capacity did not correlate either with spatial or verbal memory capacity. The exploratory analysis revealed that proprioceptive span correlated positively with the performance if 5 joint positions had to be retained. Further associations with verbal span for 6 or 7 positions, and spatial span for 5 positions were found. Our findings do not support the idea that visuospatial sketchpad plays a fundamental role in the storage of proprioceptive information. The independence of span measures indicates that proprioceptive information might be stored in a subsystem independent of the visuospatial sketchpad or phonological loop.
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Affiliation(s)
- Áron Horváth
- Doctoral School of Psychology, Eötvös Loránd University (ELTE), Budapest, Hungary.,Institute of Health Promotion and Sport Sciences, Eötvös Loránd University (ELTE), Budapest, Hungary
| | - Anett Ragó
- Institute of Psychology, Eötvös Loránd University (ELTE), Budapest, Hungary
| | - Eszter Ferentzi
- Institute of Health Promotion and Sport Sciences, Eötvös Loránd University (ELTE), Budapest, Hungary
| | - János Körmendi
- Institute of Health Promotion and Sport Sciences, Eötvös Loránd University (ELTE), Budapest, Hungary
| | - Ferenc Köteles
- Institute of Health Promotion and Sport Sciences, Eötvös Loránd University (ELTE), Budapest, Hungary
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Hams AH, Evans K, Adams R, Waddington G, Witchalls J. Throwing performance in water polo is related to in-water shoulder proprioception. J Sports Sci 2019; 37:2588-2595. [PMID: 31352872 DOI: 10.1080/02640414.2019.1648987] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/26/2022]
Abstract
Water polo players require a high level of upper-extremity strength, flexibility and coordination to achieve a peak level of throwing performance. Increased levels of shoulder proprioceptive acuity, strength and range of motion (ROM) have been previously associated with higher sporting performance. A coach-rating scale, used to quantify an athlete's kicking proficiency in soccer; was adapted in the current study to measure each coach's subjective expert opinion regarding athletes' throwing mechanics, velocity, and accuracy. To examine this hypothesis shoulder proprioception acuity of 18 water polo players was measured both in-water and on-land using an AMEDA apparatus and correlated with coach-rated throwing performance and clinical measures of shoulder strength and ROM. There was a moderate positive correlation between the in-water and the on-land proprioception acuity (r = 0.47, p < 0.05). The in-water score showing a strong positive correlation with coach rated throwing mechanics (r = 0.68, p < 0.05) and velocity (r = 0.75, p = 0.02), suggesting that superior proprioception acuity contributed to fast, mechanically-efficient throwing. These findings support the notion that in-water proprioceptive acuity is an important determinant of the throwing performance achieved by water polo athletes and its measurement may be a valuable adjunct to current athlete screening.
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Affiliation(s)
- Andrea H Hams
- Research Institute for Sport and Exercise, University of Canberra , Canberra , Australia.,Sport Performance Innovation and Knowledge Excellence unit, Queensland Academy of Sports , Brisbane , Queensland , Australia.,School of Allied Health Sciences, Griffith University , Gold Coast , Queensland , Australia
| | - Kerrie Evans
- School of Allied Health Sciences, Griffith University , Gold Coast , Queensland , Australia.,Faculty of Health Sciences, The University of Sydney , Sydney , New South Wales , Australia.,Healthia Ltd , Brisbane , Australia
| | - Roger Adams
- Research Institute for Sport and Exercise, University of Canberra , Canberra , Australia
| | - Gordon Waddington
- Research Institute for Sport and Exercise, University of Canberra , Canberra , Australia
| | - Jeremy Witchalls
- Research Institute for Sport and Exercise, University of Canberra , Canberra , Australia
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Pincheira PA, Silvestre R, Armijo-Olivo S, Guzman-Venegas R. Ankle perturbation generates bilateral alteration of knee muscle onset times after unilateral anterior cruciate ligament reconstruction. PeerJ 2018; 6:e5310. [PMID: 30083454 PMCID: PMC6074771 DOI: 10.7717/peerj.5310] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/17/2018] [Accepted: 07/03/2018] [Indexed: 01/09/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND The aim of this study was to compare muscle activation onset times of knee muscles between the involved and uninvolved knee of patients with unilateral anterior cruciate ligament reconstruction (ACLR), and the uninjured knees of healthy subjects after a controlled perturbation at the ankle level. METHODS Fifty male amateur soccer players, 25 with unilateral ACLR using semitendinosus-gracilis graft (age = 28.36 ± 7.87 years; time after surgery = 9 ± 3 months) and 25 uninjured control subjects (age = 24.16 ± 2.67 years) participated in the study. Two destabilizing platforms (one for each limb) generated a controlled perturbation at the ankle of each participant (30°of inversion, 10°plantarflexion simultaneously) in a weight bearing condition. The muscle activation onset times of semitendinosus (ST) and vastus medialis (VM) was detected through an electromyographic (EMG) analysis to assess the neuromuscular function of knee muscles. RESULTS Subjects with ACLR had significant delays in EMG onset in the involved (VM = 99.9 ± 30 ms; ST = 101.7 ± 28 ms) and uninvolved knee (VM = 100.4 ± 26 ms; ST = 104.7 ± 28 ms) when compared with the healthy subjects (VM = 69.1 ± 9 ms; ST = 74.6 ± 9 ms). However, no difference was found between involved and uninvolved knee of the ACLR group. DISCUSSION The results show a bilateral alteration of knee muscles in EMG onset after a unilateral ACLR, responses that can be elicited with an ankle perturbation. This suggests an alteration in the central processing of proprioceptive information and/or central nervous system re-organization that may affect neuromuscular control of knee muscles in the involved and uninvolved lower limbs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Patricio A. Pincheira
- Escuela de Kinesiología, Facultad de Ciencias, Universidad Mayor, Santiago, Chile
- Centre for Sensorimotor Performance, School of Human Movement and Nutrition Sciences, University of Queensland, Brisbane, Australia
| | - Rony Silvestre
- Unidad de Biomecánica Deportiva, Clinica Meds, Santiago, Chile
| | - Susan Armijo-Olivo
- Department of Physical Therapy, Faculty of Rehabilitation Medicine, University of Alberta, Edmonton, Canada
| | - Rodrigo Guzman-Venegas
- Laboratorio Integrativo de Biomecánica y Fisiología del Esfuerzo (LIBFE), Escuela de Kinesiología, Facultad de Medicina, Universidad de los Andes, Santiago, Chile
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Iandolo R, Bellini A, Saiote C, Marre I, Bommarito G, Oesingmann N, Fleysher L, Mancardi GL, Casadio M, Inglese M. Neural correlates of lower limbs proprioception: An fMRI study of foot position matching. Hum Brain Mapp 2018; 39:1929-1944. [PMID: 29359521 PMCID: PMC6866268 DOI: 10.1002/hbm.23972] [Citation(s) in RCA: 23] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/10/2017] [Revised: 12/20/2017] [Accepted: 01/07/2018] [Indexed: 12/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Little is known about the neural correlates of lower limbs position sense, despite the impact that proprioceptive deficits have on everyday life activities, such as posture and gait control. We used fMRI to investigate in 30 healthy right-handed and right-footed subjects the regional distribution of brain activity during position matching tasks performed with the right dominant and the left nondominant foot. Along with the brain activation, we assessed the performance during both ipsilateral and contralateral matching tasks. Subjects had lower errors when matching was performed by the left nondominant foot. The fMRI analysis suggested that the significant regions responsible for position sense are in the right parietal and frontal cortex, providing a first characterization of the neural correlates of foot position matching.
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Affiliation(s)
- Riccardo Iandolo
- Department of Robotics, Brain and Cognitive Science (RBCS)Italian Institute of TechnologyGenoaItaly
- Department of Informatics, Bioengineering, Robotics and Systems Engineering (DIBRIS)University of GenoaGenoaItaly
| | - Alessandro Bellini
- Department of Neuroscience, Rehabilitation, Ophthalmology, Genetics, Maternal and Child Health (DINOGMI)University of Genoa and IRCCS AOU San Martino‐ISTGenoaItaly
| | - Catarina Saiote
- Department of NeurologyMount Sinai School of MedicineNew YorkNew York
- Department of PsychiatryMount Sinai School of MedicineNew YorkNew York
| | - Ilaria Marre
- Department of Informatics, Bioengineering, Robotics and Systems Engineering (DIBRIS)University of GenoaGenoaItaly
| | - Giulia Bommarito
- Department of Neuroscience, Rehabilitation, Ophthalmology, Genetics, Maternal and Child Health (DINOGMI)University of Genoa and IRCCS AOU San Martino‐ISTGenoaItaly
| | - Niels Oesingmann
- Department of RadiologyMount Sinai School of MedicineNew YorkNew York
- UK Biobank StockportCheshireSK3 0SAUnited Kingdom
| | - Lazar Fleysher
- Department of NeurologyMount Sinai School of MedicineNew YorkNew York
| | - Giovanni Luigi Mancardi
- Department of Neuroscience, Rehabilitation, Ophthalmology, Genetics, Maternal and Child Health (DINOGMI)University of Genoa and IRCCS AOU San Martino‐ISTGenoaItaly
| | - Maura Casadio
- Department of Robotics, Brain and Cognitive Science (RBCS)Italian Institute of TechnologyGenoaItaly
- Department of Informatics, Bioengineering, Robotics and Systems Engineering (DIBRIS)University of GenoaGenoaItaly
| | - Matilde Inglese
- Department of Neuroscience, Rehabilitation, Ophthalmology, Genetics, Maternal and Child Health (DINOGMI)University of Genoa and IRCCS AOU San Martino‐ISTGenoaItaly
- Department of NeurologyMount Sinai School of MedicineNew YorkNew York
- Department of RadiologyMount Sinai School of MedicineNew YorkNew York
- Department of NeuroscienceMount Sinai School of MedicineNew YorkNew York
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Han J, Waddington G, Adams R, Anson J, Liu Y. Assessing proprioception: A critical review of methods. JOURNAL OF SPORT AND HEALTH SCIENCE 2016; 5:80-90. [PMID: 30356896 PMCID: PMC6191985 DOI: 10.1016/j.jshs.2014.10.004] [Citation(s) in RCA: 251] [Impact Index Per Article: 31.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/23/2014] [Revised: 09/25/2014] [Accepted: 10/20/2014] [Indexed: 05/12/2023]
Abstract
To control movement, the brain has to integrate proprioceptive information from a variety of mechanoreceptors. The role of proprioception in daily activities, exercise, and sports has been extensively investigated, using different techniques, yet the proprioceptive mechanisms underlying human movement control are still unclear. In the current work we have reviewed understanding of proprioception and the three testing methods: threshold to detection of passive motion, joint position reproduction, and active movement extent discrimination, all of which have been used for assessing proprioception. The origin of the methods, the different testing apparatus, and the procedures and protocols used in each approach are compared and discussed. Recommendations are made for choosing an appropriate technique when assessing proprioceptive mechanisms in different contexts.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jia Han
- Key Laboratory of Exercise and Health Sciences of Ministry of Education, Shanghai University of Sport, Shanghai 200438, China
- Research Institute for Sport and Exercise, University of Canberra, Canberra, ACT 2600, Australia
| | - Gordon Waddington
- Research Institute for Sport and Exercise, University of Canberra, Canberra, ACT 2600, Australia
| | - Roger Adams
- Research Institute for Sport and Exercise, University of Canberra, Canberra, ACT 2600, Australia
| | - Judith Anson
- Research Institute for Sport and Exercise, University of Canberra, Canberra, ACT 2600, Australia
| | - Yu Liu
- School of Kinesiology, Shanghai University of Sport, Shanghai 200438, China
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The Role of Ankle Proprioception for Balance Control in relation to Sports Performance and Injury. BIOMED RESEARCH INTERNATIONAL 2015; 2015:842804. [PMID: 26583139 PMCID: PMC4637080 DOI: 10.1155/2015/842804] [Citation(s) in RCA: 104] [Impact Index Per Article: 11.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/22/2015] [Accepted: 06/11/2015] [Indexed: 11/23/2022]
Abstract
Balance control improvement is one of the most important goals in sports and exercise. Better balance is strongly positively associated with enhanced athletic performance and negatively associated with lower limb sports injuries. Proprioception plays an essential role in balance control, and ankle proprioception is arguably the most important. This paper reviews ankle proprioception and explores synergies with balance control, specifically in a sporting context. Central processing of ankle proprioceptive information, along with other sensory information, enables integration for balance control. When assessing ankle proprioception, the most generalizable findings arise from methods that are ecologically valid, allow proprioceptive signals to be integrated with general vision in the central nervous system, and reflect the signal-in-noise nature of central processing. Ankle proprioceptive intervention concepts driven by such a central processing theory are further proposed and discussed for the improvement of balance control in sport.
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Agostini V, Lo Fermo F, Massazza G, Knaflitz M. Does texting while walking really affect gait in young adults? J Neuroeng Rehabil 2015; 12:86. [PMID: 26395248 PMCID: PMC4579642 DOI: 10.1186/s12984-015-0079-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 52] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/20/2015] [Accepted: 09/17/2015] [Indexed: 11/25/2022] Open
Abstract
Background Texting on a smartphone while walking has become a customary task among young adults. In recent literature many safety concerns on distracted walking have been raised. It is often hypothesized that the allocation of attentional resources toward a secondary task can influence dynamic stability. In the double task of walking and texting it was found that gait speed is reduced, but there is scarce evidence of a modified motor control strategy compromising stability. The aim of this study is twofold: 1) to comprehensively examine the gait modifications occurring when texting while walking, including the study of the lower limb muscle activation patterns, 2) to specifically assess the co-contraction of ankle antagonist muscles. We hypothesized that texting while walking increases co-contractions of ankle antagonist muscles when the body weight is transferred from one lower limb to the other, to improve the distal motor control and joint stabilization. Methods From the gait data collected during an instrumented walk lasting 3 min, we calculated the spatio-temporal parameters, the ankle and knee kinematics, the muscle activation patterns of tibialis anterior, gastrocnemius lateralis, peroneus longus, rectus femoris, and lateral hamstrings, and the co-contraction (occurrence and duration) of the ankle antagonist muscles (tibialis anterior and gastrocnemius lateralis), bilaterally. Results Young adults showed, overall, small gait modifications that could be mainly ascribable to gait speed reduction and a modified body posture due to phone handling. We found no significant alterations of ankle and knee kinematics and a slightly delayed activation onset of the left gastrocnemius lateralis. However, we found an increased co-contraction of tibialis anterior and gastrocnemius lateralis, especially during mid-stance. Conversely, we found a reduced co-contraction during terminal stance. Conclusions Our results suggest that, in young adults, there is an adjustment of the motor control strategy aimed at increasing ankle joint stability in a specific and “critical” phase of the gait cycle, when the body weight is transferred from one leg to the other.
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Affiliation(s)
- Valentina Agostini
- Dipartimento di Elettronica e Telecomunicazioni, Politecnico di Torino, Corso Duca degli Abruzzi 24, 10129, Torino, Italy.
| | | | - Giuseppe Massazza
- SC Medicina Fisica e Riabilitazione U, AO Città della Salute e della Scienza, Corso Bramante 82, 10126, Torino, Italy.
| | - Marco Knaflitz
- Dipartimento di Elettronica e Telecomunicazioni, Politecnico di Torino, Corso Duca degli Abruzzi 24, 10129, Torino, Italy.
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Pope PA, Brenton JW, Miall RC. Task-Specific Facilitation of Cognition by Anodal Transcranial Direct Current Stimulation of the Prefrontal Cortex. Cereb Cortex 2015; 25:4551-8. [PMID: 25979089 PMCID: PMC4816797 DOI: 10.1093/cercor/bhv094] [Citation(s) in RCA: 65] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/20/2022] Open
Abstract
We previously speculated that depression of cerebellar excitability using cathodal transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS) might release extra cognitive resources via the disinhibition of activity in prefrontal cortex. The objective of the present study was to investigate whether anodal tDCS over the prefrontal cortex could similarly improve performance when cognitive demands are high. Sixty-three right-handed participants in 3 separate groups performed the Paced Auditory Serial Addition Task (PASAT) and the more difficult Paced Auditory Serial Subtraction Task (PASST), before and after 20 min of anodal, cathodal, or sham stimulation over the left dorsolateral prefrontal cortex (DLPFC). Performance was assessed in terms of the accuracy, latency, and variability of correct verbal responses. All behavioral measures significantly improved for the PASST after anodal DLPFC stimulation, but not the PASAT. There were smaller practice effects after cathodal and sham stimulation. Subjective ratings of attention and mental fatigue were unchanged by tDCS over time. We conclude that anodal stimulation over the left DLPFC can selectively improve performance on a difficult cognitive task involving arithmetic processing, verbal working memory, and attention. This result might be achieved by focally improving executive functions and/or cognitive capacity when tasks are difficult, rather than by improving levels of arousal/alertness.
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Affiliation(s)
- Paul A Pope
- School of Psychology, University of Birmingham, Birmingham, UK
| | | | - R Chris Miall
- School of Psychology, University of Birmingham, Birmingham, UK
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Abstract
Numerous studies have emerged recently that demonstrate the possibility of modulating, and in some cases enhancing, cognitive processes by exciting brain regions involved in working memory and attention using transcranial electrical brain stimulation. Some researchers now believe the cerebellum supports cognition, possibly via a remote neuromodulatory effect on the prefrontal cortex. This paper describes a procedure for investigating a role for the cerebellum in cognition using transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS), and a selection of information-processing tasks of varying task difficulty, which have previously been shown to involve working memory, attention and cerebellar functioning. One task is called the Paced Auditory Serial Addition Task (PASAT) and the other a novel variant of this task called the Paced Auditory Serial Subtraction Task (PASST). A verb generation task and its two controls (noun and verb reading) were also investigated. All five tasks were performed by three separate groups of participants, before and after the modulation of cortico-cerebellar connectivity using anodal, cathodal or sham tDCS over the right cerebellar cortex. The procedure demonstrates how performance (accuracy, verbal response latency and variability) could be selectively improved after cathodal stimulation, but only during tasks that the participants rated as difficult, and not easy. Performance was unchanged by anodal or sham stimulation. These findings demonstrate a role for the cerebellum in cognition, whereby activity in the left prefrontal cortex is likely dis-inhibited by cathodal tDCS over the right cerebellar cortex. Transcranial brain stimulation is growing in popularity in various labs and clinics. However, the after-effects of tDCS are inconsistent between individuals and not always polarity-specific, and may even be task- or load-specific, all of which requires further study. Future efforts might also be guided towards neuro-enhancement in cerebellar patients presenting with cognitive impairment once a better understanding of brain stimulation mechanisms has emerged.
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Affiliation(s)
- Paul A Pope
- School of Psychology, University of Birmingham;
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