T The long-term objective of this project is to understand how sensorimotor integration contributes to postural stability in humans. A complete understanding of postural control requires knowledge of how the central nervous system (CNS) integrates body-orientation information from multiple sensory sources to generate appropriate balance corrections in response to changing environmental conditions and how biomechanics influence the use of sensory information for postural control. The central hypothesis of this proposal is that the CNS actively regulates sensory integration to achieve optimal dynamic control of balance in environments that alter the available sensory-orientation information and in conditions where biomechanical factors constrain body motion and alter stability limits. The proposed work has three specific aims.
The first aim i s to identify the passive, biomechanically related and active, neurally-mediated contributions to the generation of balance corrections required for balance control in the sagittal plane. Passive and active mechanisms will be distinguished from one another based on the timing of body-sway responses evoked by continuous perturbations to balance. The postural control system will also be challenged by artificially delaying the arrival of sensory-orientation information to determine how subjects compensate for delayed sensory feedback.
The second aim i s to determine the ability of the postural control system to integrate multiple sources of sensory-orientation information. The hypothesis is that sensory integration is achieved by a weighted combination of sensory cues, the weighting factors change as a function of environmental and biomechanical conditions, and the selection of weighting factors is determined by an optimal-control strategy.
The third aim i s to characterize the sensorimotor integration strategies used for the control of body sway in the frontal plane and to determine how biomechanical constraints due to changes in stance width influence the sensorimotor-integration process. The proposed research relies on a model-based approach to explain and to predict postural behavior in a variety of environments and experimental conditions. Methodology developed in engineering disciplines for system identification will be used extensively. Abnormalities involving the active regulation of sensorimotor integration may be an unrecognized source of instability and falls. A better understanding of these active regulatory processes may lead to new rehabilitative methods and new clinical balance-function tests.

Agency
National Institute of Health (NIH)
Institute
National Institute on Aging (NIA)
Type
Research Project (R01)
Project #
5R01AG017960-08
Application #
7615578
Study Section
Sensorimotor Integration Study Section (SMI)
Program Officer
Chen, Wen G
Project Start
2000-09-30
Project End
2011-04-30
Budget Start
2009-05-01
Budget End
2011-04-30
Support Year
8
Fiscal Year
2009
Total Cost
$293,355
Indirect Cost
Name
Oregon Health and Science University
Department
Type
Schools of Medicine
DUNS #
096997515
City
Portland
State
OR
Country
United States
Zip Code
97239
Goodworth, Adam D; Mellodge, Patricia; Peterka, Robert J (2014) Stance width changes how sensory feedback is used for multisegmental balance control. J Neurophysiol 112:525-42
Goodworth, Adam D; Peterka, Robert J (2012) Sensorimotor integration for multisegmental frontal plane balance control in humans. J Neurophysiol 107:12-28
Dozza, Marco; Chiari, Lorenzo; Peterka, Robert J et al. (2011) What is the most effective type of audio-biofeedback for postural motor learning? Gait Posture 34:313-9
van der Kooij, Herman; Peterka, Robert J (2011) Non-linear stimulus-response behavior of the human stance control system is predicted by optimization of a system with sensory and motor noise. J Comput Neurosci 30:759-78
Goodworth, Adam D; Peterka, Robert J (2010) Influence of stance width on frontal plane postural dynamics and coordination in human balance control. J Neurophysiol 104:1103-18
Goodworth, Adam D; Peterka, Robert J (2010) Influence of bilateral vestibular loss on spinal stabilization in humans. J Neurophysiol 103:1978-87
Goodworth, Adam D; Wall 3rd, Conrad; Peterka, Robert J (2009) Influence of feedback parameters on performance of a vibrotactile balance prosthesis. IEEE Trans Neural Syst Rehabil Eng 17:397-408
Peterka, Robert J (2009) Comparison of human and humanoid robot control of upright stance. J Physiol Paris 103:149-58
Goodworth, Adam D; Peterka, Robert J (2009) Contribution of sensorimotor integration to spinal stabilization in humans. J Neurophysiol 102:496-512
Kluzik, Joann; Peterka, Robert J; Horak, Fay B (2007) Adaptation of postural orientation to changes in surface inclination. Exp Brain Res 178:1-17

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