Chapter 30 Head kinematic during various motor tasks in humans

Sleep is a process, which happens in human body and has many functions. One relatively recently studied function of sleep is its involvement in the motor learning process. This paper presents a historical overview of the studies on sleep, and the results of two experimental research studies that explore the motor learning of a simple finger tapping tasks performed by adults, and the sleep habits of boys practicing sports. The research results show that sleep has an effect on improving motion retention of simple motor tasks, and that sports improve sleep for boys, thus contributing to better learning.

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Accurate Tongue–Palate Pressure Sensing Device to Study Speech Production and Swallowing in Patients with Complete Denture

European Journal of Dentistry ◽

10.1055/s-0040-1717002 ◽

2021 ◽

Author(s):

Bharat Mirchandani ◽

Pascal Perrier ◽

Brigitte Grosgogeat ◽

Christophe Jeannin

Keyword(s):

Speech Production ◽

Temporal Variations ◽

Complete Denture ◽

Positive Pressure ◽

Single Subject ◽

Audio Signals ◽

Motor Tasks ◽

Pressure Sensing ◽

French Speaking ◽

Swallowing Pressure

Abstract Objectives The mechanical interactions between tongue and palate are crucial for speech production and swallowing. In this study, we present examples of pressure signals that can be recorded with our PRESLA system (PRESLA holds for the French expression “PRESsion de la LAngue” [Pressure from the tongue]) to assess these motor functions, and we illustrate which issues can be tackled with such a system. Materials and Methods A single French-speaking edentulous subject, old wearer of a complete denture, with no speech production and swallowing disorders, was recorded during the production of nonsense words including French alveolar fricatives, and during dry and water swallowing. The PRESLA system used strain-gauge transducers that were inserted into holes drilled in the palatal surface of a duplicate of the prosthesis at six locations that were relevant for speech production and swallowing. Pressure signals were postsynchronized with the motor tasks based on audio signals. Results Patterns of temporal variations of the pressure exerted by the tongue on the palate are shown for the two studied motor tasks. It is shown for our single subject that patterns for fricative /s/ are essentially bell shaped, whereas pressure signals observed for water swallow begin with a maximum followed by a slow decrease during the rest of the positive pressure phase. Pressure magnitude is almost 20 times larger for water swallow than for /s/ production. Conclusions This study illustrates the usefulness of our PRESLA system for studying speech production and swallowing motor control under normal and pathological conditions.

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Changes in Sensorimotor Cortical Activation in Children Using Prostheses and Prosthetic Simulators

Brain Sciences ◽

10.3390/brainsci11080991 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 11 (8) ◽

pp. 991

Author(s):

Christopher Copeland ◽

Mukul Mukherjee ◽

Yingying Wang ◽

Kaitlin Fraser ◽

Jorge M. Zuniga

Keyword(s):

Near Infrared ◽

Primary Motor Cortex ◽

Tactile Feedback ◽

Cortical Activation ◽

Typically Developing ◽

Neural Responses ◽

Motor Tasks ◽

Functional Near Infrared Spectroscopy ◽

Limb Reduction ◽

Motor Dexterity

This study aimed to examine the neural responses of children using prostheses and prosthetic simulators to better elucidate the emulation abilities of the simulators. We utilized functional near-infrared spectroscopy (fNIRS) to evaluate the neural response in five children with a congenital upper limb reduction (ULR) using a body-powered prosthesis to complete a 60 s gross motor dexterity task. The ULR group was matched with five typically developing children (TD) using their non-preferred hand and a prosthetic simulator on the same hand. The ULR group had lower activation within the primary motor cortex (M1) and supplementary motor area (SMA) compared to the TD group, but nonsignificant differences in the primary somatosensory area (S1). Compared to using their non-preferred hand, the TD group exhibited significantly higher action in S1 when using the simulator, but nonsignificant differences in M1 and SMA. The non-significant differences in S1 activation between groups and the increased activation evoked by the simulator’s use may suggest rapid changes in feedback prioritization during tool use. We suggest that prosthetic simulators may elicit increased reliance on proprioceptive and tactile feedback during motor tasks. This knowledge may help to develop future prosthesis rehabilitative training or the improvement of tool-based skills.

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Limb and trunk accelerometer data collected with wearable sensors from subjects with Parkinson’s disease

Scientific Data ◽

10.1038/s41597-021-00831-z ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 8 (1) ◽

Cited By ~ 1

Author(s):

Gloria Vergara-Diaz ◽

Jean-Francois Daneault ◽

Federico Parisi ◽

Chen Admati ◽

Christina Alfonso ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Parkinson’S Disease ◽

Parkinson's Disease ◽

Symptom Severity ◽

Wearable Sensors ◽

Motor Fluctuations ◽

Sensor Data ◽

Accelerometer Data ◽

Motor Tasks ◽

Specific Symptom ◽

At Home

AbstractParkinson’s disease (PD) is a neurodegenerative disorder characterized by motor and non-motor symptoms. Dyskinesia and motor fluctuations are complications of PD medications. An objective measure of on/off time with/without dyskinesia has been sought for some time because it would facilitate the titration of medications. The objective of the dataset herein presented is to assess if wearable sensor data can be used to generate accurate estimates of limb-specific symptom severity. Nineteen subjects with PD experiencing motor fluctuations were asked to wear a total of five wearable sensors on both forearms and shanks, as well as on the lower back. Accelerometer data was collected for four days, including two laboratory visits lasting 3 to 4 hours each while the remainder of the time was spent at home and in the community. During the laboratory visits, subjects performed a battery of motor tasks while clinicians rated limb-specific symptom severity. At home, subjects were instructed to use a smartphone app that guided the periodic performance of a set of motor tasks.

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A custom-made MR-compatible passive device for FMRI investigations in neural correlates of ankle movements during motor tasks

Physica Medica ◽

10.1016/j.ejmp.2016.01.444 ◽

2016 ◽

Vol 32 ◽

pp. 128-129

Author(s):

F. Levrero ◽

A. Bellini ◽

R. Iandolo ◽

I. Marre ◽

G. Bommarito ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Neural Correlates ◽

Motor Tasks ◽

Passive Device ◽

Custom Made

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Objective Assessment of Walking Impairments in Myotonic Dystrophy by Means of a Wearable Technology and a Novel Severity Index

Electronics ◽

10.3390/electronics10060708 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 10 (6) ◽

pp. 708

Author(s):

Giovanni Saggio ◽

Alessandro Manoni ◽

Vito Errico ◽

Erica Frezza ◽

Ivan Mazzetta ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Myotonic Dystrophy ◽

Plantar Flexion ◽

Objective Assessment ◽

Endocrine System ◽

Severity Index ◽

Motor Tasks ◽

Sensing Technology ◽

Fast Pace ◽

Dominant Disease ◽

Healthy Control

Myotonic dystrophy type 1 (DM1) is a genetic inherited autosomal dominant disease characterized by multisystem involvement, including muscle, heart, brain, eye, and endocrine system. Although several methods are available to evaluate muscle strength, endurance, and dexterity, there are no validated outcome measures aimed at objectively evaluating qualitative and quantitative gait alterations. Advantageously, wearable sensing technology has been successfully adopted in objectifying the assessment of motor disabilities in different medical occurrences, so that here we consider the adoption of such technology specifically for DM1. In particular, we measured motor tasks through inertial measurement units on a cohort of 13 DM1 patients and 11 healthy control counterparts. The motor tasks consisted of 16 meters of walking both at a comfortable speed and fast pace. Measured data consisted of plantar-flexion and dorsi-flexion angles assumed by both ankles, so to objectively evidence the footdrop behavior of the DM1 disease, and to define a novel severity index, termed SI-Norm2, to rate the grade of walking impairments. According to the obtained results, our approach could be useful for a more precise stratification of DM1 patients, providing a new tool for a personalized rehabilitation approach.

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Interactive effects of incentive value and valence on the performance of discrete action sequences

Scientific Reports ◽

10.1038/s41598-021-88286-5 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 11 (1) ◽

Author(s):

Tyler J. Adkins ◽

Bradley S. Gary ◽

Taraz G. Lee

Keyword(s):

Motor Learning ◽

Large Body ◽

Interactive Effects ◽

Motor Tasks ◽

Skill Retention ◽

Incentive Value ◽

Discrete Action ◽

On Line ◽

And Performance ◽

Gains And Losses

AbstractIncentives can be used to increase motivation, leading to better learning and performance on skilled motor tasks. Prior work has shown that monetary punishments enhance on-line performance while equivalent monetary rewards enhance off-line skill retention. However, a large body of literature on loss aversion has shown that losses are treated as larger than equivalent gains. The divergence between the effects of punishments and reward on motor learning could be due to perceived differences in incentive value rather than valence per se. We test this hypothesis by manipulating incentive value and valence while participants trained to perform motor sequences. Consistent with our hypothesis, we found that large reward enhanced on-line performance but impaired the ability to retain the level of performance achieved during training. However, we also found that on-line performance was better with reward than punishment and that the effect of increasing incentive value was more linear with reward (small, medium, large) while the effect of value was more binary with punishment (large vs not large). These results suggest that there are differential effects of punishment and reward on motor learning and that these effects of valence are unlikely to be driven by differences in the subjective magnitude of gains and losses.

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