scholarly journals Asymmetric Gait Patterns Alter the Reactive Control of Intersegmental Coordination Patterns during Walking

2019 ◽  
Author(s):  
Chang Liu ◽  
James M. Finley

AbstractRecovery from perturbations during walking is primarily mediated by reactive control strategies that coordinate multiple body segments to maintain balance. Balance control is often impaired in clinical populations who walk with spatiotemporally asymmetric gait, and, as a result, rehabilitation efforts often seek to reduce asymmetries in these populations. Previous work has demonstrated that the presence of spatiotemporal asymmetries during walking does not impair the control of whole-body dynamics during perturbation recovery. However, it remains to be seen how the neuromotor system adjusts intersegmental coordination patterns to maintain invariant whole-body dynamics. Here, we determined if the neuromotor system generates stereotypical coordination patterns irrespective of the level of asymmetry or if the neuromotor system allows for variance in intersegmental coordination patterns to stabilize whole-body dynamics. Nineteen healthy participants walked on a dual-belt treadmill at a range of step length asymmetries, and they responded to unpredictable, slip-like perturbations. We used principal component analysis of segmental angular momenta to characterize intersegmental coordination patterns before, during, and after imposed perturbations. We found that two principal components were sufficient to explain ~ 95% of the variance in segmental angular momentum during both steading walking and responses to perturbations. Our results also revealed that walking with asymmetric step lengths led to changes in intersegmental coordination patterns during the perturbation and during subsequent recovery steps without affecting whole-body angular momentum. These results suggest that the nervous system allows for variance in segment-level coordination patterns to maintain invariant control of whole-body angular momentum during walking. Future studies exploring how these segmental coordination patterns change in individuals with asymmetries that result from neuromotor impairments can provide further insight into how the healthy and impaired nervous system regulates dynamic balance during walking.

2019 ◽  
Author(s):  
Sungwoo Park ◽  
James M. Finley

AbstractA fundamental feature of human locomotor control is the need to adapt our walking pattern in response to changes in the environment. For example, when people walk on a split-belt treadmill which has belts that move at different speeds, they adapt to the asymmetric speed constraints by reducing their spatiotemporal asymmetry. Here, we aim to understand the role of stability as a potential factor driving this adaptation process. We recruited 24 healthy, young adults to adapt to walking on a split-belt treadmill while either holding on to a handrail or walking with free arm swing. We measured whole-body angular momentum and step length asymmetry as measures of dynamic balance and spatiotemporal asymmetry, respectively. To understand how changes in intersegmental coordination influenced measures of dynamic balance, we also measured segmental angular momenta and the coefficient of limb cancellation. When participants were initially exposed to the asymmetry in belt speeds, we observed an increase in whole-body angular momentum that was due to both an increase in the momentum of individual limb segments and a reduction in limb cancellation. Holding on to a handrail reduced the perturbation to asymmetry during the early phase of adaptation and resulted in a smaller after-effect during post-adaptation. In addition, the stabilization provided by holding on to a handrail led to reductions in the coupling between angular momentum and asymmetry. These results suggest that regulation of dynamic balance is most important during the initial, transient phase of adaptation to walking on a split-belt treadmill.Summary StatementRegulation of balance exhibits a transient effect on adaptation to imposed asymmetries during bipedal walking. External stabilization attenuates initial deviations in spatiotemporal asymmetry but has no effect on subsequent adaptation.


Author(s):  
Richard R. Neptune ◽  
Craig P. McGowan

Walking is a complex dynamic task that requires the generation of whole-body angular momentum to maintain dynamic balance and perform a wide range of locomotor tasks. Previous studies have shown that controlling angular momentum is essential to maintaining dynamic balance and preventing falls during walking [1] and recovering from a trip [2]. Others have suggested that angular momentum is highly regulated by the central nervous system [3] and that control synergies may be used to provide this regulation [4].


Endocrinology ◽  
2008 ◽  
Vol 150 (5) ◽  
pp. 2175-2182 ◽  
Author(s):  
Matthew R. Hayes ◽  
Karolina P. Skibicka ◽  
Kendra K. Bence ◽  
Harvey J. Grill

The fuel-sensing enzyme AMP-activated protein kinase (AMPK) has been implicated in central nervous system control of energy balance. Hypothalamic AMPK activity is increased by food deprivation, and this elevation is inhibited by refeeding or by leptin treatment. The contribution of extrahypothalamic AMPK activity in energy balance control has not been addressed. Here, we investigate the effects of physiological state on the AMPK activity in hindbrain nucleus tractus solitarius (NTS) neurons because treatments that reduce energy availability in these neurons trigger behavioral, endocrine, and autonomic responses to restore energy balance. Food-deprived rats showed significantly increased AMPK activity in both NTS- and hypothalamus-enriched lysates compared with those that were ad libitum fed. Pharmacological inhibition of AMPK activity in medial NTS neurons, by intraparenchymal injection of compound C, suppressed food intake and body weight gain compared with vehicle. Fourth ventricle (4th icv) compound C delivery increased heart rate and spontaneous activity in free-moving rats. Suppression of AMPK activity has been implicated in leptin’s anorectic action in the hypothalamus. Given the role of leptin signaling in food intake inhibition within the medial NTS, we also examined whether stimulation of hindbrain AMPK by 4th icv administration of 5-aminoimidazole-4-carboxamide-riboside (AICAR), an AMP-mimicking promoter of AMPK activity, could attenuate the inhibition of food intake by 4th icv leptin. The intake-suppressive effects of leptin (at 2 and 4 h) were completely reversed by AICAR. We conclude that 1) hindbrain AMPK activity contributes to energy balance control through regulation of food intake and energy expenditure, 2) leptin’s intake-reducing effects in the NTS are meditated by AMPK, and 3) central nervous system AMPK controls whole-body homeostasis at anatomically distributed sites across the neuraxis.


2021 ◽  
Vol 11 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Jérémie Begue ◽  
Nicolas Peyrot ◽  
Angélique Lesport ◽  
Nicolas A. Turpin ◽  
Bruno Watier ◽  
...  

AbstractRecent evidence suggests that during volitional stepping older adults control whole-body angular momentum (H) less effectively than younger adults, which may impose a greater challenge for balance control during this task in the elderly. This study investigated the influence of aging on the segment angular momenta and their contributions to H during stepping. Eighteen old and 15 young healthy adults were instructed to perform a series of stepping at two speed conditions: preferred and as fast as possible. Full-body kinematics were recorded to compute angular momenta of the trunk, arms and legs and their contributions to total absolute H on the entire stepping movement. Results indicated that older adults exhibited larger angular momenta of the trunk and legs in the sagittal plane, which contributed to a higher sagittal plane H range during stepping compared to young adults. Results also revealed that older adults had a greater trunk contribution and lower leg contribution to total absolute H in the sagittal plane compared to young adults, even though there was no difference in the other two planes. These results stress that age-related changes in H control during stepping arise as a result of changes in trunk and leg rotational dynamics.


2018 ◽  
Vol 120 (4) ◽  
pp. 2066-2082 ◽  
Author(s):  
Alexander Stamenkovic ◽  
Paul J. Stapley ◽  
Rebecca Robins ◽  
Mark A. Hollands

If a whole body reaching task is produced when standing or adopting challenging postures, it is unclear whether changes in attentional demands or the sensorimotor integration necessary for balance control influence the interaction between visuomotor and postural components of the movement. Is gaze control prioritized by the central nervous system (CNS) to produce coordinated eye movements with the head and whole body regardless of movement context? Considering the coupled nature of visuomotor and whole body postural control during action, this study aimed to understand how changing equilibrium constraints (in the form of different postural configurations) influenced the initiation of eye, head, and arm movements. We quantified the eye-head metrics and segmental kinematics as participants executed either isolated gaze shifts or whole body reaching movements to visual targets. In total, four postural configurations were compared: seated, natural stance, with the feet together (narrow stance), or while balancing on a wooden beam. Contrary to our initial predictions, the lack of distinct changes in eye-head metrics; timing of eye, head, and arm movement initiation; and gaze accuracy, in spite of kinematic differences, suggests that the CNS integrates postural constraints into the control necessary to initiate gaze shifts. This may be achieved by adopting a whole body gaze strategy that allows for the successful completion of both gaze and reaching goals. NEW & NOTEWORTHY Differences in sequence of movement among the eye, head, and arm have been shown across various paradigms during reaching. Here we show that distinct changes in eye characteristics and movement sequence, coupled with stereotyped profiles of head and gaze movement, are not observed when adopting postures requiring changes to balance constraints. This suggests that a whole body gaze strategy is prioritized by the central nervous system with postural control subservient to gaze stability requirements.


Author(s):  
Ming-Hsin Li ◽  
Han-Chih Chang ◽  
Chun-Fang Feng ◽  
Hung-Wen Yu ◽  
Chyng-Yann Shiue

Background:: Epigenetic dysfunction is implicated in many neurologic, psychiatric and oncologic diseases. Consequently, histone deacetylases (HDACs) inhibitors have been developed as therapeutic and imaging agents for these diseases. However, only a few radiotracers have been developed as HDACs imaging agents for the central nervous system (CNS). We report herein the synthesis and evaluation of [18F]INER-1577-3 ([18F]5) as an HDACs imaging agent for CNS. Methods:: [18F]INER-1577-3 ([18F]5) was synthesized by two methods: one-step (A) and two-step (B) methods. Briefly, radiofluorination of the corresponding precursors (11, 12) with K[18F]/K2.2.2 followed by purifications with HPLC gave ([18F]5). The quality of [18F]INER- 1577-3 synthesized by these methods was verified by HPLC and TLC as compared to an authentic sample. The inhibitions of [18F]INER-1577-3 and related HDACs inhibitors on tumor cells growth were carried out with breast cancer cell line 4T1 and MCF-7. The whole-body and brain uptake of [18F]INER-1577-3 in rats and AD mice were determined using a micro-PET scanner and the data was analyzed using PMOD. Results: : The radiochemical yield of [18F]INER-1577-3 synthesized by these two methods was 1.4 % (Method A) and 8.8% (Method B) (EOB), respectively. The synthesis time was 115 min and 100 min, respectively, from EOB. The inhibition studies showed that INER-1577-3 has a significant inhibitory effect in HDAC6 and HDAC8 but not HDAC2. PET studies in rats and AD mice showed a maximum at about 15 min postinjection for the whole brain of a rat (0.47 ± 0.03 %ID/g), SAMP8 mice (5.63 ± 1.09 %ID/g) and SAMR1 mice (7.23 ± 1.21 %ID/g). Conclusion:: This study showed that INER-1577-3 can inhibit tumor cell growth and is one of a few HDACs inhibitors that can penetrate the blood-brain barrier (BBB) and monitor HDAC activities in AD mice. Thus, [18F]INER-1577-3 may be a potent HDACs imaging agent, especially for CNS.


2021 ◽  
pp. 154596832110193
Author(s):  
Sungwoo Park ◽  
Chang Liu ◽  
Natalia Sánchez ◽  
Julie K. Tilson ◽  
Sara J. Mulroy ◽  
...  

Background People poststroke often walk with a spatiotemporally asymmetric gait, due in part to sensorimotor impairments in the paretic lower extremity. Although reducing asymmetry is a common objective of rehabilitation, the effects of improving symmetry on balance are yet to be determined. Objective We established the concurrent validity of whole-body angular momentum as a measure of balance, and we determined if reducing step length asymmetry would improve balance by decreasing whole-body angular momentum. Methods We performed clinical balance assessments and measured whole-body angular momentum during walking using a full-body marker set in a sample of 36 people with chronic stroke. We then used a biofeedback-based approach to modify step length asymmetry in a subset of 15 of these individuals who had marked asymmetry and we measured the resulting changes in whole-body angular momentum. Results When participants walked without biofeedback, whole-body angular momentum in the sagittal and frontal plane was negatively correlated with scores on the Berg Balance Scale and Functional Gait Assessment supporting the validity of whole-body angular momentum as an objective measure of dynamic balance. We also observed that when participants walked more symmetrically, their whole-body angular momentum in the sagittal plane increased rather than decreased. Conclusions Voluntary reductions of step length asymmetry in people poststroke resulted in reduced measures of dynamic balance. This is consistent with the idea that after stroke, individuals might have an implicit preference not to deviate from their natural asymmetry while walking because it could compromise their balance. Clinical Trials Number: NCT03916562.


2021 ◽  
pp. 1-16
Author(s):  
Alexander Yang Hui Xiang ◽  
Prashanna Khwaounjoo ◽  
Yusuf Ozgur Cakmak

BACKGROUND: Neural circuits allow whole-body yaw rotation to modulate vagal parasympathetic activity, which alters beat-to-beat variation in heart rate. The overall output of spinning direction, as well as vestibular-visual interactions on vagal activity still needs to be investigated. OBJECTIVE: This study investigated direction-dependent effects of visual and natural vestibular stimulation on two autonomic responses: heart rate variability (HRV) and pupil diameter. METHODS: Healthy human male subjects (n = 27) underwent constant whole-body yaw rotation with eyes open and closed in the clockwise (CW) and anticlockwise (ACW) directions, at 90°/s for two minutes. Subjects also viewed the same spinning environments on video in a VR headset. RESULTS: CW spinning significantly decreased parasympathetic vagal activity in all conditions (CW open p = 0.0048, CW closed p = 0.0151, CW VR p = 0.0019,), but not ACW spinning (ACW open p = 0.2068, ACW closed p = 0.7755, ACW VR p = 0.1775,) as indicated by an HRV metric, the root mean square of successive RR interval differences (RMSSD). There were no direction-dependent effects of constant spinning on sympathetic activity inferred through the HRV metrics, stress index (SI), sympathetic nervous system index (SNS index) and pupil diameter. Neuroplasticity in the CW eyes closed and CW VR conditions post stimulation was observed. CONCLUSIONS: Only one direction of yaw spinning, and visual flow caused vagal nerve neuromodulation and neuroplasticity, resulting in an inhibition of parasympathetic activity on the heart, to the same extent in either vestibular or visual stimulation. These results indicate that visual flow in VR can be used as a non-electrical method for vagus nerve inhibition without the need for body motion in the treatment of disorders with vagal overactivity. The findings are also important for VR and spinning chair based autonomic nervous system modulation protocols, and the effects of motion integrated VR.


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