{"title":"Are there changes in postural regulation across the lifespan?","authors":"René Schwesig, David Fischer, Alexander Kluttig","doi":"10.3109/08990220.2013.779245","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.3109/08990220.2013.779245","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>The purpose was to obtain parameters of postural regulation (n = 1724) of asymptomatic subjects (6-97 years). The maximum postural stability and capacity of postural subsystems were calculated for the age ranges from 34 to 35 years (men) and from 38 to 44 years (women). A significant decline in postural performance was observed in the 40s (men) and 50s (women). Data can be used in the evaluation of dizziness and balance disorders in people of all ages.</p>","PeriodicalId":94211,"journal":{"name":"Somatosensory & motor research","volume":" ","pages":"167-74"},"PeriodicalIF":0.9,"publicationDate":"2013-12-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://sci-hub-pdf.com/10.3109/08990220.2013.779245","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"40246345","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"Different motor learning effects on excitability changes of motor cortex in muscle contraction state.","authors":"Kenichi Sugawara, Shigeo Tanabe, Tomotaka Suzuki, Toshio Higashi","doi":"10.3109/08990220.2013.779244","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.3109/08990220.2013.779244","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>We aimed to investigate whether motor learning induces different excitability changes in the human motor cortex (M1) between two different muscle contraction states (before voluntary contraction [static] or during voluntary contraction [dynamic]). For the same, using motor evoked potentials (MEPs) obtained by transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS), we compared excitability changes during these two states after pinch-grip motor skill learning. The participants performed a force output tracking task by pinch grip on a computer screen. TMS was applied prior to the pinch grip (static) and after initiation of voluntary contraction (dynamic). MEPs of the following muscles were recorded: first dorsal interosseous (FDI), thenar muscle (Thenar), flexor carpi radialis (FCR), and extensor carpi radialis (ECR) muscles. During both the states, motor skill training led to significant improvement of motor performance. During the static state, MEPs of the FDI muscle were significantly facilitated after motor learning; however, during the dynamic state, MEPs of the FDI, Thenar, and FCR muscles were significantly decreased. Based on the results of this study, we concluded that excitability changes in the human M1 are differentially influenced during different voluntary contraction states (static and dynamic) after motor learning.</p>","PeriodicalId":94211,"journal":{"name":"Somatosensory & motor research","volume":" ","pages":"133-9"},"PeriodicalIF":0.9,"publicationDate":"2013-09-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://sci-hub-pdf.com/10.3109/08990220.2013.779244","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"40249642","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"Cortical control of tongue protrusion and lateral movements in the cat.","authors":"Hisao Hiraba, Takako Sato, Satoshi Nishimura, Masaru Yamaoka, Hisako Ishiyama, Koichiro Ueda","doi":"10.3109/08990220.2013.771119","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.3109/08990220.2013.771119","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Based on area P lesion experiments, we hypothesized that tongue protrusion adapted for licking might be regulated by the lateral wall of the presylvian sulcus (bilateral areas P) of the cerebral cortex (Hiraba H, Sato T, Nakakawa K, Ueda K. 2009. Cortical control of appropriate tongue protrusion during licking in cats--Increase in regional cerebral blood flow (rCBF) of the contralateral area P and in tongue protrusion after the unilateral area P lesion. Somatosens Mot Res 26:82-89). We propose that the right and left lingual muscles are dominated by the right and left hypoglossal nucleus, respectively, and that right and left pyramidal cells projecting to the right and left hypoglossal nucleus, respectively, exist in unilateral area P. These cells project via an inhibitory interneuron relay to the lateral branches toward the left or right pyramidal cells in contralateral area P. In this study, we aimed to demonstrate the existence of inhibitory interneurons using injections of a gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA) agonist (muscimol), a GABA antagonist (bicuculline), and kainic acid into unilateral area P, followed by examination of tongue protrusion and lateral movements during trained licking and changes in regional cerebral blood flow (rCBF) values in the contralateral area P. We found disordered protrusion toward both sides and a marked decrease in rCBF values in the contralateral area P after bicuculline injection. We also found abnormal tongue protrusion toward the front and a marked increase in rCBF values after muscimol and kainic acid injections. These results suggest that cortical networks between the bilateral areas P are relayed by inhibitory interneurons.</p>","PeriodicalId":94211,"journal":{"name":"Somatosensory & motor research","volume":" ","pages":"96-108"},"PeriodicalIF":0.9,"publicationDate":"2013-06-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://sci-hub-pdf.com/10.3109/08990220.2013.771119","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"40246165","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"The effect of stimulus number on the stability of responses for an extensive heat pain test.","authors":"Chee-Wee Tan, Shea T Palmer, Denis J Martin","doi":"10.3109/08990220.2012.671203","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.3109/08990220.2012.671203","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Background: </strong>The use of relatively lower stimulus presentation numbers in quantitative sensory testing may influence the computation accuracy of participants' discriminability. The minimum trial number for obtaining a stabilized participant discrimination ability was determined.</p><p><strong>Materials and methods: </strong>Twelve participants' ability to discriminate between noxious heat stimuli pairs (45°C/46°C, 46°C/47°C, and 47°C/48°C) was assessed using a six-category confidence rating scale. Heat stimuli were administered to the forearm. Two conditions with presentation numbers of 17 trials per stimulus (representing the median number of trials in previous studies) and 40 trials per stimulus (used in a previous study with a similar protocol) were used.</p><p><strong>Results and discussion: </strong>Participants' discriminability stabilized at approximately the 20th trial based on the lowest frequency of indeterminate and non-model conforming results under both conditions. A simple linear regression model showed a statistically significant positive relationship between discriminability for the two conditions (slope = 0.65, p < 0.001; constant = 0.33, p = 0.02; r(2 )= 0.51). As a rule of thumb, approximately 20 trials per stimulus intensity could be used to obtain a stabilized discriminability outcome.</p>","PeriodicalId":94211,"journal":{"name":"Somatosensory & motor research","volume":" ","pages":"62-9"},"PeriodicalIF":0.9,"publicationDate":"2012-01-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://sci-hub-pdf.com/10.3109/08990220.2012.671203","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"40174053","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Amauri Dalacorte, Mirna Wetters Portuguez, Carlos Magno Maurer das Neves, Maurício Anes, Jaderson Costa Dacosta
{"title":"Functional MRI evaluation of supplementary motor area language dominance in right- and left-handed subjects.","authors":"Amauri Dalacorte, Mirna Wetters Portuguez, Carlos Magno Maurer das Neves, Maurício Anes, Jaderson Costa Dacosta","doi":"10.3109/08990220.2012.662418","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.3109/08990220.2012.662418","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) is a non-invasive brain imaging technique widely used in the evaluation of the brain function that provides images with high temporal and spatial resolution. Investigation of the supplementary motor area (SMA) function is critical in the pre-surgical evaluation of neurological patients, since marked individual differences and complex overlapping with adjacent cortical areas exist, and it is important to spare the SMA from lesions when adjacent cortical tissue is surgically removed. We used fMRI to assess the activity of SMA in six right-handed and six left-handed healthy volunteers when a task requiring silent repetition of a series of words was given. Brain activation areas in each of the subjects were localized according to the standard Talairach coordinate space, and the individual voxels for each map were compared after 3D sagittal images were created and SMA was delimited. Quantitative analysis of hemispheric and bilateral SMA activation was described as mean ± standard deviation of hot points/total points. The results show that the language task induced bilateral SMA activation. Left SMA activation was significantly higher than right SMA activation in both right-handed and left-handed subjects.</p>","PeriodicalId":94211,"journal":{"name":"Somatosensory & motor research","volume":" ","pages":"52-61"},"PeriodicalIF":0.9,"publicationDate":"2012-01-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://sci-hub-pdf.com/10.3109/08990220.2012.662418","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"40175344","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}