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Journal of Neurophysiology Oct 2021During active object manipulation, the finger-object interactions give rise to complex fingertip skin deformations. These deformations are in turn encoded by the local...
During active object manipulation, the finger-object interactions give rise to complex fingertip skin deformations. These deformations are in turn encoded by the local tactile afferents and provide rich and behaviorally relevant information to the central nervous system. Most of the work studying the mechanical response of the finger to dynamic loading has been performed under a passive setup, thereby precisely controlling the kinematics or the dynamics of the loading. However, to identify aspects of the deformations that are relevant to online control during object manipulation, it is desirable to measure the skin response in an active setup. To that end, we developed a device that allows us to monitor finger forces, skin deformations, and kinematics during fine manipulation. We describe the device in detail and test it to precisely describe how the fingertip skin in contact with the object deforms during a simple vertical oscillation task. We show that the level of grip force directly influences the fingerpad skin strains and that the strain rates are substantial during active manipulation (norm up to 100%/s). The developed setup will enable us to causally relate sensory information, i.e. skin deformation, to online control, i.e. grip force adjustment, in future studies. We present a novel device, a manipulandum, that enables to image the contact between the finger and the contact surface during active manipulation of the device. The device is tested in a simple vertical oscillation task involving 18 participants. We demonstrate that substantial surface skin strains take place at the finger-object interface and argue that those deformations provide essential information for grasp stability during object manipulation.
Topics: Adult; Biomechanical Phenomena; Equipment Design; Fingers; Humans; Motor Activity; Neurophysiology; Skin Physiological Phenomena; Touch Perception; Young Adult
PubMed: 34495789
DOI: 10.1152/jn.00358.2021 -
Journal of Neurophysiology Jun 2021Safe and successful motor performance relies on the ability to adapt to physiological and environmental change and retain what is learned. An open question is what...
Safe and successful motor performance relies on the ability to adapt to physiological and environmental change and retain what is learned. An open question is what factors maximize this retention? One overlooked factor is the degree to which balance is challenged during learning. We propose that the greater need for control and/or perceived threat of falling or injury associated with balance-challenging tasks increases the value assigned to maintaining a learned visuomotor mapping (i.e., the new relationship between visual input and motor output). And we propose that a greater-valued mapping is a more retainable mapping, as it serves to benefit future motor performance. Thus, we tested the hypothesis that challenging balance enhances motor memory, reflected by greater recall and faster relearning (i.e., savings). Four groups of participants adapted to a novel visuomotor mapping induced by prism lenses while performing a reaching or walking task, with and without an additional balance challenge. We found that challenging balance did not disrupt visuomotor adaptation during reaching or walking. We then probed recall and savings by having participants repeat the adaptation protocol 1 wk later. For reaching, we found evidence of initial recall, though neither group demonstrated savings upon reexposure to the prisms. In contrast, both walking groups demonstrated significant initial recall and savings. In addition, we found that challenging balance significantly enhanced savings during walking. Taken together, our results demonstrate the robustness of motor memories formed during walking and highlight the potential influence of balance control on sensorimotor learning. Most everyday tasks challenge our balance. Yet, this aspect of daily motor behavior is often overlooked in adaptation paradigms. Here, we show that challenging balance does not impair sensorimotor adaptation during precision reaching and walking tasks. Furthermore, we show that challenging balance enhances savings of a learned visuomotor mapping during walking. These results provide evidence for the potential performance benefits associated with learning during unconstrained, naturalistic behaviors.
Topics: Adult; Female; Humans; Learning; Male; Motor Activity; Postural Balance; Psychomotor Performance; Walking; Young Adult
PubMed: 34038257
DOI: 10.1152/jn.00627.2020 -
Journal of Alzheimer's Disease : JAD 2023Aging often leads to cognitive function decline, sensory structure deterioration, and musculoskeletal system weakening. This impacts postural control during static and...
Effects of a Physical Activity Program that Incorporates Exercises Targeting Balance, Strength, and Proprioception on Cognitive Functions and Physical Performance in Old Adults with Mild Cognitive Impairment.
BACKGROUND
Aging often leads to cognitive function decline, sensory structure deterioration, and musculoskeletal system weakening. This impacts postural control during static and dynamic activities like walking, increasing the fall risk among the elderly. Older adults with mild cognitive impairment (MCI) face an elevated fall risk and cognitive decline, magnifying the public health concern.
OBJECTIVE
This study aimed to explore solutions by investigating the effects of a multi-component physical activity program on cognitive and motor functions in MCI patients.
METHODS
Twenty-three participants were enrolled in the study and assigned into two groups: an intervention group (n = 13; age = 85.7±5.5 years) and a control group (n = 9; age = 85±6.7 years). The study spanned two months, with participants engaging in three 60-minute weekly physical exercise sessions. The intervention focused on improving proprioception, muscle strength, and balance.
RESULTS
Results demonstrated significant enhancements in physical performance, fall risk reduction, and balance (p < 0.05). Various tests, including the timed up and go test, Unipedal Stance test, Tinetti test, Short Physical Performance Battery, and 6-minute walking test, indicated these improvements. Cognitive function was evaluated with the Mini-Mental State Examination, revealing non-significant progress (p > 0.05). Predictive models for outcomes were developed using linear regression analysis during the follow-up stage.
CONCLUSIONS
This study underscores the effectiveness of a multi-component physical activity program encompassing balance, proprioception, and muscle-strengthening exercises as a non-pharmaceutical approach in improving balance skills and playing a key role in mitigating the risk of falls among old adults with MCI.
Topics: Humans; Aged; Aged, 80 and over; Postural Balance; Time and Motion Studies; Exercise Therapy; Exercise; Cognition; Cognitive Dysfunction; Proprioception; Physical Functional Performance; Accidental Falls
PubMed: 37742641
DOI: 10.3233/JAD-230305 -
Neuroscience Letters Jan 2022The aim of the current study was to determine effects of the prenatal exposure to crocin in the expression of withdrawal syndrome on reflexive motor behaviors in mice...
The aim of the current study was to determine effects of the prenatal exposure to crocin in the expression of withdrawal syndrome on reflexive motor behaviors in mice offspring's. Fourteen male mice and 56 adult female mice were randomly divided into seven groups as: control group (morphine-abstinent male and female); group 2, drug-naïve female and morphine-abstinent male; group 3, drug-naïve male and morphine-abstinent females; group 4, drug-naïve male and female. Groups 5-7, were similar to groups 2-4, except crocin (5 mg/kg) were injected to drug-naïve subjects. Following delivery, 20 pups from each litter were selected and behavior and reflexive motor behaviors were determined. Also, blood samples were taken to determine serum antioxidant activity. According to the results, immobility time significantly increased in offspring of the paternal + maternal exposed to morphine swimming test and tail suspension tests (P < 0.05) and significantly decreased in offspring of paternal + maternal exposed to morphine + crocin group (P < 0.05). Ambulation, surface righting, hind-limb suspension, grip strength and front limb suspension significantly decreased in offspring of the mice exposed to morphine (P < 0.05) and significantly improved in offspring of paternal + maternal exposed to morphine + crocin group (P < 0.05). Hind-limb foot angle and negative geotaxis significantly increased in mice with morphine-exposed offspring's (P < 0.05) while improved in offspring of paternal + maternal exposed to morphine + crocin group (P < 0.05). Prenatal exposure to morphine increased Malondialdehyde while decreased Superoxide dismutase, Glutathione peroxidase and total antioxidant status in mice offspring's (P < 0.05) and these results reversed by prenatal exposure to crocin (P < 0.05). In all studied factors, paternal + maternal exposed to morphine + crocin group had better results compared to the other crocin-received drug-naïve groups (P < 0.05). These results suggested prenatal exposure to crocin decreased morphine-induced adverse effect which paternal and maternal exposed to morphine + crocin had the highest prevention against these effects in mice offspring's.
Topics: Animals; Behavior, Animal; Carotenoids; Female; Male; Mice; Morphine; Motor Activity; Narcotics; Pregnancy; Prenatal Exposure Delayed Effects; Substance Withdrawal Syndrome
PubMed: 34788677
DOI: 10.1016/j.neulet.2021.136352 -
Current Sports Medicine Reports Jun 2021Running is a popular form of exercise that is easily accessible to various populations; endurance running, defined as distances beyond 5 km, continues to grow within the... (Review)
Review
Running is a popular form of exercise that is easily accessible to various populations; endurance running, defined as distances beyond 5 km, continues to grow within the sport. Endurance running-related injuries are common in the lower extremities and are primarily overuse related. A multitude of risk factors for injury exist, including extrinsic factors, such as running distance and frequency, and intrinsic factors, such as biomechanics and nutrition status. Training and rehabilitation techniques vary with a general focus on strengthening and gradual increase in activity, but evidence is mixed, and it is difficult to generalize programs across different running populations. Management of specific running groups, including youth runners, is an area in which additional research is needed. New treatments, such as orthobiologics and wearable technology, have promising potential to optimize performance and recovery and minimize injury. However, they need to be further evaluated with high-quality studies.
Topics: Athletic Injuries; Biomechanical Phenomena; Cumulative Trauma Disorders; Foot Orthoses; Humans; Lower Extremity; Marathon Running; Musculoskeletal System; Nutritional Status; Physical Conditioning, Human; Physical Endurance; Risk Factors; Running; Wearable Electronic Devices; Youth Sports
PubMed: 34099608
DOI: 10.1249/JSR.0000000000000852 -
Neural Plasticity 2020Stroke is the leading cause of serious and long-term disability worldwide. Survivors may recover some motor functions after rehabilitation therapy. However, many stroke... (Randomized Controlled Trial)
Randomized Controlled Trial
BACKGROUND
Stroke is the leading cause of serious and long-term disability worldwide. Survivors may recover some motor functions after rehabilitation therapy. However, many stroke patients missed the best time period for recovery and entered into the sequela stage of chronic stroke.
METHOD
Studies have shown that motor imagery- (MI-) based brain-computer interface (BCI) has a positive effect on poststroke rehabilitation. This study used both virtual limbs and functional electrical stimulation (FES) as feedback to provide patients with a closed-loop sensorimotor integration for motor rehabilitation. An MI-based BCI system acquired, analyzed, and classified motor attempts from electroencephalogram (EEG) signals. The FES system would be activated if the BCI detected that the user was imagining wrist dorsiflexion on the instructed side of the body. Sixteen stroke patients in the sequela stage were randomly assigned to a BCI group and a control group. All of them participated in rehabilitation training for four weeks and were assessed by the Fugl-Meyer Assessment (FMA) of motor function.
RESULTS
The average improvement score of the BCI group was 3.5, which was higher than that of the control group (0.9). The active EEG patterns of the four patients in the BCI group whose FMA scores increased gradually became centralized and shifted to sensorimotor areas and premotor areas throughout the study.
CONCLUSIONS
Study results showed evidence that patients in the BCI group achieved larger functional improvements than those in the control group and that the BCI-FES system is effective in restoring motor function to upper extremities in stroke patients. This study provides a more autonomous approach than traditional treatments used in stroke rehabilitation.
Topics: Adult; Aged; Brain-Computer Interfaces; Female; Humans; Male; Middle Aged; Motor Activity; Recovery of Function; Stroke; Stroke Rehabilitation; Treatment Outcome; Upper Extremity; Young Adult
PubMed: 33414824
DOI: 10.1155/2020/8882764 -
Clinical Trials (London, England) Aug 2021Although several COVID-19 vaccines have been found to be effective in rigorous evaluation and have emerging availability in parts of the world, their supply will be...
BACKGROUND
Although several COVID-19 vaccines have been found to be effective in rigorous evaluation and have emerging availability in parts of the world, their supply will be inadequate to meet international needs for a considerable period of time. There also will be continued interest in vaccines that are more effective or have improved scalability to facilitate mass vaccination campaigns. Ongoing clinical testing of new vaccines also will be needed as variant strains continue to emerge that may elude some aspects of immunity induced by current vaccines. Randomized clinical trials meaningfully enhance the efficiency and reliability of such clinical testing. In clinical settings with limited or no access to known effective vaccines, placebo-controlled randomized trials of new vaccines remain a preferred approach to maximize the reliability, efficiency and interpretability of results. When emerging availability of licensed vaccines makes it no longer possible to use a placebo control, randomized active comparator non-inferiority trials may enable reliable insights.
METHODS
In this article, "hybrid" methods are proposed to address settings where, during the conduct of a placebo-controlled trial, a judgment is made to replace the placebo arm by a licensed COVID-19 vaccine due to emerging availability of effective vaccines in regions participating in that trial. These hybrid methods are based on proposed statistics that aggregate evidence to formally test as well as to estimate the efficacy of the experimental vaccine, by combining placebo-controlled data during the first period of trial conduct with active-controlled data during the second period.
RESULTS
Application of the proposed methods is illustrated in two important scenarios where the active control vaccine would become available in regions engaging in the experimental vaccine's placebo-controlled trial: in the first, the active comparator's vaccine efficacy would have been established to be 50%-70% for the 4- to 6-month duration of follow-up of its placebo-controlled trial; in the second, the active comparator's vaccine efficacy would have been established to be 90%-95% during that duration. These two scenarios approximate what has been seen with adenovirus vaccines or mRNA vaccines, respectively, assuming the early estimates of vaccine efficacy for those vaccines would hold over longer-term follow-up.
CONCLUSION
The proposed hybrid methods could readily play an important role in the near future in the design, conduct and analysis of randomized clinical trials performed to address the need for multiple additional vaccines reliably established to be safe and have worthwhile efficacy in reducing the risk of symptomatic disease from SARS-CoV-2 infections.
Topics: COVID-19; COVID-19 Vaccines; Control Groups; Humans; Placebos; Randomized Controlled Trials as Topic; SARS-CoV-2
PubMed: 34041932
DOI: 10.1177/17407745211018613 -
Trials May 2021Aging is marked by a progressive rise in chronic diseases with an impact on social and healthcare costs. Physical activity (PA) may soothe the inconveniences related to...
BACKGROUND
Aging is marked by a progressive rise in chronic diseases with an impact on social and healthcare costs. Physical activity (PA) may soothe the inconveniences related to chronic diseases, has positive effects on the quality of life and biological rhythms, and can prevent the decline in motor functions and the consequent falls, which are associated with early death and disability in older adults.
METHODS
We randomized 120 over-65 males and females into groups of similar size and timing and will give each either moderate physical activity or cultural and recreational activities. Being younger than 65 years, inability to participate in physical activity for any medical reason, and involvement in a massive program of physical exercise are the exclusion criteria. The primary outcome measures are: quality of life, walking speed, and postural sway. Participants are tested at baseline, post-treatment, and 6-month (24 weeks) and 12-month (48 weeks) follow-ups.
DISCUSSION
This study aims at improving the quality of life, wellness, and cognitive functioning in the elderly through a low-cost affordable program of moderate physical activity. Given the growing aging of the world population and the social and economic burden of disability in the elderly, our results might have a major impact on future practices.
TRIAL REGISTRATION
ClinicalTrials.gov NCT03858114 . Registered on 28 February 2019.
Topics: Accidental Falls; Aged; Aging; Exercise; Exercise Therapy; Female; Humans; Male; Quality of Life; Randomized Controlled Trials as Topic
PubMed: 33962664
DOI: 10.1186/s13063-021-05278-6 -
International Journal of Community... Jan 2023Active aging has been the paradigm of the old-age lifestyle. Integrated aging care interventions in health centers primarily focus on diseases such as diabetes,... (Randomized Controlled Trial)
Randomized Controlled Trial
BACKGROUND
Active aging has been the paradigm of the old-age lifestyle. Integrated aging care interventions in health centers primarily focus on diseases such as diabetes, hypertension, depression, and cardiovascular diseases, and there is no program or training regarding active aging. This study was carried out from September to December 2021 to determine the effectiveness of an intervention program to promote active aging in the elderly referred to Mashhad health centers.
METHODS
This randomized controlled clinical trial was conducted on 60 elderly individuals without disabling diseases and cognitive impairment who presented to the Daneshamooz health center in Mashhad in 2021. Through a simple block allocation scheme, those who met the inclusion criteria were randomly divided into the intervention and control groups. The intervention group received the health promotion program during 6 sessions (one session per week) about nutrition, physical activity, responsibility, stress management, communications, and spiritual aspects. The data were gathered using the active aging questionnaire and analyzed using the SPSS software version 25; independent and paired t-test, Wilcoxon, and Mann-Whitney U tests were utilized. P value< 0.05 was considered statistically significant.
RESULTS
The results of this study demonstrated that after the intervention, the total active aging score in the intervention group increased significantly (68.5±3 to 85±8.25) (P<0.001) and there was a significant difference between the control and intervention groups (68±3.25 to 85±8.25) (P<0.001).
CONCLUSION
According to the results, training based on a health-enhancement approach can effectively promote active aging in the elderly. Therefore, more attention should be paid to strategic planning for active aging in health centers. IRCT20210308050639N.
Topics: Humans; Aged; Aging; Health Promotion; Exercise; Counseling; Cognitive Dysfunction
PubMed: 36650846
DOI: 10.30476/IJCBNM.2022.96246.2117 -
Trials Dec 2022Various psychological issues and serious health concerns during the imposed lockdown by coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) have induced many changes in the treatment of...
The comparison between the effects of pain education interventions with online and face-to-face exercise and the control group received biomedical education + standardized physical therapy in patients with chronic nonspecific neck pain during COVID-19: protocol for a parallel-group randomized...
BACKGROUND
Various psychological issues and serious health concerns during the imposed lockdown by coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) have induced many changes in the treatment of patients. More effective self-management strategies through tele-rehabilitation are suggested to be applied for patients with chronic neck pain to reduce referrals to health cares and disability support through COVID-19. Also, the pain neuroscience education (PNE) approach is an educational method used by health professionals to assist patients in understanding the biology, physiology, and psychosocial factors affecting their pain experience and aligning with the cognitions and beliefs associated with pain and recurrent disability. PNE combined with tele-rehabilitation could be a new solution to encourage patients to manage their condition by themselves and increase the continuity of practice instead of face-to-face sessions.
OBJECTIVE
This randomized control trial (RCT) aims to investigate the effects of PNE with online and face-to-face exercise interventions, and the control group received biomedical education + standardized physical therapy on neck pain and disability, psychological factors, and function in non-traumatic chronic neck pain.
METHODS/DESIGN
Patients with non-traumatic chronic neck pain (patient-centered care and active involvement of patients and the public) will be recruited via flyers displayed in hospitals and universities to participate in an RCT with two experimental and one control group designed to investigate the effects of PNE with online and face-to-face exercise interventions, and the control group received biomedical education + standardized physical therapy on neck pain and disability, psychological factors, and function in non-traumatic chronic neck pain. The outcomes will be measured at baseline, after PNE, and after 3 months of an exercise intervention. All outcomes are presented as mean ± SD, and statistical significance was set at α level of < 0.05. The normal distribution of the variables was verified by the Kolmogorov-Smirnov test, following a descriptive analysis.
DISCUSSION
It seems that PNE plus online and face-to-face exercise interventions are appropriate educational models for the treatment of patients with neck pain during COVID-19. Also, online training seems to encourage patients to continue their treatment.
TRIAL REGISTRATION
Iranian Registry of Clinical Trials IRCT20150503022068N5. Registered on 09 September 2021.
Topics: Humans; Neck Pain; Control Groups; COVID-19; Communicable Disease Control; Chronic Pain; Physical Therapy Modalities; Exercise Therapy; Randomized Controlled Trials as Topic
PubMed: 36539843
DOI: 10.1186/s13063-022-06932-3