Interventions for Coordination of Walking Following Stroke: Systematic Review

Total Page:16

File Type:pdf, Size:1020Kb

Interventions for Coordination of Walking Following Stroke: Systematic Review G Model GAIPOS-3416; No. of Pages 11 Gait & Posture xxx (2011) xxx–xxx Contents lists available at SciVerse ScienceDirect Gait & Posture jo urnal homepage: www.elsevier.com/locate/gaitpost Review Interventions for coordination of walking following stroke: Systematic review a, b a c d Kristen L. Hollands *, Trudy A. Pelton , Sarah F. Tyson , Mark A. Hollands , Paulette M. van Vliet a School of Health, Sport and Rehabilitation Sciences, University of Salford, Frederick Rd. Campus, Salford M6 6PU, UK b .School of Psychology, College of Life and Environmental Sciences, University of Birmingham, UK c .School of Sport and Exercise Sciences, College of Life and Environmental Sciences, University of Birmingham, UK d .School of Health Sciences, University of Newcastle, Australia A R T I C L E I N F O A B S T R A C T Article history: Impairments in gait coordination may be a factor in falls and mobility limitations after stroke. Therefore, Received 5 May 2011 rehabilitation targeting gait coordination may be an effective way to improve walking post-stroke. This Received in revised form 20 July 2011 review sought to examine current treatments that target impairments of gait coordination, the Accepted 22 October 2011 theoretical basis on which they are derived and the effects of such interventions. Few high quality RCTs with a low risk of bias specifically targeting and measuring restoration of Keywords: coordinated gait were found. Consequently, we took a pragmatic approach to describing and quantifying Stroke the available evidence and included non-randomised study designs and limited the influence of Gait heterogeneity in experimental design and control comparators by restricting meta-analyses to pre- and Coordination Rehabilitation post-test comparisons of experimental interventions only. Results show that physiotherapy interventions significantly improved gait function and coordination. Interventions involving repetitive task-specific practice and/or auditory cueing appeared to be the most promising approaches to restore gait coordination. The fact that overall improvements in gait coordination coincided with increased walking speed lends support to the hypothesis that targeting gait coordination gait may be a way of improving overall walking ability post-stroke. However, establishing the mechanism for improved locomotor control requires a better understanding of the nature of both neuroplasticity and coordination deficits in functional tasks after stroke. Future research requires the measurement of impairment, activity and cortical activation in an effort to establish the mechanism by which functional gains are achieved. ß 2011 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved. 1. Background forces between the paretic and non-paretic limbs [5], step lengths, widths and stance and swing phase durations [6–8]. All of these To restore efficient, independent functional walking, the impairments in gait coordination underlie overall decreased relationship of movements between body segments needs to be walking speed and endurance [9]. adaptable to allow variations to the walking pattern according to If gait coordination is impaired, then the ability to alter the basic environmental demands; such as changes in walking speed or gait pattern in response to environmental demands may also be direction and obstacle avoidance. This means that rehabilitation impaired [10]. Indeed, restoration of gait adaptability has been must restore a coordinated gait pattern which may be defined as associated with lower falls risk [11] and reduced motor coordina- ‘‘An ability to maintain a context-dependent and phase-dependent tion is correlated with poorer motor recovery [12]. Thus, poor cyclical relationship between different body segments or joints in coordination of body segments (such as the trunk, pelvis or lower both spatial and temporal domains.’’ [1] However, stroke survivors limbs) may be a mechanism underlying the frequent falls reported demonstrate many deficits of gait coordination which persist by stroke survivors [13,14] and, rehabilitation targeting impair- despite rehabilitation, including altered temporal and spatial ments in gait coordination may be a way to improve walking coordination between the head, trunk and pelvis [2,3] and ability post-stroke. impaired pelvic, knee, and ankle control during stance and Several systematic reviews [15–17] examining the effectiveness impaired excursions and timing during swing phase [4]. Poor of individual treatment approaches on gait speed have concluded interlimb coordination is reflected by asymmetries in propulsive there is insufficient evidence on which to determine the effective- ness of these approaches. This review, therefore, seeks to identify all interventions which aim to address gait coordination (as a putative * Corresponding author. Tel.: +44 0161 295 3238. mechanism of gait dysfunction) in stroke survivors and explore their E-mail address: [email protected] (K.L. Hollands). effects on gait coordination and overall gait ability. This will facilitate 0966-6362/$ – see front matter ß 2011 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved. doi:10.1016/j.gaitpost.2011.10.355 Please cite this article in press as: Hollands KL, et al. Interventions for coordination of walking following stroke: Systematic review. Gait Posture (2011), doi:10.1016/j.gaitpost.2011.10.355 G Model GAIPOS-3416; No. of Pages 11 2 K.L. Hollands et al. / Gait & Posture xxx (2011) xxx–xxx an examination of the hypothesis that restoration of a coordinated more complex treatment; provided the design yielded evidence for gait pattern is a mechanism to improve overall walking ability, as the potential efficacy of the intervention. For example, repeated well as to identify the gaps in knowledge and interventions which trials of walking overground were considered locomotor practice show promise for further study. and studies involving such a manipulation/intervention were included. 2. Methods of the review 2.3.3. Comparisons The aims of this review were to: Studies that compared measurement of an intervention with a control, be that of a group or condition, were included. This (1) Identify current non-surgical and non-pharmacological reha- included randomised and quasi-randomised controlled trials, bilitation interventions used to treat gait coordination impair- case–control studies, cohort studies, and before–after studies. ments after stroke. Studies which only reported data for comparisons between healthy (2) Determine the effects of identified interventions on measures control groups and stroke participants or had no control or baseline of gait coordination and overall walking ability compared with comparisons were excluded. no treatment. 2.3.4. Outcome measure In order to identify gaps in knowledge base and directions for Studies were required to include at least one measure of gait co- future research, the theoretical basis for interventions is discussed. ordination, defined as the following kinematics: spatial and Evidence for the hypothesis that improved gait coordination may temporal indices of gait symmetry, cross correlations of lower facilitate improved overall walking ability is also examined. limb or axial segment displacement, velocity or acceleration trajectories or measures of relative phase (see [1] for further 2.1. Databases searched details). Studies were excluded if outcomes were presented as means averaged across limbs and hence no indication of interlimb The following databases were searched: coordination could be extracted. Gait speed was extracted to reflect overall function, but studies which reported gait speed as Cochrane Stroke Group Trials Register. the only indicator of coordination were excluded as the informa- Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials (CENTRAL) (The tion gait speed provides regarding underlying impairments is Cochrane Library). limited [4,19–21]. Studies that did not explicitly state the objective MEDLINE (1950 to present). was to determine the effects on gait coordination, but used a EMBASE (1980 to present). coordination measure as an outcome measure were included. CINAHL (1982 to present). AMED (1985 to present). 2.4. Identification of relevant trials National Institutes of Health (NIH) Clinical Trials Database host: NIH (http://clinicaltrials.gov/ct). Selection of studies was performed according to Cochrane National Institute of Clinical Studies (http://www.med.mona- Review guidelines [22]. Two of the authors (KH, PvV) read each sh.edu.au/healthservices/cce/index.html). reference and, based on the inclusion criteria, independently ranked these as ‘possibly relevant’, or ‘definitely irrelevant’. If both The following rehabilitation specific databases which include identified a trial as ‘definitely irrelevant’ we excluded it. Consensus both peer reviewed and some un-peer reviewed content were was achieved through discussion, including a third author if searched: necessary (TP). Otseeker (http://www.otseeker.com/). 2.5. Data analysis OT Search (http://www.aota.org/otsearch/index.asp). Physiotherapy Evidence database (PEDro, http://www.pedro.fh- KH and PvV independently assessed the methodological quality s.usyd.edu.au/index.html). of selected studies using a modified version of the Joanna Briggs Chartered Society of Physiotherapy Research Database. Institute (JBI) critical appraisal checklist for cohort/case control REHABDATA (http://www.naric.com/research/rehab/default.cfm). [23]. For rigour and detail, additional questions from Downs and Black’s checklist [24] were added. The authors then independently
Recommended publications
  • SENSORY MOTOR COORDINATION in ROBONAUT Richard Alan Peters
    SENSORY MOTOR COORDINATION IN ROBONAUT 5 Richard Alan Peters 11 Vanderbilt University School of Engineering JSC Mail Code: ER4 30 October 2000 Robert 0. Ambrose Robotic Systems Technology Branch Automation, Robotics, & Simulation Division Engineering Directorate Richard Alan Peters II Robert 0. Ambrose SENSORY MOTOR COORDINATION IN ROBONAUT Final Report NASNASEE Summer Faculty Fellowship Program - 2000 Johnson Space Center Prepared By: Richard Alan Peters II, Ph.D. Academic Rank: Associate Professor University and Department: Vanderbilt University Department of Electrical Engineering and Computer Science Nashville, TN 37235 NASNJSC Directorate: Engineering Division: Automation, Robotics, & Simulation Branch: Robotic Systems Technology JSC Colleague: Robert 0. Ambrose Date Submitted: 30 October 2000 Contract Number: NAG 9-867 13-1 ABSTRACT As a participant of the year 2000 NASA Summer Faculty Fellowship Program, I worked with the engineers of the Dexterous Robotics Laboratory at NASA Johnson Space Center on the Robonaut project. The Robonaut is an articulated torso with two dexterous arms, left and right five-fingered hands, and a head with cameras mounted on an articulated neck. This advanced space robot, now dnven only teleoperatively using VR gloves, sensors and helmets, is to be upgraded to a thinking system that can find, in- teract with and assist humans autonomously, allowing the Crew to work with Robonaut as a (junior) member of their team. Thus, the work performed this summer was toward the goal of enabling Robonaut to operate autonomously as an intelligent assistant to as- tronauts. Our underlying hypothesis is that a robot can deveZop intelligence if it learns a set of basic behaviors ([.e., reflexes - actions tightly coupled to sensing) and through experi- ence learns how to sequence these to solve problems or to accomplish higher-level tasks.
    [Show full text]
  • Delft University of Technology Abstraction, Sensory-Motor
    Delft University of Technology Abstraction, Sensory-Motor Coordination, and the Reality Gap in Evolutionary Robotics Scheper, Kirk; de Croon, Guido DOI 10.1162/ARTL_a_00227 Publication date 2017 Document Version Final published version Published in Artificial Life Citation (APA) Scheper, K., & de Croon, G. (2017). Abstraction, Sensory-Motor Coordination, and the Reality Gap in Evolutionary Robotics. Artificial Life, 23(2), 124-141. https://doi.org/10.1162/ARTL_a_00227 Important note To cite this publication, please use the final published version (if applicable). Please check the document version above. Copyright Other than for strictly personal use, it is not permitted to download, forward or distribute the text or part of it, without the consent of the author(s) and/or copyright holder(s), unless the work is under an open content license such as Creative Commons. Takedown policy Please contact us and provide details if you believe this document breaches copyrights. We will remove access to the work immediately and investigate your claim. This work is downloaded from Delft University of Technology. For technical reasons the number of authors shown on this cover page is limited to a maximum of 10. Abstraction, Sensory-Motor Kirk Y. W. Scheper*,** Guido C. H. E. de Croon** Coordination, and the Reality Delft Institute of Technology Gap in Evolutionary Robotics Keywords Sensory-motor control, evolutionary robotics, reality gap, micro air vehicle Abstract One of the major challenges of evolutionary robotics is to transfer robot controllers evolved in simulation to robots in the real world. In this article, we investigate abstraction of the sensory inputs and motor actions as a tool to tackle this problem.
    [Show full text]
  • AN OT's Toolbox : Making the Most out of Visual Processing and Motor Processing Skills
    AN OT’s Toolbox : Making the Most out of Visual Processing and Motor Processing Skills Presented by Beth Kelley, OTR/L, MIMC FOTA 2012 By Definition Visual Processing Motor Processing is is the sequence of steps synonymous with Motor that information takes as Skills Disorder which is it flows from visual any disorder characterized sensors to cognitive by inadequate development processing.1 of motor coordination severe enough to restrict locomotion or the ability to perform tasks, schoolwork, or other activities.2 1. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Visual_ processing 2. http://medical-dictionary.thefreedictionary.com/Motor+skills+disorder Visual Processing What is Visual Processing? What are systems involved with Visual Processing? Is Visual Processing the same thing as vision? Review general anatomy of the eye. Review general functions of the eye. -Visual perception and the OT’s role. -Visual-Motor skills and why they are needed in OT treatment. What is Visual Processing “Visual processing is the sequence of steps that information takes as it flows from visual sensors to cognitive processing1” 1. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Visual_Processing What are the systems involved with Visual Processing? 12 Basic Processes are as follows: 1. Vision 2. Visual Motor Processing 3. Visual Discrimination 4. Visual Memory 5. Visual Sequential Memory 6. Visual Spatial Processing 7. Visual Figure Ground 8. Visual Form Constancy 9. Visual Closure 10. Binocularity 11.Visual Accommodation 12.Visual Saccades 12 Basic Processes are: 1. Vision The faculty or state of being able to see. The act or power of sensing with the eyes; sight. The Anatomy of Vision 6 stages in Development of the Vision system Birth to 4 months 4-6 months 6-8 months 8-12 months 1-2 years 2-3 years At birth babies can see patterns of light and dark.
    [Show full text]
  • Glossary of Terms Early Childhood Intervention A
    ECI Glossary Glossary of terms Early Childhood Intervention A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z A Abstract thinking The ability to grasp concepts, values or processes that cannot be experienced directly through the senses. Abuse and neglect in children Child abuse occurs when a parent, guardian or caregiver mistreats or neglects a child, resulting in injury, or significant emotional or psychological harm, or serious risk of harm to the child. Child abuse entails the betrayal of a caregiver's position of trust and authority over a child. It can take many different forms. Source: The National Clearinghouse on Family Violence. Academic skills All the course subjects learned at school and that are based in reading, writing and completing number operations. AdaPtive skills The ability to adjust to new situations and to apply familiar or new skills to those situations. These skills are required to perform everyday activities, such as communicating, dressing, and household tasks. Page 1 of 44 ECI Glossary Alliteration When two or more words starts with the same sound (for example jumping jaguars). Alternative therapies These are therapies and strategies that are considered non -traditional, or less traditional. Professionals in the medical and therapy fields will only rely on therapies that have been approved by members of the academic research community. Anencephaly Anencephaly is a defect in the closure of the neural tube during fetal development. Anencephaly occurs when the "cephalic" or head end of the neural tube fails to close, resulting in the absence of a major portion of the brain, skull, and scalp.
    [Show full text]
  • The Relationship Between Motor Coordination and Imitation: an Fnirs Study
    brain sciences Article The Relationship between Motor Coordination and Imitation: An fNIRS Study Wenrui Zhao 1,2, Minqiang Hui 1,2,3, Xiaoyou Zhang 1,2 and Lin Li 1,2,* 1 Key Laboratory of Adolescent Health Assessment and Exercise Intervention of the Ministry of Education, East China Normal University, Shanghai 200241, China; [email protected] (W.Z.); [email protected] (M.H.); [email protected] (X.Z.) 2 College of Physical Education and Health, East China Normal University, Shanghai 200241, China 3 Qiushi College, Taiyuan University of Technology, Jinzhong 030600, China * Correspondence: [email protected] Abstract: Although motor coordination and imitation are important factors affecting motor skill learning, few studies have examined the relationship between them in healthy adults. In order to address this in the present study, we used f NIRS to analyze the relationship between motor coordination and imitation in college students. Our results showed that: (1) motor coordination in female students was positively correlated with the average time taken to perform an imitation; (2) the mean imitation time was negatively correlated with the activation level of the supplemen- tary motor cortex, primary somatosensory cortex, and angular gyrus of the mirror neuron system; (3) motor coordination in female students moderated mirror neuron system (MNS) activation and imitation. For women with low rather than high motor coordination, higher MNS activation was associated with a stronger imitation ability. These results demonstrate that motor coordination in female students is closely related to action imitation, and that it moderates the activation of the MNS, as measured via f NIRS.
    [Show full text]
  • Sensory-Motor Control of the Upper Limb: Effects of Chronic Pain
    SensorySensory--MotorMotor ControlControl ofof thethe UpperUpper Limb:Limb: EffectsEffects ofof ChronicChronic PainPain Dr.Dr. VictoriaVictoria Galea,Galea, PhDPhD AssociateAssociate ProfessorProfessor SchoolSchool ofof RehabilitationRehabilitation ScienceScience McMasterMcMaster University,University, CANADACANADA ObjectivesObjectives •• ReviewReview ofof neuralneural innervationinnervation ofof thethe upperupper limblimb (UL)(UL) –– BrachialBrachial Plexus.Plexus. •• SensorySensory--motormotor connectionsconnections betweenbetween thethe centralcentral nervousnervous systemsystem andand upperupper limb.limb. •• InternalInternal ModelsModels ofof motormotor control:control: ForwardForward Models.Models. BasisBasis forfor MotorMotor Coordination.Coordination. •• FunctionalFunctional compromisecompromise ofof thethe ULUL duedue toto chronicchronic neckneck pain.pain. – Recent studies on Upper Limb coordination during a functional task. ReviewReview ofof neuralneural innervationinnervation ofof thethe upperupper limblimb (UL)(UL) –– BrachialBrachial Plexus.Plexus. NeuralNeural InnervationInnervation •• TheThe brachialbrachial plexusplexus isis formedformed fromfrom 55 ventralventral ramirami (C5(C5 -- T1)T1) •• 66 divisionsdivisions – 3 anterior divisions – 3 posterior divisions •• 33 TrunksTrunks •• 33 CordsCords •• 55 PeripheralPeripheral NervesNerves – Branches • Important neural structures for shoulder girdle and joint: – Dorsal Scapular N. • Levator S; Rhomboids – Suprascapular • Supraspinatus, Infraspinatus – Long Thoracic N. • Serratus
    [Show full text]
  • Effects of Stroke on Motor Function in Laboratory Animals
    Bourbo J, J Anim Res Vet Sci 2019, 3: 013 DOI: 10.24966/ARVS-3751/100013 HSOA Journal of Animal Research and Veterinary Science Review motor function [8]. In this review, we will discuss the methods and Effects of Stroke on Motor modalities used to recognize changes in motor function in rodents, examine the methods and modalities used to recognize changes in Function in Laboratory Animals motor function post stroke in swine, and look into potential treatments that can be used to aid motor function. Jordan Bourbo* Rodent Motor Function Assessment Animal Science Major in the College of Agriculture and Environmental Science, University of Georgia, Athens, GA, USA Different tests are used in animal stroke models to assess changes in limb function and gait. The ability to recognize changes in motor function in stroke animal models may help to advance current under- Introduction standing of stroke induced motor function deficits in human stroke patients. These tests include the cylinder test, which measures fore- Stroke is the fourth leading cause of death in the United States [1], limb function, the ledged tapered beam test, which measures hind and there are currently only two treatments that are approved by the limb function, and the grind walking test, which measures gait func- Food and Drug Administration in emergency management-thrombec- tionality [9,10]. tomy and tissue plasminogen activator [2]. However, these treatments are very difficult to administer because they have to be given within Following a stroke that affects upper or lower extremity function, hours post stroke. These treatments have limited restorative effects humans tend to develop a reliance on their less-affected limb [11].
    [Show full text]
  • Paraneoplastic Neurological and Muscular Syndromes
    Paraneoplastic neurological and muscular syndromes Short compendium Version 4.5, April 2016 By Finn E. Somnier, M.D., D.Sc. (Med.), copyright ® Department of Autoimmunology and Biomarkers, Statens Serum Institut, Copenhagen, Denmark 30/01/2016, Copyright, Finn E. Somnier, MD., D.S. (Med.) Table of contents PARANEOPLASTIC NEUROLOGICAL SYNDROMES .................................................... 4 DEFINITION, SPECIAL FEATURES, IMMUNE MECHANISMS ................................................................ 4 SHORT INTRODUCTION TO THE IMMUNE SYSTEM .................................................. 7 DIAGNOSTIC STRATEGY ..................................................................................................... 12 THERAPEUTIC CONSIDERATIONS .................................................................................. 18 SYNDROMES OF THE CENTRAL NERVOUS SYSTEM ................................................ 22 MORVAN’S FIBRILLARY CHOREA ................................................................................................ 22 PARANEOPLASTIC CEREBELLAR DEGENERATION (PCD) ...................................................... 24 Anti-Hu syndrome .................................................................................................................. 25 Anti-Yo syndrome ................................................................................................................... 26 Anti-CV2 / CRMP5 syndrome ............................................................................................
    [Show full text]
  • The Importance of Visuo-Motor Coordination in Upper Limb Rehabilitation After Ischemic Stroke by Robotic Therapy
    The importance of visuo-motor coordination in upper limb rehabilitation after ischemic stroke by robotic therapy Angelo Bulboaca1,2, Ioana Stanescu1,2, Gabriela Dogaru 1,2, Paul-Mihai Boarescu1, Adriana Elena Bulboaca1,2 1 Corresponding author: Paul-Mihai Boarescu , E-mail: [email protected] , Balneo Research Journal DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.12680/balneo.2019.244 Vol.10, No.2, May 2019 p: 82–89 1. "Iuliu-Hatieganu" University of Medicine and Pharmacy, Cluj-Napoca, Romania 2. Clinical Rehabilitation Hospital, Cluj-Napoca, Romania Abstract Stroke is an acute hypoperfusion of cerebral parenchyma that most often leads to outstanding motor deficits that can last for the rest of the patient’s life. The purpose of the neurorehabilitation process is to limit, as far is possible for the motor deficits and to bring the patient to an independent life. A modern method consists in robotic neurorehabilitation which is more and more used, associated with functional electrical stimulation (FES). At the lower limb, the use of robotic rehabilitation associated with FES is already considered a success due to relatively stereotypical movements of the lower limb. In opposition, the upper limb is more difficult to rehabilitate due to its more complex movements. Therefore, eye-hand coordination (EHC) constitutes an important factor that is conditioning the rehabilitation progress. The eye-hand coordination can be brutally disturbed by stroke with critical consequences on motor-executive component. The EHC development depends on the interaction between a feedback complex and the prediction of the upper limb motility in the space, and requires the association between visual system, oculomotor system and hand motor system.
    [Show full text]
  • Optimal Feedback Control and the Neural Basis of Volitional Motor Control
    REVIEWS OPTIMAL FEEDBACK CONTROL AND THE NEURAL BASIS OF VOLITIONAL MOTOR CONTROL Stephen H. Scott Skilled motor behaviour, from the graceful leap of a ballerina to a precise pitch by a baseball player, appears effortless but reflects an intimate interaction between the complex mechanical properties of the body and control by a highly distributed circuit in the CNS. An important challenge for understanding motor function is to connect these three levels of the motor system — motor behaviour, limb mechanics and neural control. Optimal feedback control theory might provide the important link across these levels of the motor system and help to unravel how the primary motor cortex and other regions of the brain plan and control movement. Perhaps the most surprising feature of the motor system The goal of this review is to bring all three levels of is the ease with which humans and other animals can the motor system together, to illustrate how M1 is move. It is only when we observe the clumsy movements linked to limb physics and motor behaviour. The key of a child, or the motor challenges faced by individuals ingredient is the use of optimal feedback control as a with neurological disorders, that we become aware of model of motor control in which sophisticated behav- the inherent difficulties of motor control. iours are created by low-level control signals (BOX 2). The efforts of systems neuroscientists to understand I begin with a brief review of each level of the motor how the brain controls movement include studies system, followed by a more detailed description of how on the physics of the musculoskeletal system, neuro- optimal feedback control predicts many features of physiological studies to explore neural control, and neural processing in M1.
    [Show full text]
  • Motor Control of the Hand Before and After Stroke (2015)
    Chapter 14 Motor Control of the Hand Before and After Stroke Jing Xu , Adrian M. Haith , and John W. Krakauer Abstract The combination of the unique biomechanical properties of the human hand with the anatomy and physiology of the motor cortex and its descending path- ways lead to an unprecedented behavioral repertoire. A prominent feature in the taxonomy of hand function is the distinction between power grip and fi nger indi- viduation, which represent extremes along the continuous dimensions of stability and precision. Two features of the human central nervous system (CNS) are consid- ered critical to hand dexterity: the distributed fi nger representation in primary motor cortex and its monosynaptic cortico-motoneuronal (CM) connections. The subset of motor cortical neurons, which contribute these CM connections, has been described as “new” M1, owing to its emergence in primates. Here we argue that the neural basis of hand impairment after stroke and its recovery can be attributed to the inter- play between spared corticospinal projections and cortical modulation of brainstem descending pathways, specifi cally the reticulospinal tract. Keywords Compensation • Hand control • Recovery • Rehabilitation • Stroke 14.1 Introduction The human hand has long exerted a fascination for a variety of thinkers, with each positing that some form of bidirectional relationship exists between mind and hand that is responsible for the unique achievements of humankind [ 1 – 3 ]. For example, Darwin postulated that early use of stone tools led to selection pressure on the anat- omy of the hand [ 4 ]. The human hand is a unique apparatus that is capable of a vast repertoire of postures and movements not seen in any other primate.
    [Show full text]
  • Cerebellum and Proprioception
    CEREBELLUM AND PROPRIOCEPTION by Heidi Michelle Weeks A dissertation submitted to Johns Hopkins University in conformity with the requirements for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy Baltimore, MD June, 2016 Abstract When the cerebellum is damaged, the ability to make coordinated, accurate movements is affected. Motor control and learning following cerebellar damage have been well studied, but less is known about the effect on proprioception (the sense of limb position and motion). In this dissertation, we examine the involvement of the cerebellum in proprioception by assessing the proprioceptive deficits occurring in people with cerebellar damage. We first investigated multi-joint localization ability (the position of the hand in space) in patients with cerebellar damage and healthy controls. From this, we confirmed that controls showed improved proprioceptive acuity during multi-joint localization when actively moving, as compared to being passively moved. While some cerebellar patients were comparable to controls, others had impaired acuity during active movement. Results did not differ during single-joint localization, suggesting that impairments were due to active movement, rather than multi-joint discoordination. In addition, our results indicated that cerebellar damage may differentially impair components of proprioceptive sense. Second, we assessed dynamic proprioceptive position sense (the position of the hand during movement) both orthogonal to the direction of movement (only spatial information was relevant) and in the direction of movement (both spatial and temporal ii information were relevant). During passive movement, controls had better proprioceptive acuity when only spatial information was needed, regardless of the direction of their movements. In addition, when both spatial and temporal information were relevant, acuity decreased if subjects focused on the spatial information, underscoring the importance of temporal information during movement.
    [Show full text]