The Experts below are selected from a list of 297 Experts worldwide ranked by ideXlab platform
Paul D Marasco - One of the best experts on this subject based on the ideXlab platform.
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using sensory discrimination in a foraging style task to evaluate human upper limb Sensorimotor Performance
Scientific Reports, 2019Co-Authors: Dylan T Beckler, Zachary C Thumser, Jonathon S Schofield, Paul D MarascoAbstract:Object stiffness discrimination is fundamental to shaping the way we interact with our environment. Investigating the Sensorimotor mechanisms underpinning stiffness discrimination may help further our understanding of healthy and sensory-impaired upper limb function. We developed a metric that leverages sensory discrimination techniques and a foraging-based analysis to characterize participant accuracy and discrimination processes of Sensorimotor control. Our metric required searching and discriminating two variants of test-object: rubber blocks and spring cells, which emphasized cutaneous-force and proprioceptive feedback, respectively. We measured the number of test-objects handled, selection accuracy, and foraging duration. These values were used to derive six indicators of Performance. We observed higher discrimination accuracies, with quicker search and handling durations, for blocks compared to spring cells. Correlative analyses of accuracy, error rates, and foraging times suggested that the block and spring variants were, in fact, unique sensory tasks. These results provide evidence that our metric is sensitive to the contributions of sensory feedback, motor control, and task Performance strategy, and will likely be effective in further characterizing the impact of sensory feedback on motor control in healthy and sensory-impaired populations.
Rachael D Seidler - One of the best experts on this subject based on the ideXlab platform.
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network segregation varies with neural distinctiveness in Sensorimotor cortex
NeuroImage, 2020Co-Authors: Kaitlin Cassady, Poortata Lalwani, Molly Simmonite, Denise C Park, Scott Peltier, Stephan F Taylor, Daniel H Weissman, Holly Gagnon, Erin Freiburger, Rachael D SeidlerAbstract:Normal aging is associated with declines in Sensorimotor function. Previous studies have linked age-related behavioral declines to decreases in neural differentiation (i.e., dedifferentiation), including decreases in the distinctiveness of neural activation patterns and in the segregation of large-scale neural networks at rest. However, no studies to date have explored the relationship between these two neural measures and whether they explain the same aspects of behavior. To investigate these issues, we collected a battery of Sensorimotor behavioral measures in older and younger adults and estimated (a) the distinctiveness of neural representations in Sensorimotor cortex and (b) Sensorimotor network segregation in the same participants. Consistent with prior findings, Sensorimotor representations were less distinct and Sensorimotor resting state networks were less segregated in older compared to younger adults. We also found that participants with the most distinct Sensorimotor representations exhibited the most segregated Sensorimotor networks. However, only Sensorimotor network segregation was associated with individual differences in Sensorimotor Performance, particularly in older adults. These novel findings link network segregation to neural distinctiveness, but also suggest that network segregation may play a larger role in maintaining Sensorimotor Performance with age.
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head down tilt bed rest plus elevated co2 as a spaceflight analog effects on cognitive and Sensorimotor Performance
Frontiers in Human Neuroscience, 2019Co-Authors: Jessica K Lee, Yiri E De Dios, I S Kofman, A P Mulavara, Jacob J Bloomberg, Rachael D SeidlerAbstract:Long duration head down tilt bed rest (HDBR) has been widely used as a spaceflight analog environment to understand the effects of microgravity on human physiology and Performance. Reports have indicated that crewmembers onboard the International Space Station (ISS) experience symptoms of elevated CO2 such as headaches at lower levels of CO2 than levels at which symptoms begin to appear on Earth. This suggests there may be combinatorial effects of elevated CO2 and the other physiological effects of microgravity including headward fluid shifts and body unloading. The purpose of the current study was to investigate these effects by evaluating the impact of 30 days of 6° HDBR and 0.5% CO2 (HDBR + CO2) on mission relevant cognitive and Sensorimotor Performance. We found a facilitation of processing speed and a decrement in functional mobility for subjects undergoing HDBR + CO2 relative to our previous study of HDBR in ambient air. In addition, nearly half of the participants in this study developed signs of Spaceflight Associated Neuro-ocular Syndrome (SANS), a constellation of ocular structural and functional changes seen in approximately one third of long duration astronauts. This allowed us the unique opportunity to compare the two subgroups. We found that participants who exhibited signs of SANS became more visually dependent and shifted their speed-accuracy tradeoff, such that they were slower but more accurate than those that did not incur ocular changes. These small subgroup findings suggest that SANS may have an impact on mission relevant Performance inflight via sensory reweighting. New And Noteworthy We examined the effects of long duration head down tilt bed rest coupled with elevated CO2 as a spaceflight analog environment on human cognitive and Sensorimotor Performance. We found enhancements in processing speed and declines in functional mobility. A subset of participants exhibited signs of Spaceflight Associated Neuro-ocular Syndrome (SANS), which affects approximately one in three astronauts. These individuals increased their visual reliance throughout the intervention in comparison to participants who did not show signs of SANS.
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relationships between regional cerebellar volume and Sensorimotor and cognitive function in young and older adults
The Cerebellum, 2013Co-Authors: Jessica A Bernard, Rachael D SeidlerAbstract:The cerebellum has been implicated in both Sensorimotor and cognitive function, but is known to undergo volumetric declines with advanced age. Individual differences in regional cerebellar volume may therefore provide insight into Performance variability across the lifespan, as has been shown with other brain structures and behaviors. Here, we investigated whether there are regional age differences in cerebellar volume in young and older adults, and whether these volumes explain, in part, individual differences in Sensorimotor and cognitive task Performance. We found that older adults had smaller cerebellar volume than young adults; specifically, lobules in the anterior cerebellum were more impacted by age. Multiple regression analyses for both age groups revealed associations between Sensorimotor task Performance in several domains (balance, choice reaction time, and timing) and regional cerebellar volume. There were also relationships with working memory, but none with measures of general cognitive or executive function. Follow-up analyses revealed several differential relationships with age between regional volume and Sensorimotor Performance. These relationships were predominantly selective to cerebellar regions that have been implicated in cognitive functions. Therefore, it may be the cognitive aspects of Sensorimotor task Performance that are best explained by individual differences in regional cerebellar volumes. In sum, our results demonstrate the importance of regional cerebellar volume with respect to both Sensorimotor and cognitive Performance, and we provide additional insight into the role of the cerebellum in age-related Performance declines.
Patrick Ragert - One of the best experts on this subject based on the ideXlab platform.
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motor learning in a complex balance task and associated neuroplasticity a comparison between endurance athletes and nonathletes
Journal of Neurophysiology, 2017Co-Authors: Patrick Ragert, Oliver Seidel, Daniel Carius, Rouven KenvilleAbstract:Studies suggested that motor expertise is associated with functional and structural brain alterations, which positively affect Sensorimotor Performance and learning capabilities. The purpose of the present study was to unravel differences in motor skill learning and associated functional neuroplasticity between endurance athletes (EA) and nonathletes (NA). For this purpose, participants had to perform a multimodal balance task (MBT) training on 2 sessions, which were separated by 1 wk. Before and after MBT training, a static balance task (SBT) had to be performed. MBT-induced functional neuroplasticity and neuromuscular alterations were assessed by means of functional near-infrared spectroscopy (fNIRS) and electromyography (EMG) during SBT Performance. We hypothesized that EA would showed superior initial SBT Performance and stronger MBT-induced improvements in SBT learning rates compared with NA. On a cortical level, we hypothesized that MBT training would lead to differential learning-dependent functional changes in motor-related brain regions [such as primary motor cortex (M1)] during SBT Performance. In fact, EA showed superior initial SBT Performance, whereas learning rates did not differ between groups. On a cortical level, fNIRS recordings (time × group interaction) revealed a stronger MBT-induced decrease in left M1 and inferior parietal lobe (IPL) for deoxygenated hemoglobin in EA. Even more interesting, learning rates were correlated with fNIRS changes in right M1/IPL. On the basis of these findings, we provide novel evidence for superior MBT training-induced functional neuroplasticity in highly trained athletes. Future studies should investigate these effects in different sports disciplines to strengthen previous work on experience-dependent neuroplasticity.NEW & NOTEWORTHY Motor expertise is associated with functional/structural brain plasticity. How such neuroplastic reorganization translates into altered motor learning processes remains elusive. We investigated endurance athletes (EA) and nonathletes (NA) in a multimodal balance task (MBT). EA showed superior static balance Performance (SBT), whereas MBT-induced SBT improvements did not differ between groups. Functional near-infrared spectroscopy recordings revealed a differential MBT training-induced decrease of deoxygenated hemoglobin in left primary motor cortex and inferior parietal lobe between groups.
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no overt effects of a 6 week exergame training on Sensorimotor and cognitive function in older adults a preliminary investigation
Frontiers in Human Neuroscience, 2017Co-Authors: Madeleine Ordnung, Patrick Ragert, Maike Hoff, Elisabeth Kaminski, Arno VillringerAbstract:Several studies investigating the relationship between physical activity and cognition showed that exercise interventions might have beneficial effects on working memory, executive functions as well as motor fitness in old adults. Recently, movement based video games (exergames) have been introduced to have the capability to improve cognitive function in older adults. Healthy aging is associated with a loss of cognitive, as well as Sensorimotor functions. During exergaming, participants are required to perform physical activities while being simultaneously surrounded by a cognitively challenging environment. However, only little is known about the impact of exergame training interventions on a broad range of motor, sensory and cognitive skills. Therefore, the present study aims at investigating the effects of an exergame training over 6 weeks on cognitive, motor and sensory functions in healthy old participants. For this purpose, 30 neurologically healthy older adults were randomly assigned to either an experimental (ETG, n=15, 1 h training, twice a week) or a control group (NTG, n=15, no training). Several cognitive tests were performed before and after exergaming in order to capture potential training-induced effects on processing speed as well as on executive functions. To measure the impact of exergaming on Sensorimotor Performance, a test battery consisting of pinch and grip force of the hand, tactile acuity, eye-hand coordination, flexibility, reaction time, coordination and static balance were additionally performed. While we observed significant improvements in the trained exergame (mainly in tasks that required a high load of coordinative abilities), these gains did not result in differential Performance improvements when comparing ETG and NTG. The only exergaming-induced difference was a superior behavioral gain in fine motor skills of the left hand in ETG compared to NTG. In an exploratory analysis, within-group comparison revealed improvements in Sensorimotor and cognitive tasks (ETG) while NTG only showed an improvement in a static balance test. Taken together, the present study indicates that even though exergames might improve gaming Performance, our behavioral assessment was probably not sensitive enough to capture exergaming-induced improvements. Hence, we suggest to use more tailored outcome measures in future studies to assess potential exergaming-induced changes.
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tactile coactivation resets age related decline of human tactile discrimination
Annals of Neurology, 2006Co-Authors: Hubert R. Dinse, Claudia Wilimzig, Nadine Kleibel, Tobias Kalisch, Patrick Ragert, Martin TegenthoffAbstract:Objective: For young subjects, it is well-documented that training and practice improve Sensorimotor Performance. However, little is known about how the typically observed age-related decline of Sensorimotor abilities can be ameliorated by sensory stimulation. Methods: As an alternative approach to training, we have introduced a tactile coactivation protocol involving Hebbian synaptic plasticity to improve tactile Performance on a short timescale of a few hours. Results: By applying coactivation on the index finger to drive perceptual learning, we demonstrate that in the elderly, aged 65 to 89 years, the age-related impairment of tactile two-point discrimination can be mitigated substantially. In elderly adults, tactile-acuity thresholds increased to 3.5mm compared with 1.5mm found in young adults, whereas 50-year-old subjects showed intermediate Performance. As a result of coactivation, discrimination thresholds of the 80-year-old adults came to match those typically found at an age of 50, demonstrating that age-related decline in tactile Performance is not irreversible, but rather subject to considerable restoration by specific stimulation protocols. Interpretation: Because the preservation of sufficient tactile acuity into advanced age is an important prerequisite for the maintenance of autonomous living, we believe that the concept of coactivation might turn out to be beneficial in preserving everyday Sensorimotor competence in the elderly through new forms of therapeutic interventions.
Hsiuyun Hsu - One of the best experts on this subject based on the ideXlab platform.
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effect of a novel perturbation based pinch task training on Sensorimotor Performance of upper extremity for patients with chronic stroke a pilot randomized controlled trial
Archives of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, 2021Co-Authors: Hsiuyun Hsu, Ta Shen Kuan, Ching Liang Tsai, Yao Lung Kuo, Lichieh KuoAbstract:Abstract Objective To investigate the effects of perturbation-based pinch task training on the Sensorimotor Performance of the upper extremities of patients with chronic stroke via a novel vibrotactile therapy system. Design A single-blinded randomized controlled trial. Setting A university hospital. Participants Patients with chronic stroke (N=19) randomly assigned into either an experimental group or a control group completed the study. Interventions In addition to 10 minutes of traditional Sensorimotor facilitation, each participant in the experimental group received 20 minutes of perturbation-based pinch task training in each treatment session, and the controls received 20 minutes of task-specific motor training twice a week for 6 weeks. Main Outcome Measures The scores for the primary outcome, Semmes-Weinstein monofilament (SWM), and those for the secondary outcomes, Fugl-Meyer Assessment (FMA), amount of use, quality of movement (QOM) on the Motor Activity Log (MAL) scale, and box and block test (BBT), were recorded. All outcome measures were recorded at pretreatment, post treatment, and 12-week follow-up. Results There were statistically significant between-group differences in the training-induced improvements revealed in the SWM results (P=.04) immediately after training and in the BBT results (P=.05) at the 12-week follow-up. The changes in muscle tone and in the QOM, SWM, and BBT scores indicated statistically significant improvements after 12 sessions of treatment for the experimental group. For the control group, a significant statistical improvement was found in the wrist (P Conclusions This study indicated that the perturbation-based pinch task training has beneficial effects on sensory restoration of the affected thumb in patients with chronic stroke.
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development and testing of a virtual reality mirror therapy system for the Sensorimotor Performance of upper extremity a pilot randomized controlled trial
IEEE Access, 2021Co-Authors: Chewei Lin, Lichieh Kuo, Yuching Lin, Yuan Lin, Hsiuyun HsuAbstract:Mirror therapy (MT) has been proposed as an essential component of upper limb neuro-rehabilitation, using mirror illusion of the unaffected hand movement and superimposing it on the affected hand to improve neuroplasticity for improving motor recovery in stroke patients. In this paper, we developed a virtual reality mirror therapy (VRMT) system, and examined the Performance of the proposed VRMT system. The VRMT system consists of a motion-tracking device, a VR goggle, and a VRMT software. Young, healthy participants, and stroke patients with mild-to-severe hemiparesis were recruited in this study, to validate the effectiveness of the proposed VRMT system. Experimental results based on the pinch-holding-up activity (PHUA) test revealed a significant effect on the precision pinch Performance of young-healthy participants receiving VRMT, whereas traditional MT could not improve the precision pinch Performance in young-healthy participants (Wilcoxon signed-rank test, $Z= -2.693$ , $p=0.007$ ). For patients having suffered a stroke and being treated with VRMT, significant beneficial effects examined by mixed effect model were found on the total score of FMA ( $p=0.033$ ) and hand part of FMA ( $p=0.008$ ). The findings in this study indicate that the VRMT system has a potentially positive effects on the Sensorimotor Performance of hands in healthy participants. In addition, add-on effect of VR to MT provides beneficial effects on motor function of the upper extremity in chronic stroke patients.
Lichieh Kuo - One of the best experts on this subject based on the ideXlab platform.
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effect of a novel perturbation based pinch task training on Sensorimotor Performance of upper extremity for patients with chronic stroke a pilot randomized controlled trial
Archives of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, 2021Co-Authors: Hsiuyun Hsu, Ta Shen Kuan, Ching Liang Tsai, Yao Lung Kuo, Lichieh KuoAbstract:Abstract Objective To investigate the effects of perturbation-based pinch task training on the Sensorimotor Performance of the upper extremities of patients with chronic stroke via a novel vibrotactile therapy system. Design A single-blinded randomized controlled trial. Setting A university hospital. Participants Patients with chronic stroke (N=19) randomly assigned into either an experimental group or a control group completed the study. Interventions In addition to 10 minutes of traditional Sensorimotor facilitation, each participant in the experimental group received 20 minutes of perturbation-based pinch task training in each treatment session, and the controls received 20 minutes of task-specific motor training twice a week for 6 weeks. Main Outcome Measures The scores for the primary outcome, Semmes-Weinstein monofilament (SWM), and those for the secondary outcomes, Fugl-Meyer Assessment (FMA), amount of use, quality of movement (QOM) on the Motor Activity Log (MAL) scale, and box and block test (BBT), were recorded. All outcome measures were recorded at pretreatment, post treatment, and 12-week follow-up. Results There were statistically significant between-group differences in the training-induced improvements revealed in the SWM results (P=.04) immediately after training and in the BBT results (P=.05) at the 12-week follow-up. The changes in muscle tone and in the QOM, SWM, and BBT scores indicated statistically significant improvements after 12 sessions of treatment for the experimental group. For the control group, a significant statistical improvement was found in the wrist (P Conclusions This study indicated that the perturbation-based pinch task training has beneficial effects on sensory restoration of the affected thumb in patients with chronic stroke.
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development and testing of a virtual reality mirror therapy system for the Sensorimotor Performance of upper extremity a pilot randomized controlled trial
IEEE Access, 2021Co-Authors: Chewei Lin, Lichieh Kuo, Yuching Lin, Yuan Lin, Hsiuyun HsuAbstract:Mirror therapy (MT) has been proposed as an essential component of upper limb neuro-rehabilitation, using mirror illusion of the unaffected hand movement and superimposing it on the affected hand to improve neuroplasticity for improving motor recovery in stroke patients. In this paper, we developed a virtual reality mirror therapy (VRMT) system, and examined the Performance of the proposed VRMT system. The VRMT system consists of a motion-tracking device, a VR goggle, and a VRMT software. Young, healthy participants, and stroke patients with mild-to-severe hemiparesis were recruited in this study, to validate the effectiveness of the proposed VRMT system. Experimental results based on the pinch-holding-up activity (PHUA) test revealed a significant effect on the precision pinch Performance of young-healthy participants receiving VRMT, whereas traditional MT could not improve the precision pinch Performance in young-healthy participants (Wilcoxon signed-rank test, $Z= -2.693$ , $p=0.007$ ). For patients having suffered a stroke and being treated with VRMT, significant beneficial effects examined by mixed effect model were found on the total score of FMA ( $p=0.033$ ) and hand part of FMA ( $p=0.008$ ). The findings in this study indicate that the VRMT system has a potentially positive effects on the Sensorimotor Performance of hands in healthy participants. In addition, add-on effect of VR to MT provides beneficial effects on motor function of the upper extremity in chronic stroke patients.
