A Nonlinear Dynamical Technique for Improving the Function of the Human Postural Control System

改善人体姿势控制系统功能的非线性动力学技术

• 批准号: 9908034
• 负责人: James Collins
• 金额: --
• 依托单位: Trustees of Boston University
• 依托单位国家: 美国
• 项目类别: Standard Grant
• 财政年份: 1999
• 资助国家: 美国
• 起止时间: 1999-09-01 至 2003-08-31
• 项目状态: 已结题
• 来源: https://www.nsf.gov/awardsearch/showAward?AWD_ID=9908034&HistoricalAwards=false
• 关键词: Nonlinear; Dynamical; Technique; Improving; Function

9908034CollinsUpright stance in humans is regulated by a complex control system that involves a number of different sensory modalities, including the somatosensory system. The goal of this project is to develop a bioengineering technique that can be used to enhance somatosensation in the feet and ankles of human subjects and thereby improve the performance of the human postural control system. Recently, there has been considerable interest in stochastic resonance (SR) which is a phenomenon wherein the response of a nonlinear system to a subthreshold input signal is optimized by the presence of a particular level of noise. SR-type dynamics have been demonstrated in neuronal models, rat cutaneous sensory neurons, human muscle spindles and the human touch-sensation system. These studies indicate that it is possible to introduce noise artificially into a sensory system in order to improve its ability to detect subthreshold signals. To date, however, bioengineering applications of SR-type dynamics have been limited. This project will be directed towards developing a noise-based bioengineering technique for improving the function of the human postural control system. Specifically, in this project, a non-invasive system for applying electrical noise to the feet and ankles of human subjects will be developed. This system will consist, in part of sock electrodes, which are made of conductive material. This system will be used in a series of psychophysical experiments that will be conducted on 25 healthy young subjects. These experiments will be designed to test the hypothesis that dorsiflexion/plantarflexion detection thresholds in human subjects are changed with the addition of electrical noise. A series of quiet-standing experiments will also be conducted on the 25 subjects. These experiments will be designed to test the hypothesis that noise-induced changes to dorsiflexion/plantarflexion detection thresholds alter the quiet-standing dynamics of the postural control system. This project could lead to the development of a non-invasive, noise-based technique that could be used to enhance somatosensation in humans and thereby improve the performance of the human postural control system. This work could have important ramifications for individuals with elevated somatosensory thresholds, such as older adults and patients with peripheral neuropathies. Such changes to the somatosensory system may predispose individuals to falls. Accordingly, the results of this project could eventually serve to reduce the frequency, cost, and morbidity of falling.

9908034柯林斯人类的直立姿势是由一个复杂的控制系统调节的，该系统涉及许多不同的感觉方式，包括体感系统。该项目的目标是开发一种生物工程技术，可用于增强人类受试者的脚和脚踝的体感，从而提高人体姿势控制系统的性能。最近，已经有相当大的兴趣在随机共振（SR），这是一种现象，其中的响应的非线性系统的亚阈值输入信号的存在下，一个特定的噪声水平进行了优化。SR型动力学已在神经元模型、大鼠皮肤感觉神经元、人肌梭和人触觉系统中得到证实。这些研究表明，有可能人为地将噪声引入感觉系统，以提高其检测阈下信号的能力。然而，迄今为止，SR型动力学的生物工程应用仍然有限。该项目将致力于开发一种基于噪声的生物工程技术，以改善人体姿势控制系统的功能。具体而言，在该项目中，将开发一种用于将电噪声施加到人类受试者的脚和脚踝的非侵入性系统。该系统将部分地由导电材料制成的袜状电极组成。该系统将用于一系列心理物理实验，将在25名健康的年轻受试者身上进行。这些实验将被设计为测试人类受试者的背屈/跖屈检测阈值随着电噪声的增加而改变的假设。还将对25名受试者进行一系列安静站立实验。这些实验将被设计为测试噪声引起的背屈/跖屈检测阈值的变化改变姿势控制系统的安静站立动态的假设。该项目可能导致开发一种非侵入性的基于噪声的技术，该技术可用于增强人类的体感，从而改善人类姿势控制系统的性能。这项工作可能对体感阈值升高的个体产生重要影响，例如老年人和周围神经病患者。躯体感觉系统的这种变化可能使个体易患福尔斯。因此，该项目的结果最终可能有助于降低跌倒的频率、成本和发病率。