KINESTHETIC CONTROL OF TARGETED LIMB MOVEMENTS

该RCDA应用程序的长期目标是增强P.I.的 研究目标肢体运动的动觉控制的能力。 过去 运动控制领域的研究受到以下因素的阻碍 问题：1）目前刺激动觉的实验技术 受体在肢体运动是有限的，2）慢性猴子范式， 在神经水平上研究动觉机制 未充分利用，和3）一个概念框架，调查假定的 动觉机制并不存在。 本RCDA中提出的研究 应用程序将允许P.I.发展他的研究专长， 他可以解决这三个问题。 该RCDA应用程序的具体目标解决了新的 实验方法和研究的概念框架 对目标肢体运动的动觉控制。 具体目标1 需要开发人类肌腱振动技术， 振动可用于引起定量可预测的变化， 动觉输入 具体目标2A解决了使用 电生理技术在清醒的，行为猴子，以确定 动觉控制的神经机制 具体目标2B、3和 4将实证检验一个概念框架，其中神经系统 使用动觉输入来初始设置，然后调整3个空间/时间 目标肢体运动的参数：方向（2B）、距离（3）和 定时（4）。 通过开发这些技术和框架， 回答有关运动感觉控制的重要基本问题， 有针对性的肢体运动，以前是遥不可及的。 这些答案 也将为电机的更多应用问题提供有价值的见解 控制：在运动发育和衰老，运动障碍， 肌电假肢，以及宇航员在太空中的运动控制。

The long-term goal of this RCDA application is to enhance the P.I.'s ability to study the kinesthetic control of targeted limb movements. Past research in this area of motor control has been hampered by the following problems: 1) current experimental techniques for stimulating kinesthetic receptors during limb movement are limited, 2) chronic monkey paradigms for investigating kinesthetic mechanisms at the neural level have been underutilized, and 3) a conceptual framework for investigating putative kinesthetic mechanisms does not exist. The research proposed in this RCDA application will allow the P.I. to develop his research expertise so that he can address these 3 problems. The specific aims of this RCDA application address the need for new experimental methods and a conceptual framework for studying the kinesthetic control of targeted limb movements. Specific Aim 1 addresses the need to develop the technique of tendon vibration in humans so that vibration can be used to elicit quantitatively predictable changes in kinesthetic input. Specific Aim 2A addresses the need to use electrophysiological techniques in awake, behaving monkeys to identify the neural mechanisms underlying kinesthetic control. Specific Aims 2B, 3, and 4 will empirically test a conceptual framework in which the nervous system uses kinesthetic input to initially set and then adjust 3 spatial/temporal parameters of targeted limb movements: direction (2B), distance (3), and timing (4). By developing these techniques and framework,, it will be possible to answer important fundamental questions about the kinesthetic control of targeted limb movements that were previously beyond reach. These answers will also provide valuable insights into more applied problems of motor control: in areas such as motor development and aging, motor disorders, myoelectrical prostheses, and motor control by astronauts in outer space.