Sensorimotor Control of the Human Orofacial System

描述(由申请人提供)：拟进行的研究旨在 扩大我们对新生儿和婴儿感觉运动整合的理解 图案化口腔运动输出时的口面部系统[非营养性吸吮--NNS] 使用一个伺服控制的执行器。制定了三个具体目标，以 研究新生儿口面部系统的感觉运动器。 指示三叉神经面兴奋性的新电生理技术 足月儿和早产儿NNS期间的通路。调节细胞的能力 将使用机械感应器来探索图案化的机动输出的组织 夹带，最后，神经可塑性的一些原理将在 重症监护室中表现出功能障碍的新生儿康复 机动控制装置。包括胸壁运动学的同步记录 作为评估口腔周围炎性质和特异度的对照措施 对呼吸模式的刺激。拟议的适应训练战略， 利用自然机械刺激，在辅助中具有生态有效性 使婴儿产生适当的马达输出。此外，这种方法是 与以下论点一致：适当的口头体验可能 在妊娠的最后几周是关键的，他们的中断可能 损害了中枢神经功能表征的脆弱合成。

DESCRIPTION (provided by applicant): The proposed studies are intended to expand our understanding of sensorimotor integration in the neonate and infant orofacial system during patterned oromotor output [non-nutritive suck -- NNS] using a servo-controlled ACTIFIER. Three specific aims have been formulated to investigate the sensorimotor apparatus of the neonate orofacial system using a novel electrophysiologic technique to index the excitability of trigeminofacial pathways during NNS in term and pre-term infants. The ability to modulate the organization of patterned oromotor output will be explored using mechanosensory entrainment, and finally, some principles of neuroplasticity will be tested in habilitating neonates in the intensive care nursery who manifest dysfunctional oromotor control. Simultaneous recordings of chest wall kinematics are included as a control measure to assess the nature and specificity of perioral stimulation on respiratory patterning. The proposed habilitation strategy, utilizing natural mechanical stimulation, has ecological validity in assisting the infant to produce an appropriate motor output. Moreover, this approach is consistent with the contention that appropriate oral experiences may be critical in the final weeks of gestation, and that their interruption may impair fragile syntheses of central neural representations of functions.