Core Center for Balance Research

描述(由申请人提供)：天平研究中心核心助学金 匹兹堡大学由两个核心组成，一个动物前庭 神经生理学核心(AVNC)和人类虚拟现实核心(HVRC)。这些核心 将为从事研究的基础科学家和临床研究人员提供服务 与使用动物模型、正常人类受试者和 有平衡障碍的患者。这两个研究核心的总体目标是 所要求的支持是在一个 以高效和经济高效的方式在一组独立资助的 研究人员，他们每个人都研究平衡功能的某个方面或 功能障碍。 动物前庭神经生理学核心(AVNC)将由两个独立的 能够提供精确的、计算机控制的、前庭 刺激行为正常的哺乳动物，包括人类以下的灵长类。这些 设施齐全，可产生自然的前庭刺激和 记录各种反应，包括对分离的单个神经元的放电。 AVNC设施将支持协同和协作研究 几个现有实验室的活动，其设备目前在#年 大量使用。这一核心将允许更多的新实验，超越 现有单个实验室的能力。 HVRC将由基于投影的身临其境环境组成，允许 对直立研究的整个视野的控制，包括地板 研究对象。客观的受试者监控能力包括基于视频眼科造影术 双眼位置，六自由度头部运动监测， 运动分析，地面反作用力测力板，心率， 还有血压。这一核心将被广泛用于评估影响 视觉刺激对正常人和精神分裂症患者直立平衡的影响 平衡失调。该设施将促进以下人员之间的协作互动 具有各种背景的研究人员，包括生物工程、生物力学、 理疗、神经学和精神病学。 两个拟议的研究核心将占地1110平方英尺 耳鼻喉科研究所一楼的耳鼻喉科研究中心。 核心资助主任、副主任和研究核心董事将 提供对核心资源的管理，以确保适当的数据 质量和资源配置。

DESCRIPTION (provided by applicant): The Core Center Grant for Balance Research at the University of Pittsburgh consists of two Cores, an Animal Vestibular Neurophysiology Core (AVNC) and a Human Virtual Reality Core (HVRC). These Cores will serve both basic scientists and clinical investigators who perform research related to balance function using animal models, normal human subjects, and patients with balance disorders. The overall goal of the two research cores for which support is requested is to foster collaborative research activities in an efficient and cost-effective manner among a group of independently-funded investigators, each of whom studies some aspect of balance function or dysfunction. The Animal Vestibular Neurophysiology Core (AVNC) will consist of two separate facilities capable of delivering precise, computer-controlled, vestibular stimulation to awake behaving mammals including subhuman primates. These facilities are fully equipped for producing natural vestibular stimuli and recording various responses, including the firing of isolated single neurons. The AVNC facility will support the synergistic and collaborative research activities of several existing laboratories whose equipment is currently in heavy use. This Core will allow additional new experiments that go beyond the capabilities of the existing individual laboratories. The HVRC will consist of a projection-based immersive environment that allows control of the entire visual field, including the floor, of upright research subjects. Objective subject monitoring capabilities include video oculography-based binocular eye position, six degree-of-freedom head movement monitoring, motion analysis, ground reaction forces measured by a force plate, heart rate, and blood pressure. This Core will be used extensively to assess the influence of visual stimuli on upright balance in normal human subjects and patients with balance disorders. The facility will foster collaborative interactions among investigators with various backgrounds including bioengineering, biomechanics, physical therapy, neurology, and psychiatry. The two proposed research Cores will occupy 1110 square feet in the Otolaryngology Research Center on the first floor of the Eye and Ear Institute. The Core Grant Director, Associate Director, and Research Core Directors will provide management of the resources in the Cores to assure appropriate data quality and resource allocation.