AGING AND PLANTER MECHANORECEPTORS IN POSTURAL CONTROL

描述（改编自申请人的摘要）：老年人的福尔斯跌倒 造成伤害，以及心理社会问题，这导致 对跌倒者、护理人员和健康造成巨大负担， 护理系统。 拟议的研究旨在提供信息， 将进一步了解福尔斯的原因， 预防跌倒的新干预措施。 申请人最近的研究表明， 在保持直立姿势的过程中， 表明，恶化的控制横向姿势摇摆是 预测老年人跌倒的风险。 尽管有可能 这些响应的重要性，步进和横向平衡控制， 记录不良。 然而，现有资料表明， 这些反应需要来自足底的准确压力信息 脚的表面。 因此，可以假设， 老年人跌倒可能是由于足底敏感性下降所致 压力感受器，导致执行步进或横向问题 平衡恢复响应。 这项研究将试图确定是否促进感觉从 健康老年受试者的脚底将导致改善的控制 横向平衡和补偿性踏步。 姿势反应将是 在各种平衡任务中测量， 促进皮肤放电。 受试者将站在压痕板上， 先前显示对姿势摇摆的程度有影响， 以促进皮肤驱动。 姿势训练包括 在安静站立时保持平衡， 不可预测的多方向扰动。 对突发事件的反应 将研究瞬时和连续伪随机平台运动， 由于刺激的持续时间和性质可能强烈影响 对感官信息的需求。 "脚到位"和踏步反应 将被研究，姿势反应将被描述为 地面反作用力，以及肌肉激活和身体模式 议案 申请人预计，该研究将产生新的 了解足底压力感对姿势性疼痛的影响 控制，并可能导致新的干预措施，如特殊的鞋类或 地板表面，可以补充这种感官来源，以改善 功能平衡，防止老年人福尔斯跌倒。

DESCRIPTION (Adapted from the Applicant's Abstract): Falls in the elderly cause injuries, as well as psychosocial problems, which result in an enormous burden on the individuals who fall, the caregivers and the health care system. The proposed research is intended to provide information that will further understanding of the causes of falls and aid in the development of new interventions for fall prevention. Recent studies by the applicants have documented the importance of corrective stepping in the maintenance of upright posture, and have also shown that deterioration in the control of lateral postural sway is predictive of falling risk in the elderly. In spite of the possible importance of these responses, both stepping and lateral balance control are poorly documented. Available information would suggest, however, that each of these responses require accurate pressure information from the plantar surface of the feet. It is therefore hypothesized that an increased risk of falling in the elderly may result from decreased sensitivity of plantar pressure receptors, causing problems in the execution of stepping or lateral balance recovery responses. This study will attempt to determine whether facilitating sensation from the soles of the feet in healthy elderly subjects will lead to improved control of lateral balance and compensatory stepping. Postural responses will be measured in various balance tasks with and without the benefit of facilitated cutaneous discharge. Subjects will stand on indentor plates, previously shown to have an influence on the degree of postural sway, in order to facilitate the cutaneous drive. The postural tasks will involve maintaining equilibrium during quiet standing and in response to unpredictable multi-directional perturbations. Responses to both sudden transient and continuous pseudorandom platform motions will be studied, since the duration and nature of the stimulus may strongly influence the demand for sensory information. Both "feet-in-place" and stepping responses will be studied, and postural responses will be characterized in terms of ground reaction forces, as well as muscle activation and patterns of body motion. It is anticipated by the applicants that the study will generate new knowledge about the contributions of plantar pressure sensation to postural control and could lead to novel interventions, such as special footwear or floor surfaces, that could supplement this sensory source to improve functional balance and prevent falls in the elderly.