SPINAL CONTROL OF BALANCE IN THE ELDERLY

描述(改编自申请人的摘要)：最近对 对衰老的研究已经产生了足够的证据来得出结论， 与年龄相关的各种神经肌肉变量的下降。上一首 这些研究人员的研究表明，老化的神经肌肉 系统的特点是可能会发生不同的适应 不断恶化的神经肌肉器官。目前的文献表明， 灵长类和人类神经肌肉水平的适应性可塑性。 具体地说，在适当的条件反射策略下，人类和 灵长类动物在增加或减少方面已被证明是成功的 脊椎伸展反射的增强。这些实验的目的是 将系统地检查老年人的神经肌肉功能 关于以下方面的系统：1)年轻人的H反射的增益 和老年受试者在不同的环境条件下 与静态和动态稳定性有关；2)突触前抑制水平 不同环境条件下的年轻人和老年人以及如何 这与静态和动态稳定性有关；以及3)反复抑制 不同环境条件下青年和老年受试者的血药浓度 以及这与静态和动态稳定性的关系。最后，这一点 提案将调查愿景和任务复杂性的交互作用 调停这些分歧。将使用双重刺激技术来 评估青年和老年人的突触前抑制和反复抑制 不同身体姿势的受试者。这些脊髓的调制 不同体位下的参数将与静态和 动态稳定性。在这项提案的最后一年，短期和长期 将实施干预计划以改善这些脊椎控制 参数，并最终在老年受试者中实现静态和动态平衡。

DESCRIPTION (Adapted from the Applicant's Abstract): Recent interest in the study of aging has produced sufficient evidence to conclude that there are age-related declines in a wide variety of neuromuscular variables. Previous studies from these investigators have indicated that the aging neuromuscular system is characterized by distinct adaptations that may occur in response to a deteriorating neuromuscular apparatus. Current literature suggests an adaptive plasticity at the neuromuscular level in both primates and humans. Specifically, given the appropriate conditioning strategies, humans and primates have been shown to be successful at either increasing or decreasing the gain of the spinal stretch reflex. The purpose of these experiments will be to systematically examine the function of the elderly neuromuscular system with respect to the following: 1) the gain of the H-reflex in young and elderly subjects under varying environmental conditions and how this relates to static and dynamic stability; 2) presynaptic inhibition levels in young and elderly subjects under varying environmental conditions and how this relates to static and dynamic stability; and 3) recurrent inhibition levels in young and elderly subjects under varying environmental conditions and how this relates to static and dynamic stability. Finally, this proposal will investigate interaction of vision and task complexity in mediating these differences. A double stimulation technique will be used to assess presynaptic inhibition and recurrent inhibition in young and elderly subjects in different body postures. The modulation of these spinal parameters in different body postures will be correlated with static and dynamic stability. In the final year of this proposal, short- and long-term intervention programs will be implemented to improve these spinal control parameters and, ultimately, static and dynamic balance in elderly subjects.