OTOLITH-CANAL CONTROL MECHANISMS IN POSTURE AND MOVEMENT

该中心旨在定义前庭的贡献 控制平衡、姿势和运动的系统 综合系列地面研究，三项审查 前庭-颈(前庭结肠)反射与三前庭脊髓 站立姿势的控制。该中心的一个主题是利用 这两组研究之间的协同作用产生了第一个完整的 全身姿势模型。任何将导致足够的 对姿势系统的理解必须结合和相互联系 在空间中稳定头部的机构，躯干相对于 相对于重力而言，头部和身体的重心。到目前为止没有 调查员或团队具有广泛的技能和洞察力 尝试这样的模式或进行所需的交互实验 以获得它必须基于的数据。该中心将提供 完成这项重要任务所需的技能和资源 菲尔德已经等待了很长时间。 该中心的第二个主题是关注前庭耳石 器官和感觉运动反应，当它们在 受重力或直线运动的刺激。工程项目1、2及 6号将推出专门为研究耳石而设计的新设备 系统。参与项目1、2、4和5的建模人员将模拟和 首次建立了神经通路起源的作用模型 耳石器官在头部和身体的稳定和运动中。 项目2中提议的录音将产生第一个3维 前庭脊髓神经元水平上的耳石信号分析。 总的来说，这些活动将极大地增加我们对 耳石系统，这对于理解如何 前庭神经系统具有感觉和适应能力。 宇宙飞船进入轨道并返回地球时产生的重力 随之而来的问题是定向障碍和平衡失调。 该中心的第三个主题是它广泛使用计算 模特儿。项目1和项目4分享了一种优雅的新生物力学 使人能够构建准确的肌肉骨骼模型的模型 系统，其动力学特性然后可以被模拟在广泛的 条件多种多样。项目1和项目5采用了非线性系统模型 模拟中枢神经系统如何控制头部或身体位置 与人体生物力学相互作用。项目2使用新的神经网络 分析合并电路功能的建模方法 已知的前庭结肠通路的连通性。我们的目标是 这些建模工作合并成一个多层模型，既 模拟我们和其他人观察到的姿势稳定反应 建议进行进一步的实验，以便更有效地阐明 前庭脊髓系统的功能。 该中心还将有一个培训部分，旨在为 博士后实习生有独特的机会与杰出的 前庭生理学家和造型师，并参与 几个中心项目，从而促进了交叉受精 在中心内进行。

This Center is designed to define the contributions of the vestibular system to the control of balance, posture and locomotion through an integrated series of ground-based studies, three examining the vestibular-neck (vestibulocollic) reflex and three the vestibulospinal control of standing posture. One theme of the Center is to exploit the synergy between these two set of studies to produce the first complete whole body model of posture. Any model that is to lead to an adequate understanding of the postural system must incorporate and interrelate mechanisms that stabilize the head in space, the trunk with respect to the head and body center of mass with respect to gravity. Heretofore no investigator or group has had the broad array of skills and insights to attempt such a model or to undertake the interactive experiments needed to obtain the data upon which it must be based. This Center will provide the skills and resources to accomplish this important task which the field has been awaiting for a long time. The second theme of the Center is to focus upon the vestibular otolith organs and the sensory motor responses that occur when they are stimulated by gravitational forces or linear motions. Projects 1, 2 and 6 will bring on line new devices designed specifically to study otolith systems. Modelers involved in Projects 1, 2, 4 and 5 will simulate and model for the first time the role of neural pathways originating in otolith organs in stabilization of the head and body and in locomotion. Recordings proposed in Project 2 will yield the first 3-dimensional analysis of otolith signals at the level of vestibulospinal neurons. Collectively these activities will greatly increase our knowledge of otolith systems, which are of special importance for understanding how the neuro-vestibular system senses and adapts to the alteration in gravity that occurs when a space craft enters orbit and returns to earth with attendant problems of disorientation and dysequilibrium. A third theme of the Center is its extensive use of computational modeling. Projects 1 and 4 share the use of an elegant new biomechanical model that allows one to construct accurate models of musculo-skeletal systems, whose kinetic properties can then be simulated under a wide variety of conditions. Projects 1 and 5 employ non-linear systems models to simulate how central nervous system control of head or body position interacts with body biomechanics. Project 2 uses new neural network modeling approaches to analyze the function of circuits that incorporate the known connectivity of vestibulocollic pathways. Our goal is for these modeling efforts to coalesce into a multi-level model that both simulates postural stabilizing responses observed by us and others and suggests further experiments that will more effectively illumine the functions of the vestibulospinal system. The Center will also have a training component designed to give pre- and postdoctoral trainees unique opportunities to work with outstanding vestibular physiologists and modelers and to participate in work on several Center projects, thus contributing to the cross-fertilization taking place within the Center.