OTOLITH-CANAL CONTROL MECHANISMS IN POSTURE AND MOVEMENT

该中心旨在确定前庭的贡献， 系统的平衡，姿势和运动的控制，通过一个 综合系列地面研究，三个审查 前庭颈反射和三种前庭脊髓反射 控制站立姿势。 该中心的一个主题是利用 这两套研究之间的协同作用，以产生第一个完整的 全身姿势模型。 任何一种模式，都是为了实现一个充分的 对姿势系统的理解必须包含并相互关联 在空间中稳定头部的机制，躯干相对于 头部和身体的重心相对于重力。 埃雷赫诺 调查人员或小组拥有广泛的技能和见解， 尝试这样的模式或进行所需的互动实验 以获取其必须基于的数据。 该中心将提供 完成这项重要任务的技能和资源， 田野已经等待了很长时间。 中心的第二个主题是专注于前庭耳石 器官和感觉运动反应时，他们发生 受到重力或直线运动的刺激。 项目1、2和 6将带来专门用于研究耳石的新设备 系统. 参与项目1、2、4和5的建模人员将模拟和 第一次模拟神经通路的作用， 耳石器官在头部和身体的稳定和运动中。 项目2中提出的记录将产生第一个三维 前庭脊髓神经元水平的耳石信号分析。 总的来说，这些活动将大大增加我们对以下方面的了解： 耳石系统，这是特别重要的了解如何 神经前庭系统感知并适应 宇宙飞船进入轨道并返回地球时产生的重力 伴随而来的是迷失方向和平衡失调的问题。 该中心的第三个主题是其广泛使用的计算 建模 项目1和项目4使用了一种优雅的新生物力学， 模型，使人们能够构建肌肉骨骼的准确模型 系统，其动力学性质，然后可以模拟下广泛的 各种条件。 项目1和5采用非线性系统模型 来模拟中枢神经系统如何控制头部或身体的位置 与人体生物力学相互作用。 项目2使用新的神经网络 分析电路功能的建模方法， 已知的前庭颈神经通路的连通性。 我们的目标是让 这些建模工作结合成一个多层次的模型， 模拟我们和其他人观察到的姿势稳定反应， 提出了进一步的实验，将更有效地阐明 前庭脊髓系统的功能。 该中心还将有一个培训组成部分，旨在提供前和 博士后培训生独特的机会，与优秀的工作 前庭生理学家和建模师，并参与工作， 几个中心项目，从而有助于交叉施肥 发生在中心。

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.