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Experimental Methods to Study Human Postural Control

Experimental Methods to Study Human Postural Control

Published on: September 11, 2019

Deterministic and stochastic postural processes: effects of task, environment, and age.

Cedrick T Bonnet¹, Jeffrey M Kinsella-Shaw, Till D Frank

¹Department of Psychology, University of Connecticut, Storrs, CT, USA. cedrick.bonnet@gmail.com

Journal of Motor Behavior

|January 7, 2010

Summary

Environmental structure and cognitive tasks impact upright standing differently across age groups. Older adults may use more sway for visual tasks, suggesting age-related neurophysiological changes.

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Area of Science:

Biomechanics
Human Factors
Neuroscience

Background:

Upright standing is influenced by the environment and concurrent activities.
Postural control is crucial for daily activities and information processing.

Purpose of the Study:

To investigate how environmental structure and a suprapostural task (letter detection) affect postural dynamics in young and older adults.
To analyze the impact on center of pressure (COP) time series, specifically drift and diffusion coefficients.

Main Methods:

Participants (younger and older adults) performed a letter detection task or maintained gaze in structured and non-structured environments.
Center of pressure (COP) time series data were analyzed for anteroposterior (AP) and mediolateral (ML) drift and diffusion coefficients.

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Published on: September 11, 2019

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Published on: April 6, 2019

Sit-to-stand-and-walk from 120% Knee Height: A Novel Approach to Assess Dynamic Postural Control Independent of Lead-limb

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COP standard deviation was related to drift and diffusion.

Main Results:

Environmental structure reduced AP diffusion in both age groups.
Letter detection reduced AP sway in younger adults (via diffusion) and ML sway in older adults (via drift).
ML drift was lower during letter detection for both groups; however, older adults showed increased ML drift with higher visual contrast sensitivity.

Conclusions:

Environmental structure and suprapostural tasks modulate postural control differently based on age.
Findings suggest that ML sway may aid information detection in older adults and potentially reflect neurophysiological age-related changes.