Related Experiment Video
Updated: May 11, 2026
08:12
Experimental Methods to Study Human Postural Control
Published on: September 11, 2019
Are postural responses to backward and forward perturbations processed by different neural circuits?
J Nonnekes1, A Scotti, L B Oude Nijhuis
1Radboud University Medical Centre, Nijmegen Centre for Evidence Based Practice, Department of Rehabilitation, Nijmegen, The Netherlands. j.nonnekes@reval.umcn.nl
Neuroscience
|April 30, 2013
Summary
A startling auditory stimulus (SAS) enhances postural stability, particularly for backward perturbations. This effect is more pronounced with larger perturbations, suggesting different neural processing for forward versus backward balance control.
Area of Science:
- Neuroscience
- Biomechanics
- Human Motor Control
Background:
- Postural stability is crucial for preventing falls.
- Startle pathways are known to influence rapid motor responses.
- The specific impact of startling auditory stimuli on postural control remains under investigation.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the influence of a startling auditory stimulus (SAS) on automatic postural responses.
- To determine if SAS effects differ based on perturbation direction (forward/backward), magnitude, and prior knowledge.
- To explore the role of startle pathways in maintaining balance.
Main Methods:
- 11 healthy participants were subjected to sudden forward or backward platform translations.
- Perturbations were combined with a SAS in 25% of trials.
- Perturbation direction, magnitude, and prior knowledge were systematically varied.
Main Results:
- SAS accelerated and strengthened postural responses, improving balance control.
- This effect was primarily observed for responses protecting against backward falls (tibialis anterior, rectus femoris).
- Larger perturbation magnitudes also accelerated postural responses, especially for backward perturbations.
Conclusions:
- Startling auditory stimuli significantly influence postural responses, particularly for backward perturbations.
- Findings suggest distinct neural circuits process forward and backward postural adjustments.
- Deficits in startle pathways may contribute to backward instability in neurological disorders like Parkinson's disease.
Related Concept Videos
01:22Indirect Motor Pathways
The indirect motor or extrapyramidal pathways originate in the brainstem, the lower portion of the brain that connects it to the spinal cord. They consist of several distinct tracts, each with specialized functions. The four main tracts of the indirect motor pathways are the vestibulospinal tract, the reticulospinal tract, the tectospinal tract, and the rubrospinal tract.
The vestibulospinal tract originates in the vestibular nuclei of the brainstem. The vestibular system detects changes in...
The vestibulospinal tract originates in the vestibular nuclei of the brainstem. The vestibular system detects changes in...
01:28Major Somatic Sensory Pathways
Sensory impulses related to touch, pressure, vibration, and proprioception from various body parts, such as the limbs, trunk, neck, and posterior head, travel to the cerebral cortex through the posterior column-medial lemniscus pathway. The pathway’s name derives from the two white-matter tracts that convey the impulses: the spinal cord's posterior column and the brainstem's medial lemniscus. First-order sensory neurons extend their axons into the spinal cord, forming the posterior columns...
01:25Neural Circuits
Neural circuits and neuronal pools are two of the main structures found in the nervous system. Neural circuits are networks of neurons that work together to carry out a specific task or process. They consist of interconnected neurons and glial cells, which provide structural and metabolic support.
Neuronal pools are collections of nerve cells with similar functions and interact through chemical and electrical signals. These pools include both interneurons (the central neural circuit nodes that...
Neuronal pools are collections of nerve cells with similar functions and interact through chemical and electrical signals. These pools include both interneurons (the central neural circuit nodes that...
01:29The Vestibular System
The vestibular system is a set of inner ear structures that provide a sense of balance and spatial orientation. This system is comprised of structures within the labyrinth of the inner ear, including the cochlea and two otolith organs—the utricle and saccule. The labyrinth also contains three semicircular canals—superior, posterior, and horizontal—that are oriented on different planes.
01:15Equilibrium and Balance
The inner ear assumes dual functionalities of auditory perception and equilibrium maintenance. The vestibule is the organ responsible for balance. This organ contains mechanoreceptors, specifically hair cells, endowed with stereocilia, which aid in deciphering information regarding the position and motion of our heads. Two intrinsic components, the utricle and saccule, help perceive head position, while the semicircular canals track head movement. Neurological messages initiated in the...
01:29Overview of Somatic Sensory Pathways
Somatic sensory or somatosensory pathways refer to the neural pathways that carry information related to touch, pressure, pain, temperature, and proprioception from the skin, muscles, tendons, and joints to the brain. These pathways involve several stages of processing and integration of sensory information.
The somatosensory system is divided into three main pathways: the dorsal (or posterior) column-medial lemniscus, spinothalamic (or anterolateral), and spinocerebellar pathways.
The dorsal...
The somatosensory system is divided into three main pathways: the dorsal (or posterior) column-medial lemniscus, spinothalamic (or anterolateral), and spinocerebellar pathways.
The dorsal...