Protocol to assess the neurophysiology associated with multi-segmental postural coordination.

Area of Science:

• Neuroscience
• Biomechanics
• Motor Control

Background:

• Anticipatory postural adjustments (APAs) are crucial for maintaining stability during movement.
• Impaired APAs are linked to various diseases and injuries.
• Understanding the neural basis of APA generation is limited by the lack of suitable experimental paradigms for brain imaging.

Purpose of the Study:

• To develop and validate functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI)-compatible tasks to differentiate between movements with and without APAs.
• To identify brain functions associated with APA generation during leg movements.

Main Methods:

• Developed two fMRI-compatible leg movement tasks: supported leg raise (SLR) and unsupported leg raise (ULR).
• Assessed ground reaction forces and electromyographic (EMG) activation to characterize motor coordination.
• Conducted a pilot fMRI study to evaluate head movement and brain activation patterns.

Main Results:

• The ULR task elicited multi-segmental coordination patterns, indicative of APA, which were minimal or absent during the SLR task.
• The SLR task served as an adequate control, eliciting isolated limb motion.
• Pilot fMRI data showed minimal head movement and distinct brain activation for each task, aligning with expected motor control strategies.

Conclusions:

• The developed SLR and ULR tasks are suitable for fMRI studies investigating APA generation.
• These tasks allow for the dissociation of neural processes underlying isolated limb movement versus multi-segmental postural coordination.
• This methodology provides a foundation for future research into the neural mechanisms of APAs in health and disease.