Jove
Visualize
Contact Us
JoVE
x logofacebook logolinkedin logoyoutube logo
ABOUT JoVE
OverviewLeadershipBlogJoVE Help Center
AUTHORS
Publishing ProcessEditorial BoardScope & PoliciesPeer ReviewFAQSubmit
LIBRARIANS
TestimonialsSubscriptionsAccessResourcesLibrary Advisory BoardFAQ
RESEARCH
JoVE JournalMethods CollectionsJoVE Encyclopedia of ExperimentsArchive
EDUCATION
JoVE CoreJoVE BusinessJoVE Science EducationJoVE Lab ManualFaculty Resource CenterFaculty Site
Terms & Conditions of Use
Privacy Policy
Policies

Related Concept Videos

Major Somatic Sensory Pathways01:28

Major Somatic Sensory Pathways

3.2K
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...
3.2K
Indirect Motor Pathways01:22

Indirect Motor Pathways

3.7K
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...
3.7K
Equilibrium and Balance01:15

Equilibrium and Balance

7.2K
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...
7.2K
Hierarchy of Motor Control01:18

Hierarchy of Motor Control

6.5K
The hierarchy of motor control refers to the different levels of organization and processing involved in controlling movement in the body. These levels range from higher cortical areas involved in planning and decision-making to lower spinal cord reflexes that respond automatically to external stimuli.
6.5K

You might also read

Related Articles

Articles linked to this work by shared authors, journal, and citation graph.

Sort by
Same author

Motor-Cognitive Training Outperforms State-Funded Mobility Programs in Improving Dynamic Gait Stability in Older Adults.

Journal of aging and physical activity·2026
Same author

Age-Related Differences in Ocular and Cardiovascular Responses and Recovery After Graded Motor-Cognitive Physical Activity.

Healthcare (Basel, Switzerland)·2026
Same author

Assessing maximum oxygen uptake through a motor-cognitive reactive agility test in team ball sports athletes.

Frontiers in sports and active living·2026
Same author

Cognitive Resilience-Quantifying Cognitive Performance Loss Following High-Intensity Motor-Cognitive Reactive Agility Exercises in High-Level Athletes.

International journal of sports physiology and performance·2026
Same author

Between-Day Reliability of Visuomotor Response Times Under Stroboscopic Conditions Varying in Difficulty.

Perceptual and motor skills·2025
Same author

Cognitive training gain transfer in cognitively healthy aging: per protocol results of the German AgeGain study.

Frontiers in aging neuroscience·2025

Related Experiment Video

Updated: Mar 3, 2026

Experimental Methods to Study Human Postural Control
08:12

Experimental Methods to Study Human Postural Control

Published on: September 11, 2019

10.2K

Cortical Correlates of Human Balance Control.

Andreas Mierau1, Britta Pester2, Thorben Hülsdünker3

  • 1Institute of Movement and Neurosciences, German Sport University Cologne, Am Sportpark Muengersdorf 6, 50933, Cologne, Germany. mierau@dshs-koeln.de.

Brain Topography
|May 4, 2017
PubMed
Summary

Human balance control relies on complex brain networks. This study reveals two distinct cortical networks, one in the theta and one in the alpha frequency band, crucial for maintaining balance on stable and unstable surfaces.

Keywords:
BrainDirected functional connectivityEEGPartial directed coherencePosture

More Related Videos

A Modified Lean and Release Technique to Emphasize Response Inhibition and Action Selection in Reactive Balance
07:19

A Modified Lean and Release Technique to Emphasize Response Inhibition and Action Selection in Reactive Balance

Published on: March 19, 2020

6.4K
Quantitative Static and Dynamic Assessment of Balance Control in Stroke Patients
09:17

Quantitative Static and Dynamic Assessment of Balance Control in Stroke Patients

Published on: May 17, 2020

3.9K

Related Experiment Videos

Last Updated: Mar 3, 2026

Experimental Methods to Study Human Postural Control
08:12

Experimental Methods to Study Human Postural Control

Published on: September 11, 2019

10.2K
A Modified Lean and Release Technique to Emphasize Response Inhibition and Action Selection in Reactive Balance
07:19

A Modified Lean and Release Technique to Emphasize Response Inhibition and Action Selection in Reactive Balance

Published on: March 19, 2020

6.4K
Quantitative Static and Dynamic Assessment of Balance Control in Stroke Patients
09:17

Quantitative Static and Dynamic Assessment of Balance Control in Stroke Patients

Published on: May 17, 2020

3.9K

Area of Science:

  • Neuroscience
  • Motor Control
  • Systems Neuroscience

Background:

  • Balance control is vital for daily activities like walking.
  • Impaired balance increases fall risk, but underlying neural mechanisms are unclear.
  • Previous research identified activated cortical regions during balancing, but network interactions remain understudied.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To investigate the neurobiological mechanisms of human balance control.
  • To explore cortical network interactions during single-leg balancing.
  • To test the hypothesis that cortical networks optimize balance control.

Main Methods:

  • Electroencephalography (EEG) recorded from 37 subjects during single-leg balancing.
  • Analysis of functional connectivity using partial directed coherence (PDC).
  • Comparison of brain activity on stable versus unstable surfaces.

Main Results:

  • Two distinct functional cortical networks emerged during the transition from stable to unstable surface balancing.
  • A theta frequency band network involved frontal, central, and parietal cortex modules.
  • An alpha frequency band network showed occipital (O1, O2) as a source, projecting to parietal and centro-parietal areas.

Conclusions:

  • Balance control is supported by at least two distinct functional cortical networks.
  • Theta and alpha frequency band networks play specific roles in balance.
  • These findings advance our understanding of the neurobiological basis of balance control.