Related Experiment Video
Updated: Jun 23, 2026
08:12
Experimental Methods to Study Human Postural Control
Published on: September 11, 2019
Auditory contributions to postural and locomotor control: from basic research to clinical applications
Federica Cimmelli1,2, Barbara La Scaleia3,4, Isabelle Viaud-Delmon5
1Laboratory of Neuromotor Physiology, Istituto di Ricovero e Cura a Carattere Scientifico Fondazione Santa Lucia, Rome, 00179, Italy. federica.cimmelli@uniroma2.it.
Experimental Brain Research
|June 22, 2026
Summary
Sound is crucial for human balance and movement, offering continuous cues for body orientation and environmental context. This review explores how auditory information integrates with other senses to enhance posture, gait, and balance recovery.
Area of Science:
- Neuroscience
- Biomechanics
- Auditory Perception
Background:
- Auditory information is vital for spatial awareness, body orientation, and movement dynamics.
- Sound provides continuous cues influencing posture and locomotion.
- Multisensory integration of auditory, visual, somatosensory, and vestibular systems is key for movement control.
Purpose of the Study:
- To review current knowledge on how auditory inputs modulate postural stability, locomotor kinematics, and muscle coordination.
- To explore the interaction between auditory and vestibular systems in motion perception and equilibrium.
- To discuss auditory-motor coupling alterations in neurological disorders and implications for rehabilitation.
Main Methods:
- Review of behavioral, neurophysiological, and clinical studies.
- Analysis of auditory features like spatialized sounds, rhythmic stimulation, and auditory feedback.
- Examination of shared neural pathways in the brainstem and cerebellum.
Main Results:
- Auditory features significantly influence gait timing, trajectory control, and balance recovery.
- Specific interactions between auditory and vestibular systems are identified in motion perception.
- Alterations in auditory-motor coupling are observed in conditions like Parkinson's Disease and vestibular deficits.
Conclusions:
- Auditory input is a critical modulator of human posture and locomotion through multisensory integration.
- Understanding auditory-motor interactions offers potential for novel rehabilitation strategies and assistive technologies.
- Auditory-based interventions may improve outcomes in neurological and sensory disorders affecting movement.
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