Neuroanatomy L8: Control of posture Flashcards
Postural control is the maintenance of _______ and ______ of body segments
body orientation; stability (balance)
What is the definition of postural orientation?
the relationship of body segments to each other, to the task, and to the environment
Postural control is the maintenance of ______ or center of mass within base of support while standing or sitting still, when the base of support does not change
postural stability
Postural control is the ability to regain postural _____ after external stimulus or perturbation, with or without a change in _____
stability; base of support
Postural control is the ability to maintain and regain postural stability after ________ movements, like moving limbs relative to the body.
self-initiated
Normal erect posture characterized by ____ (large/small) anterior posterior, and medial lateral oscillations over a fixed base of support. What is this due to?
small
Due to small bursts of electrical activity in the muscles.
A bodies centre of mass (COM - represents the _______ of the matter in a body or system) is typically just anterior to the S1 vertebrae
mean position
What does a body’s centre of mass (COm) represent? Where is it usually?
The mean position of the matter in a body or system
Is typically just anterior to the S1 vertebrae
In quiet erect standing, the body’s COM passes very close to the ____, slightly anterior to the _____, close to the ______, slightly anterior to the ______, and anterior to the _______.
ear; acromion process of the scapula; greater trochanter; knee joint; ankle joint
What are the 5 important structures that the body’s COM passes through in quiet erect standing?
- very close to the ear
- slightly anterior to the acromion process of the scapula
- close to the greater trochanter
- slightly anterior to the knee joint
- anterior to the ankle joint
A body’s _________ represents a single point on a surface through which the resultant force passes. This is within the _____ during quiet stance.
centre of pressure (COP); “foot print”
What does a body’s centre of pressure (COP) represent?
a single point on a surface through which the resultant force passes
____ fluctuates during quiet standing with our body sway. Explain this with a 20 year old, healthy individual. Be specific with A-P and M-L direction and the mm displacement.
COP
Fluctuations are greater in the A-P direction, and there is only a small M-L change. 10mm displacement of AP
How does postural sway change between age (eg. 86 year old and 20 year old)?
Postural sway is increases with age
Increased AP and ML sway in 86 year old
There is some association with _____increase and occurrence of retrospective falls and prospective falls. In fact, ______ is greater in people who have fallen before, and who are likely to fall in the near future.
COP; Postural sway
Why is postural sway is greater in older people?
Altered ability to interpret or detect sensory information (ie. impaired vision) and activate muscles to respond efficiently (reduced strength and muscle atrophy with age).
Changes in sensory information (input), and motor ability (output)
What are 3 sensory inputs to the postural control system?
- Visual
- Vestibular
- Somatosensory
How does visual input connect to the postural control system?
Lighting; movement of self or environment
How does vestibular input connect to the postural control system?
Gravity; Linear & Angular Head and Eye Movement
How does somatosensory input connect to the postural control system?
Proprioception and tactile (eg. muscle spindles)/(Also skin sensation (ie. how much stretch can be felt in the skin indicates joint position).). Surface changes & irregularities; Base of support changes
___ input is affected with age.
vestibular
CNS selects and weights inputs based upon: _______, ________, ______ to task
Availability; Accuracy; Value
What are 3 factors the CNS uses to select and weight inputs? Give an example of this concept when it is dark (loss of visual input)
- Availability
- Accuracy
- Value
ie. if it is dark, the nervous system will place more emphasis on information from the vestibular and somatosensory systems to control balance.
These multisensory (visual, vestibular and somatosensory) inputs can elicit quick changes in _____. Particularly when the brain predicts sensory inputs, but received _____ information. The _____ compares descending motor plan with _______ to make adjustments to the motor plan to _____ to a situation.
posture; different; cerebellum; sensory input; adapt
CNS corrects the body’s motion based on the error between the predicted and actual sensory inputs. Why? Fast processing power…Also long term adaptations
adapt to plan on the run to keep “us” stable
Based on a study done COP, what did 2 repetitions of 30s with a participant with “Foam Eyes Closed” show? Why?
5cm AP displacement, 4-6cm ML displacement
Loss of visual input impairs the ability to modulate the motor output, and results in increased sway.
With firm eyes open (control), firm eyes closed, foam eyes open and foam eyes opened, rate the order of least to most postural sway?
- Firm eyes open
- Foam eyes open
- Firm eyes closed
- Foam eyes closed
What happens in firm eyes open?
The firm surface provides more reliable sensory information, and allows the motor output to be modulated more effectively - resulting in less postural sway to maintain balance.
What happens in firm eyes closed?
proprioceptive input- maintain posture
visual input disrupted- eyes closed
What happens in foam eyes open?
visual input- helped to maintain posture
proprioceptive input disruptuve- from base of feet
What happens in foam eyes closed?
Both visual and proprioceptive input are both disrupted
Postures are maintained by a combination of _______ and _______ structures. Give examples of both.
active (muscle contraction); passive (primarily connective tissue including within musculotendinous units)
What are 2 factors that the postural control system must respond to (or prepare for)?
- Externally generated stimuli/perturbations
- Internally generated (self initiated) stimuli/perturbations
What are externally generated stimuli/perturbations and how must the postural control system respond to (or prepare for) it? List 2 factors.
- Constant (or longer term) environmental forces:
- e.g. Gravity, merry-go-round! (not constant (changing) but long term- must adapt)
- Occasional environmentally generated forces:
- e.g. Ground reaction forces, being pushed / support being removed, catching/hitting a ball.