INTRODUCTION To our knowledge, very few studies have focussed on lower limb coordination alterations during dynamic movement in the elderly [1]. As people get older, the muscle strength and torque produced during muscle contraction tends to decrease. Motor coordination is driven by the natural tendency of dynamic systems to achieve stable low-energy configurations and adaptations of musculo-art...

The default mode of the motor system is a coupling between limbs. However, in some movements, a decoupling is required and thus calls for selection and facilitation/inhibition processes. Here, we investigate the relative contribution of recruitment versus selection processes to the overall processing complexity. To this aim we proposed a new multilimb reaction-time task (MUL-RT). Simple, choice...

Walking requires coordination of muscles to support the body during single stance. Impaired ability to coordinate muscles following stroke frequently compromises walking performance and results in extremely low walking speeds. Slow gait in post-stroke hemiparesis is further complicated by asymmetries in lower limb muscle excitations. The objectives of the current study were: (1) to compare the ...

Coordination of limb segments in graphic motor behavior has been studied primarily in cyclic tasks. In the present study, limb segment recruitment patterns were investigated in a discrete line-drawing task. Subjects ( N = 11) performed pointing movements varying in direction, amplitude, and speed. The contributions of index finger, hand, and arm to the movement were analyzed by evaluating the a...

This study presents the results of a novel paradigm for characterizing abnormal coordination in subjects with hemiparesis. Subjects generated maximum voluntary torques (MVTs) isometrically in four randomly ordered blocks consisting of elbow flexion/extension, shoulder flexion/extension, shoulder abduction/adduction, and shoulder external/internal rotation. A 6-degree-of-freedom (DOF) load cell ...

Background. Efficient therapy for both limb and gait ataxia is required. Climbing, a complex task for the whole motor system involving balance, body stabilization, and the simultaneous coordination of all 4 limbs, may have therapeutic potential. Objective. To investigate whether long-term climbing training improves motor function in patients with cerebellar ataxia. Methods. Four patients suffer...