The effects of peripheral diabetic neuropathy on the control and coordination of forces acting on the digits-object interaction during object manipulation and their relationship with electrophysiological parameters

• Grant number: 14/26397-7
• Support Opportunities: Regular Research Grants
• Field of knowledge: Health Sciences - Physical Education
• Principal Investigator: Paulo Barbosa de Freitas Júnior
• Grantee: Paulo Barbosa de Freitas Júnior
• Host Institution: Pró-Reitoria de Pós-Graduação e Pesquisa. Universidade Cruzeiro do Sul (UNICSUL). São Paulo , SP, Brazil

Abstract

The peripheral diabetic neuropathy (PDN) is a major comorbidities arising from diabetes mellitus (DM). Despite the high incidence, diagnosis usually occurs too late and after the examination of electromyography (EMG). Although signs and symptoms are exacerbated in the legs and feet, we decided to study hands due its effects are systemic. Our early studies showed that the percentage of grip strength (GF) above the minimum necessary so that the object does not slip (i.e., the safety margin - SM), was lower in diabetic subjects with and without PDN compared to healthy. Thus, the main objective of this project is to verify if the variables force control that act on the finger-object interface are related to nerve conduction velocity (NCV), the variable reliable in detecting the PDN. Therefore, we will examine and compare the performance of diabetic subjects with and without PDN with healthy individuals in controlling the magnitude of the GF during a task of holding an object instrumented with load cell in: (1) an unexpected disturbance, where the weight of the object increases or decreases abruptly; (2) while holding, raise and maintain the stationary object and (3) while hold and swing vertically at frequencies of 0.8 and 1.2 Hz. Additionally, we evaluate the NCV of the median nerve and examine its relationship with the control variables of the forces obtained under these experimental conditions, aiming to better understand the effects of the neuropathy on motor control. (AU)

Scientific publications

(References retrieved automatically from Web of Science and SciELO through information on FAPESP grants and their corresponding numbers as mentioned in the publications by the authors)

DE ALMEIDA LIMA, KAUE CARVALHO; BORGES, LEANDRO DA SILVA; HATANAKA, ELAINE; ROLIM, LUIZ CLEMENTE; DE FREITAS, PAULO BARBOSA. Grip force control and hand dexterity are impaired in individuals with diabetic peripheral neuropathy. Neuroscience Letters, v. 659, p. 54-59, OCT 17 2017. (14/26397-7, 10/02939-4)

LIMA, KAUE C. A.; SANTOS, GABRIELA O. C.; DONATO, STEPHANIE S. V.; BORGES, LEANDRO; HATANAKA, ELAINE; FREITAS, PAULO B. DE. Grip and load force control and coordination in individuals with diabetes in different manipulation tasks. HUMAN MOVEMENT SCIENCE, v. 77, JUN 2021. (14/26397-7, 16/13092-9)