Postural responses to external perturbation in post-stroke: rehabilitation and improvement of stability by touching a vibrating surface

• Grant number: 11/18173-3
• Support type: Scholarships in Brazil - Doctorate
• Effective date (Start): January 01, 2012
• Effective date (End): October 31, 2014
• Field of knowledge: Health Sciences - Physiotherapy and Occupational Therapy
• Principal researcher: Luis Augusto Teixeira
• Grantee: Alessandra Rezende Martinelli Conterato
• Home Institution: Escola de Educação Física e Esporte (EEFE). Universidade de São Paulo (USP). São Paulo , SP, Brazil

Abstract

To maintain stable body balance in daily activities, the ability to respond to external perturbations is an essential factor. Such capacity is limited in pathological conditions, such as in stroke, in which postural control is impaired due to lesions to the central nervous system. Impairment to postural control increases body sway during upright posture and leads to augmented frequency of falls. In this sense, the identification of mechanisms involved in body balance disorders after stroke is particularly important in situations of postural perturbation. The purpose of this project is to evaluate reactive postural responses to unpredictable external perturbations, analyzing postural dysfunctions caused by lesion to different brain areas as a result of stroke, and test principles of dynamic body balance rehabilitation. The project will be developed in four experiments. The first is devoted to evaluate participation of different sensory sources in postural responses as a function of brain areas injured, over different periods of recovery following stroke. The second aims to evaluate reactive responses to postural perturbations due to displacement of support base as a function of area and side of brain injury. The third experiment will compare the effects of training with symmetrical versus asymmetrical muscle activation on postural control. The fourth experiment will assess the effect of vibration applied to the tip of a finger on the reacquisition of stable upright posture after perturbation. (AU)

Scientific publications

(4)

(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)

COELHO, DANIEL BOARI; FERNANDES, CORINA APARECIDA; MARTINELLI, ALESSANDRA REZENDE; TEIXEIRA, LUIS AUGUSTO. Right in Comparison to Left Cerebral Hemisphere Damage by Stroke Induces Poorer Muscular Responses to Stance Perturbation Regardless of Visual Information. JOURNAL OF STROKE & CEREBROVASCULAR DISEASES, v. 28, n. 4, p. 954-962, APR 2019. Web of Science Citations: 0.

MARTINELLI, ALESSANDRA REZENDE; COELHO, DANIEL BOARI; TEIXEIRA, LUIS AUGUSTO. Light touch leads to increased stability in quiet and perturbed balance: Equivalent effects between post-stroke and healthy older individuals. HUMAN MOVEMENT SCIENCE, v. 58, p. 268-278, APR 2018. Web of Science Citations: 1.

FERNANDES, CORINA APARECIDA; COELHO, DANIEL BOARI; MARTINELLI, ALESSANDRA REZENDE; TEIXEIRA, LUIS AUGUSTO. Right cerebral hemisphere specialization for quiet and perturbed body balance control: Evidence from unilateral stroke. HUMAN MOVEMENT SCIENCE, v. 57, p. 374-387, FEB 2018. Web of Science Citations: 6.

MARTINELLI, ALESSANDRA REZENDE; COELHO, DANIEL BOARI; MAGALHAES, FERNANDO HENRIQUE; KOHN, ANDRE FABIO; TEIXEIRA, LUIS AUGUSTO. Light touch modulates balance recovery following perturbation: from fast response to stance restabilization. Experimental Brain Research, v. 233, n. 5, p. 1399-1408, MAY 2015. Web of Science Citations: 7.