Effect of additional somatossensory information in postural control of individuals after cerebrovascular accident

• Grant number: 12/12572-6
• Support Opportunities: Scholarships in Brazil - Scientific Initiation
• Start date: September 01, 2012
• End date: August 31, 2013
• Field of knowledge: Health Sciences - Physiotherapy and Occupational Therapy
• Principal Investigator: Sandra Maria Sbeghen Ferreira de Freitas
• Grantee: Iara Mont Alvão Guedes de Araujo
• Host Institution: Pró-Reitoria de Pós-Graduação, Pesquisa e Extensão. Universidade Cidade de São Paulo (UNICID). São Paulo , SP, Brazil

Abstract

Many activities of daily living are performed in quiet standing and require an adequate functioning of the postural control system. Individuals who suffered a cerebrovascular accident (CVA) present several deficits in maintain this posture, indicated by the increased postural sway and greater asymmetry of the weight distribution between lower limbs. Such deficits may be due to motor, sensory and/or cognitive impairments which could cause more limited performance of several activities of daily living and the increased risk for falls of these individuals. Recently, we observed that individuals who suffered a AVE are able to use additional somatosensory information provided by the light touch of the index fingertip on a rigid surface in the reduction of the postural sway. This effect of the additional somatosensory information was observed even though participants presented a greater variability of the vertical force applied on the touch bar. However, the relationship between the horizontal forces (ântero-posterior and medial-lateral) and postural sway were not investigated due to a limitation of the equipments. A project recently approved by FAPESP will allow acquiring the tridimensional sensor to be fixed in the touch bar to record these horizontal forces and the relationship between forces and oscillations of the center of pressure measured by the force plate could be identified in each direction. Therefore, the aim of the present study is to verify the effect of the additional somatosensory information in the postural control of post stroke. Hence, we will seek for better understanding about how this information is used by the postural control system to maintain the upright, quiet posture. (AU)