Right cerebral hemisphere specialization for quiet and perturbed body balance control: Evidence from unilateral stroke

Autor(es)

Fernandes, Corina Aparecida ^[1] ; Coelho, Daniel Boari ^[1] ; Martinelli, Alessandra Rezende ^[1] ; Teixeira, Luis Augusto ^[1]

Afiliação do(s) autor(es)

^[1] Univ Sao Paulo, Human Motor Syst Lab, Sch Phys Educ & Sport, Sao Paulo - Brazil

• Tipo de documento: Artigo Científico
• Fonte: HUMAN MOVEMENT SCIENCE; v. 57, p. 374-387, FEB 2018.
• Citações Web of Science: 5

Resumo

Our aim in this investigation was to assess the relative importance of each cerebral hemisphere in quiet and perturbed balance, based on uni-hemispheric lesions by stroke. We tested the hypothesis of right cerebral hemisphere specialization for balance control. Groups of damage either to the right (RHD, n = 9) or the left (LHD, n = 7) cerebral hemisphere were compared across tasks requiring quiet balance or body balance recovery following a mechanical perturbation, comparing them to age-matched nondisabled individuals (controls, n = 24). They were evaluated in conditions of full and occluded vision. In Experiment 1, the groups were compared in the task of quiet standing on (A) rigid and (B) malleable surfaces, having as outcome measures center of pressure (CoP) amplitude and velocity sway. In Experiment 2, we evaluated the recovery of body balance following a perturbation inducing forward body oscillation, having as outcome measures CoP displacement, peak hip and ankle rotations and muscular activation of both legs. Results from Experiment 1 showed higher values of CoP sway velocity for RHD in comparison to LHD and controls in the anteroposterior (rigid surface) and mediolateral (malleable surface) directions, while LHD had lower balance stability than the controls only in the mediolateral direction when supported on the rigid surface. In Experiment 2 results showed that RHD led to increased values in comparison to LHD and controls for anteroposterior CoP displacement and velocity, time to CoP direction reversion, hip rotation, and magnitude of muscular activation in the paretic leg, while LHD was found to differ in comparison to controls in magnitude of muscular activation of the paretic leg and amplitude of mediolateral sway only. These results suggest that damage to the right as compared to the left cerebral hemisphere by stroke leads to poorer postural responses both in quiet and perturbed balance. That effect was not altered by manipulation of sensory information. Our findings suggest that the right cerebral hemisphere plays a more prominent role in efferent processes responsible for balance control. (AU)

• Processo FAPESP: 12/05769-8 - Assimetrias inter-hemisféricas no controle postural pós-acidente vascular encefálico: postura ereta quieta e recuperação do equilíbrio após perturbação
• Beneficiário: Luis Augusto Teixeira
• Linha de fomento: Auxílio à Pesquisa - Regular
• Processo FAPESP: 11/18173-3 - Recuperação do equilíbrio corporal em indivíduos pós-acidente vascular encefálico: reabilitação e ganho de estabilidade por toque em superfície vibratória
• Beneficiário: Alessandra Rezende Martinelli Conterato
• Linha de fomento: Bolsas no Brasil - Doutorado
• Processo FAPESP: 11/16667-9 - Assimetrias inter-hemisféricas no controle postural pós-acidente vascular encefálico: postura ereta quieta e recuperação do equilíbrio após perturbação
• Beneficiário: Corina Aparecida Fernandes
• Linha de fomento: Bolsas no Brasil - Mestrado