Event-related brain potential and postural muscle activity during standing on an oscillating table while the knee, hip, and trunk are fixed.

Background: In this study, a cast brace was used to immobilize the knee, hip, and trunk, and relations between the event-related brain potential (ERP) and postural muscle activity were investigated while standing on an oscillating table.

Methods: Twelve healthy young adults maintained a standing posture for 1 min per trial while oscillating in the anteroposterior direction at 0.5 Hz with a 2.

Activation timing of postural muscles during bilateral arm flexion in self-timing, oddball and simple-reaction tasks.

Background: We investigated the effect of time constraint on activation timing of postural muscles during bilateral arm flexion in self-timing, oddball and simple-reaction tasks.

Methods: Thirteen healthy adults flexed their arms from a suspended position with maximum speed and stopped at the shoulder level. For erector spinae-longissimus (ES), biceps femoris (BF), and gastrocnemius (GcM), onset timing of burst activation with respect to the anterior deltoid (AD), and the displacement of the center of pressure in the anteroposterior direction (CoPy) were analyzed.

Contingent negative variation and activation of postural preparation before postural perturbation by backward floor translation at different initial standing positions.

We investigated the effects of balance difficulty on contingent negative variation (CNV) and postural preparation against perturbation. Thirteen subjects were perturbed by a backward floor translation (S2) after an auditory warning stimulus. To alter balance difficulty, subjects maintained standing posture from four initial positions before perturbation.

Eye movement performance and prefrontal hemodynamics during saccadic eye movements in the elderly.

No previous study has investigated age-related changes in prefrontal hemodynamics during saccade tasks in a large number of elderly adults. The purpose of this study was to evaluate prefrontal activity related to the performance of anti-saccade in the elderly using near-infrared spectroscopy (NIRS). Ninety-six elderly adults and 22 young adults performed pro- and anti-saccade tasks.

Regular heel-raise training focused on the soleus for the elderly: evaluation of muscle thickness by ultrasound.

The soleus, one of the triceps surae muscles, greatly contributes to standing and walking. Strength training focused on the soleus could be important to prevent age-related deterioration in these functions. We therefore investigated the effects of regular heel-raise training focused on the soleus for the elderly.

Population structure of two closely related pelagic cichlids in Lake Victoria, Haplochromis pyrrhocephalus and H. laparogramma.

Cichlid fishes in Lake Victoria show spectacular diversification that is thought to be recent. Therefore, by investigating those fishes, we may be able to elucidate recently completed or ongoing speciation processes. We studied the population structures of two closely related pelagic cichlid species, Haplochromis pyrrhocephalus and H.

Effects of stance width on postural movement pattern and anticipatory postural control associated with unilateral arm abduction.

We investigated the effects of stance width on postural movement pattern and activation timing of postural muscles during unilateral arm abduction. Thirty-two healthy subjects abducted the right arm at their own timing. Stance width was 0, 9, 18 or 27 cm.

Effects of neck flexion on contingent negative variation and anticipatory postural control during arm movement while standing.

We investigated the effects of neck flexion on contingent negative variation (CNV) and anticipatory postural control using an arm flexion task in standing. CNV was adopted to evaluate the state of activation of brain areas related to anticipatory postural control. Subjects were required to flex the arms in response to a sound stimulus preceded by a warning sound stimulus.

Postural control adaptability to floor oscillation in the elderly.

We established a method to evaluate postural control adaptability, applying it to 341 subjects, aged 18-29 years (young subjects) and 50-79 years, in order to investigate the influences of age and gender on adaptability. Subjects stood with eyes closed on a force plate fixed to a floor oscillator, which was sinusoidally oscillated in the anteroposterior direction with 0.5 Hz frequency and 2.

Postural movement pattern and muscle action sequence associated with self-paced bilateral arm flexion during standing.

Investigated were postural movement pattern and action sequence of postural muscles while subjects rapidly flexed both arms during standing. The arm movement was started at the subject's own pace. Subjects were healthy individuals; 48 men and 53 women.

Optimal vibration stimulation to the neck extensor muscles using hydraulic vibrators to shorten saccadic reaction time.

Optimal vibration stimulation to the neck extensor muscles using hydraulic vibrators to shorten the saccadic reaction time was examined. Subjects were 14 healthy young adults. Visual targets (LEDs) were located 10 degrees left and right of a central point.

Effects of preparatory period on anticipatory postural control and contingent negative variation associated with rapid arm movement in standing posture.

We investigated CNS motor preparation state and anticipatory postural muscle activation while subjects performed bilateral rapid arm movement at various intervals between warning and response stimulus (preparatory period) during standing. Motor preparation state was evaluated by integrated values of the late components of the contingent negative variation (late CNV), obtained by averaging electroencephalograms during the last 100ms of the preparatory period. For quantifying anticipatory postural muscle activation, we measured the onset of burst activity in postural muscles (lumbar paraspinal, biceps femoris, and gastrocnemius) with respect to anterior deltoid activity and integrated values of preceding activation.

Postural muscle activity patterns during standing at rest and on an oscillating floor.

Postural muscle activity pattern was examined in the eyes-closed state after adequate adaptation to floor anteroposterior oscillation. Twenty-three subjects were grouped almost evenly according to dominance of anterior or posterior postural muscles in the trunk and thigh during quiet stance. In the posterior-dominant group, this dominance was maintained at every frequency in most subjects.

Perception of large change in distribution of heel pressure during backward leaning.

We investigated the perception of the large change in distribution of heel pressure during backward leaning. Subjects were 12 healthy adults who reported perceiving a large change in distribution of heel pressure by a handheld switch while leaning voluntarily backward on a sole pressure analyzer and on a heel force plate. The large change was indicated at the center of heel pressure.

Influences of illusionary position perception on anticipatory postural control associated with arm flexion.

We examined the effect of illusionary perception on anticipatory postural control associated with arm flexion with subjects in a standing position, using vibration stimulation of the Achilles' tendon. Arm flexion was performed five times under each of the following conditions: (1) quiet standing, (2) vibration of the Achilles' tendon at 100 Hz frequency and 1.5 mm amplitude with the trunk fixed by a stopper during quiet standing, and (3) a perceived standing position during vibration.