Biomedical subjects

C Papaxanthis

Publications and source records attributed to C Papaxanthis.

10 recordsLinked to original sources

PubMed2003

Similar planning strategies for whole-body and arm movements performed in the sagittal plane.

The present paper looks for kinematic similarities between whole-body and arm movements executed in the sagittal plane. Eight subjects performed sit-to-stand (STS) and back-to-sit (BTS) movements at their preferred speed in the sagittal plane. Kinematics analysis focused on shoulder motion revealed that STS was composed of a straight, forward displacement followed by a curved, upward displacement while BTS was characterized by a curved, downward and straight, backward displacement. Curvature of the upward displacement was significantly greater than the downward one. Analysis of shoulder-velocity profiles showed that movement duration was significantly longer for BTS compared with STS and that the shape of the velocity profiles changed when subjects performed an STS compared with a BTS movement. Velocity profiles of the upward and downward displacements also differed; the relative acceleration duration (acceleration duration divided by movement duration during the vertical motion) was smaller for the upward compared with the downward displacement. The present results are in accordance with previous findings concerning the execution of vertical arm movements and suggest that the CNS uses similar motor plans for the performance of arm and whole-body movements in the sagittal plane.

Adult↗

PubMed2000

Investigating centre of mass stabilisation as the goal of posture and movement coordination during human whole body reaching.

In the light of experimental results showing significant forward centre of mass (CoM) displacements within the base of support, this study investigated if whole body reaching movements can be executed whilst keeping the CoM fixed in the horizontal axis. Using kinematic simulation techniques, angular configurations were recreated from experimental data imposing two constraints: a constant horizontal position of the CoM and an identical trajectory of the hand to grasp an object. The comparison between recorded and simulated trials showed that stabilisation of the CoM was associated with greater backward hip displacements, which became more marked with increasing object distance. This was in contrast to recorded trials showing reductions in backward hip displacements with increasing distance. Results also showed that modifications to angular displacements were necessary only at the shoulder and hip joints, but that these modifications were within the limits of joint mobility. The analysis of individual joint torques revealed that the pattern and timing of simulated trials were similar to those recorded experimentally. Peak joint torque values showed particularly that keeping the CoM at a constant horizontal position resulted in significantly smaller ankle peak flexor and extensor torques. It may be concluded from this study that 'stabilising' the CoM during human whole body reaching represents a feasible strategy, but not the one chosen by subjects under experimental conditions. Our results also do not support the idea of the CoM as the stabilised reference value for the coordination between posture and goal-directed movements.

Adolescent↗

PubMed1998

Effects of movement direction upon kinematic characteristics of vertical arm pointing movements in man.

Vertical arm pointing movements in two directions (upwards and downwards), imposing two different loads (unload and 0.5 kg) and speeds (normal and fast) have been studied in six subjects. Movements were recorded using an optoelectronic system. Data analysis concentrated upon finger-tip kinematics. Significant effects of movement direction were recorded upon velocity profiles. The acceleration time, computed relative to total movement time, was greater for downward movements than for upward movements. In contrast however, no effects of load or speed were observed. Movement time was not affected by movement direction or load, for both speeds tested. These results suggest different planning processes, for movements with and against gravity and indicate that gravitational force influences the processes controlling movement execution.

Acceleration↗

PubMed1998

Hand trajectory formation during whole body reaching movements in man.

End-effector trajectory formation was studied during a reaching movement using the whole body. The movements of various parts of the body were measured with the optoelectronic ELITE system. Wrist reaching movement paths showed noticeable curvatures. The analysis of various marker onset latencies revealed that the wrist was the last to move, always after the head, knee or trunk, suggesting a subordinate role of the focal component with respect to the primary role of the equilibrium component. These results suggest that reaching wrist movements are subjected to whole-body equilibrium constraints in addition to constraints placed upon end-effector kinematics or the dynamic optimization of upper-limb movements.

Adult↗

PubMed1998

The representation of gravitational force during drawing movements of the arm.

The purpose of the present experiment was to study the way in which the central nervous system (CNS) represents gravitational force (GF) during vertical drawing movements of the arm. Movements in four different directions: (a) upward vertical (0 degrees), (b) upward oblique (45 degrees), (c) downward vertical (180 degrees) and (d) downward oblique (135 degrees), and at two different speeds, normal and fast, were executed by nine subjects. Data analysis focused upon arm movement kinematics in the frontal plane and gravitational torques (GTs) exerted around the shoulder joint. Regardless of movement direction, subjects showed straight-line paths for both speed conditions. In addition, movement time and peak velocity were not affected by movement direction and consequently changes in GT, for both speeds tested. Movement timing (evaluated through the ratio of acceleration time to total time) changed significantly, however, as a function of movement direction and speed. Upward movements showed shorter acceleration times when compared with downward movements. Concerning the four directions, movements made at 0 degrees and 45 degrees differed significantly from those made at 135 degrees and 180 degrees. Drawing movements executed at rapid speed presented similar acceleration and deceleration times compared with movements executed at normal speed, which showed greater acceleration than deceleration times. In addition, the form of velocity profiles (assessed through the ratio of maximum to mean velocities), was significantly modified only with movement speed. Results from the present study suggest that GF is efficiently incorporated into internal dynamic models that the brain builds up for the execution of arm movements. Furthermore, it seems that GF not only is a mechanical parameter to be overcome by the motor system but also constitutes a reference (vertical direction), both of which are represented by the CNS during inverse kinematic and dynamic processes.

Adult↗

PubMed1998

Hand trajectories of vertical arm movements in one-G and zero-G environments. Evidence for a central representation of gravitational force.

The purpose of the present experiment was to study the way in which the central nervous system (CNS), represents gravitational force during vertical arm pointing movements. Movements in upward (against gravity) and downward (with gravity) directions, with two different mass loads (hand empty and with a hand-held 0.5-kg weight) were executed by eight subjects in a normal gravitational environment. Movements by two cosmonauts, in the two directions, were also tested in a state of weightlessness. Analyses focused upon finger trajectories in the sagittal plane. Subjects in a normal gravitational environment showed curved paths for both directions and weight conditions. In addition, downward movements showed significantly smaller curvatures than upward movements. Movement times were approximately the same for all the experimental conditions. Curvature differences between upward and downward movements persisted during space flight and immediately postflight. Movement times from both cosmonauts increased slightly during flight, but returned to normal immediately on reentry in a one-G environment. Results from the present study provide evidence that gravity is centrally represented in an anticipatory fashion as a driving force during vertical arm movement planning.

Adult↗

PubMed1998

The sensorimotor and cognitive integration of gravity.

In order to demonstrate that gravity is not only a load acting locally and continuously on the body limbs, but is also used by higher levels of the nervous system as a dynamic orienting reference for the elaboration of the motor act, a review of several experiments conducted both in 1 g and 0 g are presented. During various locomotor tasks, the strategy that consists of stabilizing the head with respect to gravity illustrates one of the solutions used by the CNS to optimize the control of dynamic equilibrium. A question which remains to be solved when considering experimental results obtained in weightlessness concerns, however, the maintenance of motor schema that has evolved under normal gravity. Results have suggested that the concept of conservative processes, that would adapt postural control to weightlessness by using previously learned innate strategies, must be reconsidered during goal-oriented tasks. In fact, it is proposed that when conservative processes and existing solutions derived from a repertoire of terrestrial postural strategies do not provide efficient output, the CNS has to create novel strategies through a slow learning process. As with the study of postural control, three-dimensional arm reaching movements also illustrate the central representation of gravity. Indeed, gravity can be regarded as either initiating or braking arm movements and, consequently, may be represented in the motor command at the planning level. Finally, from a prospective point of view, there is a need to determine new experimental paradigms in order to study the specific motor control of man in space. It is suggested that the formulation of experimental paradigms should not consider man in space simply as a terrestrial biped.

Arm↗

PubMed1998

[Drawing movements and gravitational force: central or peripheral regulation?].

Drawing arm movements in four different directions: a) upward vertical (0 degree), b) upward oblique (45 degrees), c) downward vertical (180 degrees) and d) downward oblique (135 degrees), and at two different speeds, normal and fast, were executed by eight subjects. Movements of the arm were recorded using an optoelectronic (2 TV, 100 Hz) system which allowed the computer reconstruction of joint motion. Analyses focused upon pen kinematics in the frontal plane. Velocity profiles were unimodal for all conditions. The ratio of acceleration time to total movement time changed significantly as a function of the direction and the speed of the movement. Movement time and was not affected by movement direction and consequently changes in gravitational torques, for both speeds tested. Results from this study provide indirect evidence that the CNS executes movements by taking advantage of gravitational force.

Adult↗

PubMed1996

[Search of gravity force in the planning of arm pointing movements].

Arm movements in two directions (downward assisted by gravity and upward against gravity) with three different loads (no load 0.5 and 1 kg) were studied in six subjects. Movements of the arm were recorded using an optoelectronic (2 TV, 100 Hz) system which allowed the computer reconstruction of joint motion. Analyses focused upon finger kinematics in the sagittal plane. Subjects showed curved paths for both directions and load conditions. The path's curvature changed significantly only as a function of the direction of the movement. Velocity profiles were unimodal for all conditions. Upward movements showed greater deceleration than acceleration times in contrast to downward movements which presented more symmetrical velocity profiles. The ratio of acceleration time to total movement time changed significantly only as a function of the direction of the movement but not as a function of the load. Results from this study provide indirect evidence that the CNS executes movements by taking advantage of gravity force.

Adult↗

PubMedDate not supplied

Arm end-point trajectories under normal and micro-gravity environments.

The purpose of the present experiment was to study the way in which the CNS represents gravitational force during vertical arm pointing movements. Movements in upward and downward directions were executed by two cosmonauts in normal-gravity and weightlessness. Analyses focused upon finger kinematics in the sagittal plane. In normal-gravity, downward direction movements showed smaller curvatures and greater relative times to peak velocity (AT/MT) when compared with upward direction movements. Data from the weightlessness experiments showed that whilst downward movements decreased their curvature during space flight, curvatures of upward movements changed slightly. Furthermore, AT/MT was modified during the first days in micro-gravity for both directions, recovering, however, to pre-flight values after 18 days in space. Results from the present study, provide evidence that gravitational force is centrally treated constituting an important component of the motor plan for vertical arm movements.

Aerospace Medicine↗