Biomedical subjects

Kimberlee Jordan

Publications and source records attributed to Kimberlee Jordan.

6 recordsLinked to original sources

PubMed2006

Speed influences on the scaling behavior of gait cycle fluctuations during treadmill running.

The current study examined the temporal structure of gait cycle fluctuations in running. Participants ran at 80%, 90%, 100%, 110% and 120% of preferred running speed for 8min trials. Kinematic and kinetic gait cycle variables were generated from ground reaction force data. Mean, SD and CV of the kinematic and kinetic variables changed linearly with speed, whereas U-shaped functions were found for the scaling exponent alpha in 5 of the 8 variables investigated. Our findings reveal that long range correlations are present in both kinetic and kinematic variables of the gait cycle. The dependent structure of the stride interval is reduced at preferred running speed and this is hypothesized to be related to the enhanced stability and flexibility of this gait speed.

Adult↗

PubMed2006

Walking speed influences on gait cycle variability.

The purpose of this study was to investigate the influence of walking speed on the amount and structure of the stride-to-stride fluctuations of the gait cycle. Based on previous findings for both walking [Hausdorff JM, Purdon PL, Peng CK, Ladin Z, Wei JY, Goldberger AL. Fractal dynamics of human gait: stability of long-range correlations in stride interval fluctuations. J Appl Physiol 1996;80:1448-57], and running [Jordan K, Challis JH, Newell KM. Long range correlations in the stride interval of running. Gait Posture 2006;24:120-5] it was hypothesized that the fractal nature of human locomotion is a reflection of the attractor dynamics of human locomotion. Female participants walked for 12min trials at 80%, 90%, 100%, 110% and 120% of their preferred walking speed. Eight gait cycle variables were investigated: stride interval and length, step interval and length, and from the vertical ground reaction force profile the impulse, first and second peak forces, and the trough force. Detrended fluctuation analysis (DFA) revealed the presence of long range correlations in all gait cycle variables investigated. Speed related U-shaped functions occurred in five of the eight variables, with the minima of these curves falling between 100% and 110% of the preferred walking speed. These findings are consistent with those previously shown in running studies and support the hypothesis that reduced strength of long range correlations at preferred locomotion speeds is reflective of enhanced stability and adaptability at these speeds.

Adult↗

PubMed2005

Long range correlations in the stride interval of running.

Fluctuations in the stride interval time series of unconstrained walking are not random but exhibit long range correlations that decay as a power law [Hausdorff JM, Peng CK, Ladin Z, Wei JY, Goldberger AL. Is walking a random walk? Evidence for long range correlations in stride interval of human gait. J Appl Physiol 1995;78:349-58]. Here, we examine whether the long range correlations are present in the stride interval time series of running. Recreational female runners ran 8min trials at their preferred running speed as well as 10% and 20% slower and faster than their preferred speed. Both the average time and the amount of variability of the stride interval decreased with increasing speed. Detrended fluctuation analysis (DFA) showed that there were long range correlations present in the stride interval time series and these correlations followed a quasi U-shaped function, with the minimum at the preferred running speed. These results are consistent with the hypothesis that the preferred running speed, falling as it does between the upper and lower limits of possible running speeds, is the speed at which the most dynamical degrees of freedom are available for adaptive control of locomotion.

Adult↗

PubMed2005

Motor preparation in a memorised delay task.

The effect on reaction time (RT) and movement time (MT) of remembering which one of several targets to move to was investigated in 18 participants who completed 416 trials in each task. On each trial, participants moved their index finger from a central, illuminated switch (the stimulus) to one of eight targets located on the circumference of a 6 cm radius circle. A visual cue (illumination of the target) informed the participant of the appropriate target. In the memorised delay task, the cued target was lit for 300 ms followed by a variable (450-750 ms) foreperiod during which the participant was required to remember the location of the target until the stimulus light was extinguished. In the non-memorised delay task, the target remained lit during the entire foreperiod (750-1050 ms) until the response was completed. At the "go" signal (stimulus light extinguished) participants moved as quickly and accurately as possible to the cued target. Both RT and MT were significantly (p<0.05) longer in the memorised delay task. The increase in RT shows that remembering which target imposed a greater load on motor preparation even though all the information needed for preparing the response was presented in the cue at the beginning of each trial. The increase in MT raises the possibility that movement execution was also programmed during motor preparation.

Adult↗

PubMed2005

Information and force level interact in regulating force output during two and three digit grip configurations.

The experiment examined the force fluctuations during two and three digit grip configurations to investigate the relationship between task performance and inter-digit individuation as a function of force level and visual information intermittency rate over approximately 100-fold range (0.21-20 Hz). Subjects grasped an object with either the index finger (two digit grip) or the index and middle finger (three digit grip) opposing the thumb and produced isometric force to match a low and high total force level target. Force accuracy was lower at the large visual intermittency conditions and the higher force level. The force variability was lower in the three digit grip. Inter-digit individuation increased as a function of visual intermittency rate and was greater at the low force level. There was no improvement in performance or inter-digit individuation when visual feedback intermittency was greater than approximately 6 Hz (approximately 150 ms). Linear regression between the measures of task performance and inter-digit individuation yielded a significant negative relationship that was only present in the two digit grip when visual feedback rate was 1.67 Hz or lower and in the three digit grip when the feedback rate was 10 Hz or lower. The greater biomechanical degrees of freedom in the three digit grip configuration enable the subject to use, more effectively, visual information feedback at faster timescales in maximizing task performance by increasing digit independence. The shift from visual to nonvisual dominated motor control processes is dependent on the interaction of informational and biomechanical degrees of freedom.

Adult↗

PubMed2004

Task goal and grip force dynamics.

This study examined the effect of task goal on the structure of isometric force variability during precision grasping. In general, variability of isometric force production decreases when participants are asked to maintain a particular force output and are provided with visual feedback, although the irregularity of force output tends to increase under these conditions. In the current study we compared the tasks of holding an object using a precision grip and holding an object using a precision grip while matching a force target. Adults held an object between the index finger and thumb and force output was measured using load cells. The mass (92, 276, 460 g) and the grip aperture (5.5 and 8.5 cm) of the object were varied producing six different object conditions. The goal of the task was to either: (a) hold the object comfortably in a stable position (holding task) or (b) hold the object comfortably in a stable position while maintaining a constant target force level that matched the grip force of the holding condition (target task). The results showed that the amount of force variability in the target condition was lower than during the holding condition, while the force output was more regular in the holding condition. Increments in object mass increased force regularity in the holding condition whereas increments of force level decreased regularity in the target condition. The level of coherence between the two digits was very high (approximately 0.98) and maximum coherence occurred at a higher frequency during the target (0.94 Hz) as opposed to the holding (0.70 Hz) condition. The findings reveal that the goal of the task can qualitatively change the dynamical organization of the force output in prehension, even when the average force level produced is the same. This effect on the control strategy was mediated by visual information processes that interact with level of force output in determining the structure of variability. Theorizing about the organization of isometric force output should include the effects of task goals as well as the level of force per se.

Adult↗