Objective
The project is presented by 3 groups of the EEC orassociated countries and 3 NIS groups, who have alreadydeveloped long term collaboration in the field of control of posture and movement. The cooperative project is aimed at developing a multi disciplinary approach of the control of posture and movement with a special interest for the interlimb coordinated tasks. Special attention should be paid to the neural mechanisms underlying the multisensory interactions involved inthe control of posture and movement, to the identification ofthe spatio-temporal invariances during the performance of coordinated tasks, to the identification of reference values (posture, equilibrium) simultaneously controlled during movement performance, to the central organization of the coordinated controls and to the process involved in theiracquisition.
The experiments will be performed on normal human subjects and neurological patients. Electrophysiological analysis (electromyography) in behaving subjects, combined with kinematic and dynamical analysis will be performed as well as brain imaging. The experimental approach will be compared with biomechanical modelling and neural network simulation.
Two main programs will be developed:
1. Neural mechanisms underlying interlimb coordinationduring bimanual tasks. Two "models" will be compared.
a) bimanual coordination during load lifting task. In this project, the acquisition of the coordination between the"postural forearm" and the "moving arm" will be tested inpatients and a biomechanical modelling of the learning processwill be performed; b) bimanual coordination during a pull-grasp task. Here, the temporal coordination will be assessed as well as the effect of changing constraints. The crucial brain structures involved in coordination will be explored by brain imaging.
2. Coordination between posture and movement. The three projects will explore the sensorimotor mechanisms involved inthe coordination process.
a) role of force feedback in dynamic control of armmovement. In this task, the role of the force feedback which is crucial for the organization of the post-urokinetic coordination, will be assessed in a task where it is used forthe dynamic control of the hand; b) anticipation of turning by gaze orienting duringl ocomotion. The control and functional significance of theanticipation of head-eye turning during locomotion should be explored using kinematic and EMG analysis and manipulation bysensory conflicts; c) equilibrium control during upper trunk movements. The anticipatory control of balance during trunk bending should be explored by biomechanical modelling, mathematical analysis and neural network implementation in normal subjects and patients.
In view of the experimental as well as thematic complexities of the investigated problems, a multidisciplinary approach with neurophysiological, behavioral, neurological and computational methods is highly desirable. The largely complementary competence of the partners should make the collaboration between the NIS and EEC groups very fruitful.
Topic(s)
Call for proposal
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13402 Marseille
France