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Variations in task constraints shape emergent performance outcomes and complexity levels in balancing

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Abstract

This study investigated the extent to which specific interacting constraints of performance might increase or decrease the emergent complexity in a movement system, and whether this could affect the relationship between observed movement variability and the central nervous system’s capacity to adapt to perturbations during balancing. Fifty-two healthy volunteers performed eight trials where different performance constraints were manipulated: task difficulty (three levels) and visual biofeedback conditions (with and without the center of pressure (COP) displacement and a target displayed). Balance performance was assessed using COP-based measures: mean velocity magnitude (MVM) and bivariate variable error (BVE). To assess the complexity of COP, fuzzy entropy (FE) and detrended fluctuation analysis (DFA) were computed. ANOVAs showed that MVM and BVE increased when task difficulty increased. During biofeedback conditions, individuals showed higher MVM but lower BVE at the easiest level of task difficulty. Overall, higher FE and lower DFA values were observed when biofeedback was available. On the other hand, FE reduced and DFA increased as difficulty level increased, in the presence of biofeedback. However, when biofeedback was not available, the opposite trend in FE and DFA values was observed. Regardless of changes to task constraints and the variable investigated, balance performance was positively related to complexity in every condition. Data revealed how specificity of task constraints can result in an increase or decrease in complexity emerging in a neurobiological system during balance performance.

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Notes

  1. Sample entropy was also calculated as another entropy measure to assess the degree of irregularity of CoP values. To calculate this measure, we used the following parameter values: vector length, m = 2; tolerance window, r = 0.2 * SD (Pincus, 1991). The results were very similar to the FE results, in both the effect of the different constraints and the correlation between performance and complexity.

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Acknowledgments

This study was made possible by financial support from Science and Innovation Ministry of Spain, Project Cod. DEP2010-19420 and Project Cod. FPU12/00659. Spanish Government.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Centro de Investigación del Deporte, Universidad Miguel Hernández, Av. de la Universidad s/n, CP: 03202, Elche, Alicante, Spain

    Carla Caballero Sánchez, David Barbado Murillo & Francisco J. Moreno Hernández

  2. Centre of Sports Engineering Research, Sheffield Hallam University, Collegiate Hall, Collegiate Campus, Sheffield, S1 1WB, UK

    Keith Davids

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  1. Carla Caballero Sánchez
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  2. David Barbado Murillo
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  3. Keith Davids
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  4. Francisco J. Moreno Hernández
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Correspondence to Carla Caballero Sánchez.

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Caballero Sánchez, C., Barbado Murillo, D., Davids, K. et al. Variations in task constraints shape emergent performance outcomes and complexity levels in balancing. Exp Brain Res 234, 1611–1622 (2016). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00221-016-4563-2

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