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Model-Based Interpretations of Experimental Data Related to the Control of Balance During Stance and Gait in Humans

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Neuromechanical Modeling of Posture and Locomotion

Part of the book series: Springer Series in Computational Neuroscience ((NEUROSCI))

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Abstract

An important goal in developing a model is to explain experimental data from a physiological system in a manner that provides insight into the function of that system. We begin by using data from experiments that characterized the dynamic properties of the human balance control system that regulates body orientation during stance. The dynamic properties of stance control are expressed as frequency response functions derived from body sway evoked by pseudorandom stimuli that tilted the surface upon which subjects stood or the visual surround that they viewed. A feedback control model is developed in a step-wise manner in order to illustrate how different subsystems of the model combine to explain the features of the experimental data and to reveal (1) the contributions of feedback control based on sensory measures of body motion from proprioceptive, visual, and vestibular systems, (2) the regulation of the responsiveness to perturbations using sensory reweighting, (3) the contribution of positive torque feedback, and (4) the influence of passive dynamics of muscle/tendon systems. The insights obtained from this stance control model are then applied to aid in the interpretation of new results from experiments that investigate the control of body orientation during a gait-like task of stepping-in-place.

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Acknowledgements

All experiments were performed according to protocols approved by the IRB of Oregon Health & Science University. Work was supported by NIH grants R01AG17960 and R01DC010779.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Biomedical Engineering, Oregon Health & Science University, 3303 SW Bond Avenue, CH13B, 97239, Portland, OR, USA

    Robert J. Peterka PhD

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  1. Robert J. Peterka PhD
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Correspondence to Robert J. Peterka PhD .

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Editors and Affiliations

  1. Georgia Institute of Technology , Atlanta, Georgia, USA

    Boris I. Prilutsky

  2. Georgia State University , Atlanta, Georgia, USA

    Donald H. Edwards

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Peterka, R. (2016). Model-Based Interpretations of Experimental Data Related to the Control of Balance During Stance and Gait in Humans. In: Prilutsky, B., Edwards, D. (eds) Neuromechanical Modeling of Posture and Locomotion. Springer Series in Computational Neuroscience. Springer, New York, NY. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4939-3267-2_9

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