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Motor system plasticity in blind athletes

Research Project

Project/Area Number 16K12974
Research Category

Grant-in-Aid for Challenging Exploratory Research

Allocation TypeMulti-year Fund
Research Field Developmental mechanisms and the body works
Research InstitutionNational Institute of Information and Communications Technology

Principal Investigator

Tsuyoshi Ikegami  国立研究開発法人情報通信研究機構, 脳情報通信融合研究センター脳情報通信融合研究室, 研究員 (20588660)

Co-Investigator(Kenkyū-buntansha) 廣瀬 智士  国立研究開発法人情報通信研究機構, 脳情報通信融合研究センター脳情報通信融合研究室, 研究員 (70590058)
Research Collaborator Naito Eiichi  
Hirashima Masaya  
Project Period (FY) 2016-04-01 – 2019-03-31
Project Status Completed (Fiscal Year 2018)
Budget Amount *help
¥3,380,000 (Direct Cost: ¥2,600,000、Indirect Cost: ¥780,000)
Fiscal Year 2017: ¥1,430,000 (Direct Cost: ¥1,100,000、Indirect Cost: ¥330,000)
Fiscal Year 2016: ¥1,950,000 (Direct Cost: ¥1,500,000、Indirect Cost: ¥450,000)
Keywords障害者アスリート / 視覚障害 / 運動システム / 可塑性 / 視覚障害者 / アスリート / 神経可塑性 / 運動制御
Outline of Final Research Achievements

This study examined a neural plasticity mechanism of the motor system of blind athletes. For this purpose, two types of experiments were performed: behavioral experiments in the absence of vision using locomotive movements (walking and running), and brain stimulation experiments using a transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS). First, the behavioral experiment revealed that blind athlete participants were superior to non-athlete (averaged) blind and sighted control participants. Next, the TMS experiment showed that TMS stimulations applied to the visual cortices more affected foot movements of the blind athlete participants compared with the other two group participants. These results imply that plenty of motor experiences after loss of vision could change the individual’s visual areas to get involved in action production, and this neural plasticity may support the blind athlete’s high motor performance.

Academic Significance and Societal Importance of the Research Achievements

視覚障害者の運動能力に関しては,これまでは主に体力(筋力や心肺機能,五十嵐, 1993)に焦点が当てられてきたが,本研究は制御能力(動作の巧みさ)に着目している点が新しい.よって,本研究は,視覚障害者の身体教育法や,視覚障害者スポーツのトレーニング法の開発に示唆を与え,一般的な視覚障害者のQOL(生活の質)の向上に貢献する.

Report

(4 results)
  • 2018 Annual Research Report   Final Research Report ( PDF )
  • 2017 Research-status Report
  • 2016 Research-status Report
  • Research Products

    (2 results)

All 2018 2017

All Presentation (2 results)

  • [Presentation] 視覚障害者アスリート視覚野の運動機能:TMS研究2018

    • Author(s)
      池上剛,平島雅也, 内藤栄一,廣瀬智士
    • Organizer
      第12回モーターコントロール研究会
    • Related Report
      2018 Annual Research Report
  • [Presentation] 視覚障害者アスリート視覚野の運動機能:TMS研究2017

    • Author(s)
      池上剛、平島雅也、山本健太、内藤栄一、廣瀬智士
    • Organizer
      第11回Motor Control 研究会
    • Related Report
      2017 Research-status Report

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Published: 2016-04-21   Modified: 2020-03-30  

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