Neural control mechanisms during gaze and posture in health and disease

2016 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 26242041
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Scientific Research (A)
• Allocation Type: Single-year Grants
• Section: 一般
• Research Field: Biomedical engineering/Biomaterial science and engineering
• Research Institution: Osaka University
• Principal Investigator: Nomura Taishin 大阪大学, 基礎工学研究科, 教授 (50283734)
• Co-Investigator(Kenkyū-buntansha): 佐古田 三郎 独立行政法人国立病院機構刀根山病院(臨床研究部), その他部局等, 病院長 (00178625) ; 望月 秀樹 大阪大学, 医学(系)研究科(研究院), 教授 (90230044) ; 小林 康 大阪大学, 生命機能研究科, 准教授 (60311198) ; 清野 健 大阪大学, 基礎工学研究科, 准教授 (40434071) ; 鈴木 康之 大阪大学, 基礎工学研究科, 助教 (30631874)
• Project Period (FY): 2014-06-27 – 2017-03-31
• Keywords: 運動制御 / 計算論的神経科学 / 姿勢制御 / 歩行 / 眼球運動 / 非線形制御 / ゆらぎ / パーキンソン病

Outline of Final Research Achievements

In this study, we aimed at elucidating neural mechanisms for stabilizing quiet stance, bipedal walking, and gaze fixation, as well as dynamical pathomechanism of destabilization of those postural control in patients with Parkinson's disease. To this end, we analyzed postural sway, gait stride variability, and fixational eye movement, and showed that these fluctuations can be characterized by long-range correlation and non-Gaussianity. Moreover, we proposed dynamical system models that could simulate such movement variabilities. Based on those analysis, we suggested that the central nervous system stabilize those steady states by intermittent controllers that exploit unstable dynamics of body and eye ball, and loss of intermittency in the control signals could be one of major causes of postural instability in patients with Parkinson's disease.

Free Research Field

生体医工学