The endogenous, or voluntary, control of visuospatial attention relies upon interactions within a frontoparietal dorsal attention network (DAN) and this network’s top-down influence on visual occipital cortex (VOC). While these interactions have been shown to occur during attention tasks, they are also known to occur to some extent at rest, but the degree to which task-related interactions reflect either modulation or reorganization of such ongoing intrinsic interactions is poorly understood. In addition, it is known that in spatial neglect—a syndrome following unilateral brain lesions in which patients fail to attend to the contralesional side of space—symptom severity covaries with disruptions to intrinsic interhemispheric interactions between left and right homologous regions of the DAN; however, similar covariance with disruptions to intrahemispheric interactions within the DAN, and between the DAN and VOC, has not been demonstrated. These issues are addressed herein via the measurement of both undirected and directed functional connectivity (UFC, DFC) within the DAN and between the DAN and VOC. UFC and DFC were derived from correlations of, and multivariate vector autoregressive modeling of, fMRI BOLD time-series, respectively. Time-series were recorded from individuals performing an anticipatory visuospatial attention task and individuals at rest, as well as from stroke patients either with or without neglect and age-matched healthy controls. With regard to the first issue, the results show that relative to rest, top-down DAN-to-VOC influence and within-DAN coupling are elevated during task performance, but also that intrinsic connectivity patterns are largely preserved during the task. With regard to the second issue, results show that interhemispheric imbalances of intrahemispheric UFC and DFC both within the DAN and between the DAN and VOC strongly correlate with neglect severity, and may co-occur with functional decoupling of the hemispheres. This work thus demonstrates that the intrinsic functional integrity of the DAN and its relationship to VOC is crucial for the endogenous control of visuospatial attention during tasks, and that the compromise of this integrity due to stroke likely plays a role in producing spatial neglect. / Includes bibliography. / Dissertation (Ph.D.)--Florida Atlantic University, 2016. / FAU Electronic Theses and Dissertations Collection

Traditionally brain function is studied through measuring physiological responses in controlled sensory, motor, and cognitive paradigms. However, even at rest, in the absence of overt goal-directed behavior, collections of cortical regions consistently show temporally coherent activity. In humans, these resting state networks have been shown to greatly overlap with functional architectures present during consciously directed activity, which motivates the interpretation of rest activity as day dreaming, free association, stream of consciousness, and inner rehearsal. In monkeys, it has been shown though that similar coherent fluctuations are present during deep anesthesia when there is no consciousness. These coherent fluctuations have also been characterized on multiple temporal scales ranging from the fast frequency regimes, 1-100 Hz, commonly observed in EEG and MEG recordings, to the ultra-slow regimes, < 0.1 Hz, observed in the Blood Oxygen Level Dependent (BOLD) signal of functi onal magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI). However, the mechanism for their genesis and the origin of the ultra-slow frequency oscillations has not been well understood. Here, we show that comparable resting state networks emerge from a stability analysis of the network dynamics using biologically realistic primate brain connectivity, although anatomical information alone does not identify the network. We specifically demonstrate that noise and time delays via propagation along connecting fibres are essential for the emergence of the coherent fluctuations of the default network. The combination of anatomical structure and time delays creates a spacetime structure in which the neural noise enables the brain to explore various functional configurations representing its dynamic repertoire. / Using a simplified network model comprised of 3 nodes governed by the dynamics of FitzHugh-Nagumo (FHN) oscillators, we systematically study the role of time delay and coupling strength in the Using a simplified network model comprised of 3 nodes governed by the dynamics of FitzHugh-Nagumo (FHN) oscillators, we systematically study the role of time delay and coupling strength in the generation o f the slow coherent fluctuations. We find that these fluctuations in the BOLD signal are significantly correlated with the level of neural synchrony implicating that transient interareal synchronizations are the mechanism causing the emergence of the ultra slow coherent fluctuations in the BOLD signal. / by Young-Ah Rho. / Thesis (Ph.D.)--Florida Atlantic University, 2009. / Includes bibliography. / Electronic reproduction. Boca Raton, Fla., 2009. Mode of access: World Wide Web.

We sought to better understand human motor control by investigating functional interactions between the Supplementary Motor Area (SMA), dorsal Anterior Cingulate Cortex (dACC), and primary motor cortex (M1) in healthy adolescent participants performing visually coordinated unimanual finger-movement and n-back working memory tasks. We discovered modulation of the SMA by the dACC by analysis of fMRI BOLD time series recorded from the three ROIs (SMA, dACC, and M1) in each participant. Two measures of functional interaction were used: undirected functional connectivity was measured using the Pearson product-moment correlation coefficient (PMCC), and directed functional connectivity was measured from linear autoregressive (AR) models. In the first project, task-specific modulation of the SMA by the dACC was discovered while subjects performed a coordinated unimanual finger-movement task, in which the finger movement was synchronized with an exogenous visual stimulus. In the second project, modulation of the SMA by the dACC was found to be significantly greater in the finger coordination task than in an n-back working memory, in which the same finger movement signified a motor response indicating a 0-back or 2-back working memory match. We thus demonstrated in the first study that the dACC sends task-specific directed signals to the supplementary motor area, suggesting a role for the dACC in top-down motor control. Finally, the second study revealed that these signals were significantly greater in the coordinated motor task than in the n-back working memory task, suggesting that the modulation of the SMA by the dACC was associated with sustained, continuous motor production and/or motor expectation, rather than with the motor movement itself. / Includes bibliography. / Dissertation (Ph.D.)--Florida Atlantic University, 2015. / FAU Electronic Theses and Dissertations Collection

Embodied Music Cognition is a recently developed theoretical and empirical framework which in the last eight years has been redefining the role of the body in music perception. However, to date there have been very few attempts to research embodied musical experiences in early childhood. The research reported in this thesis investigated 4- and 5-year-olds’ self-regulatory sensorimotor processes in response to music. Two video-based observation studies were conducted. The first, exploratory in nature, aimed to identify levels of musical self-regulation in children’s actions while ‘playing’ in a motion-based interactive environment (Sound=Space). The interactive element of this system provided an experiential platform for the young ‘players’ to explore and develop the ability to recognise themselves as controlling musical events, and to continuously adapt their behaviour according to expected auditory outcomes. Results showed that low-level experiences of musical self-regulation were associated with more random trajectories in space, often performed at a faster pace (e.g. running), while a higher degree of control corresponded to more organised spatial pathways usually involving slower actions and repetition. The second study focused on sensorimotor synchronisation. It aimed to identify children’s free and individual movement choices in response to rhythmic music with a salient and steady beat presented at different tempi. It also intended to find the similarities and differences between participants’ repertoire and their adjustments to tempo changes. The most prominent findings indicate that children’s movements exhibited a resilient periodicity which was not synchronised to the beat. Even though a great variety of body actions (mostly non-gestural) was found across the group, each child tended to use a more restricted repertoire and one specific dominant action that would be executed throughout the different tempi. Common features were also found in children’s performance, such as, the spatial preference for up/down directions and for movements done in place (e.g. vertical jump). The results of both studies highlight the great deal of variability in the way preschoolers regulate their own sensorimotor behaviour when interacting with music. This variety of responses can be interpreted as underlining the importance of the physical nature of the cognitive agent in the perception of music. If this is indeed the case, then it will be crucial to create and develop embodied music learning activities in early years education that encourage each child to self-monitor their own sensorimotor processes and, thus, to shape their experiences of linking sound and movement in a meaningful and fulfilling way.

A l'origine de notre travail se trouve le constat selon lequel, lorsqu'on s'intéresse au vieillissement, les recherches sont partitionnées en une multitude de domaines, de paradigmes expérimentaux et de théories résultant en un large puzzle de connaissance. Pourtant, au niveau comportemental, malgré les apparentes différences entre tous les champs d'étude, il existe des résultats empiriques montrant des évolutions communes dans les comportements des différents systèmes fonctionnels au cours de l'âge. C'est le cas notamment pour les tâches cognitives et sensorimotrices. Par exemple, pour les tâches où la rapidité est le critère de performance, les personnes âgées sont plus lentes que les jeunes ; elles sont aussi plus variables et moins adaptables face à l'augmentation de la difficulté. On observe cela à la fois au niveau cognitif et au niveau sensori-moteur. Plus généralement, avec l'âge les corrélations entre les performances de différents domaines fonctionnels augmentent, notamment entre la cognition et la sensori-motricité (Schäfer et al., 2006 ; Lindenberger & Ghisletta, 2009). Nous avons donc voulu comprendre comment et pourquoi des phénomènes comportementaux communs étaient observés aussi bien dans la cognition que la sensori-motricité. Une hypothèse envisagée est qu'ils seraient dus à des modifications structurelles et fonctionnelles du système nerveux central qui deviendrait de moins en moins différencié au fur et à mesure de l'avancement dans la vie (Reuter-Lorenz & Park, 2010 ; Heuninckx et al., 2005). C'est cette hypothèse que nous avons voulu explorer. / The starting point of this work was to realize that, when looking at aging research, studies are split in a multitude of domains, paradigms and theories resulting in a vast puzzle of knowledge. However, at the behavioral level, despite obvious differences between field of studies, there are empirical results showing common evolution between functional systems during the aging process. It is notably the case for cognitive and sensorimotor tasks. For example, when speed is the performance criterion, elderly are slower than their younger counterparts; there are also more variable and less adaptable as difficulty increases. These phenomenons can be observed in both cognitive and sensorimotor domain. More generally, correlation between performance in different functional domain increases through aging, and most notably between the cognitive and sensorimotor domain (Schäfer et al., 2006 ; Lindenberger & Ghisletta, 2009). We thus wanted to understand how and why those common behavioral phenomenon were observed. A considered hypothesis is that there would come from structural and functional modifications of the central nervous system which would become less and less differentiated through the course of aging (Reuter-Lorenz & Park, 2010 ; Heuninckx et al., 2005). We wanted to explore this hypothesis. At the start of our work, to our knowledge there was no theoretical framework explaining the compression of the cognitive and sensorimotor system in one less differentiated.

In fact, as far as I know, linguists and philosophers of language have never really looked at the universal language. Instead, they frame a “universal language” that is based on the premise of the majoritarian languages. One approach, traditional linguistics, often goes from signs (lexical signs), phonology, and syntax and is based on phonocentric framing, i.e., sound is the basis of their theoretical frames. The other approach, cognitive linguistics, is based on spatiality and embodied figures in mental space. Cognitive linguists (Leonard Talmy, for example) believe that the objects of spoken languages or signed languages are mainly created from natural perception and mental spaces. However, natural perception and mental spaces are in turn shaped, formed, and modified by sensorimotor perception and the movement of thought. Would it not be better to derive from them directly so that we can gain an understanding of how a language is created from the human body? We could also gain an understanding of the relationship between perception, thought, and the utterable of languages. The ontological benefit is that signed languages are closer to "raw" thought, perception, and the universal language than spoken languages. Sign language poetry, for example, is close to the universal language. Therefore, as opposed to spoken languages, signed languages are based on the movement of thinking outside the body. We can thus reveal the pure language or the universal language. The essay question: Is the “mobile” part of sign languages (åtbördsspråket) and gestures (åtbörder) appropriate as a model for constructing a general definition of all languages? I apply Gilles Deleuze's philosophy, especially his pure semiotics, perception, and the theory of movement, to construct this universal language.

La robotique développementale a entrepris, au courant des quinze dernières années,d’étudier les processus développementaux, similaires à ceux des systèmes biologiques,chez les robots. Le but est de créer des robots qui ont une enfance—qui rampent avant d’essayer de courir, qui jouent avant de travailler—et qui basent leurs décisions sur l’expérience de toute une vie, incarnés dans le monde réel.Dans ce contexte, cette thèse étudie l’exploration sensorimotrice—la découverte pour un robot de son propre corps et de son environnement proche—pendant les premiers stage du développement, lorsque qu’aucune expérience préalable du monde n’est disponible. Plus spécifiquement, cette thèse se penche sur comment générer une diversité d’effets dans un environnement inconnu. Cette approche se distingue par son absence de fonction de récompense ou de fitness définie par un expert, la rendant particulièrement apte à être intégrée sur des robots auto-suffisants.Dans une première partie, l’approche est motivée et le problème de l’exploration est formalisé, avec la définition de mesures quantitatives pour évaluer le comportement des algorithmes et d’un cadre architectural pour la création de ces derniers. Via l’examen détaillé de l’exemple d’un bras robot à multiple degrés de liberté, la thèse explore quelques unes des problématiques fondamentales que l’exploration sensorimotrice pose, comme la haute dimensionnalité et la redondance sensorimotrice. Cela est fait en particulier via la comparaison entre deux stratégies d’exploration: le babillage moteur et le babillage dirigé par les objectifs. Plusieurs algorithmes sont proposés tour à tour et leur comportement est évalué empiriquement, étudiant les interactions qui naissent avec les contraintes développementales, les démonstrations externes et les synergies motrices. De plus, parce que même des algorithmes efficaces peuvent se révéler terriblement inefficaces lorsque leurs capacités d’apprentissage ne sont pas adaptés aux caractéristiques de leur environnement, une architecture est proposée qui peut dynamiquement choisir la stratégie d’exploration la plus adaptée parmi un ensemble de stratégies. Mais même avec de bons algorithmes, l’exploration sensorimotrice reste une entreprise coûteuse—un problème important, étant donné que les robots font face à des contraintes fortes sur la quantité de données qu’ils peuvent extraire de leur environnement;chaque observation prenant un temps non-négligeable à récupérer. [...] À travers cette thèse, les contributions les plus importantes sont les descriptions algorithmiques et les résultats expérimentaux. De manière à permettre la reproduction et la réexamination sans contrainte de tous les résultats, l’ensemble du code est mis à disposition. L’exploration sensorimotrice est un mécanisme fondamental du développement des systèmes biologiques. La séparer délibérément des mécanismes d’apprentissage et l’étudier pour elle-même dans cette thèse permet d’éclairer des problèmes importants que les robots se développant seuls seront amenés à affronter. / Developmental robotics has begun in the last fifteen years to study robots that havea childhood—crawling before trying to run, playing before being useful—and that are basing their decisions upon a lifelong and embodied experience of the real-world. In this context, this thesis studies sensorimotor exploration—the discovery of a robot’s own body and proximal environment—during the early developmental stages, when no prior experience of the world is available. Specifically, we investigate how to generate a diversity of effects in an unknown environment. This approach distinguishes itself by its lack of user-defined reward or fitness function, making it especially suited for integration in self-sufficient platforms. In a first part, we motivate our approach, formalize the exploration problem, define quantitative measures to assess performance, and propose an architectural framework to devise algorithms. through the extensive examination of a multi-joint arm example, we explore some of the fundamental challenges that sensorimotor exploration faces, such as high-dimensionality and sensorimotor redundancy, in particular through a comparison between motor and goal babbling exploration strategies. We propose several algorithms and empirically study their behaviour, investigating the interactions with developmental constraints, external demonstrations and biologicallyinspired motor synergies. Furthermore, because even efficient algorithms can provide disastrous performance when their learning abilities do not align with the environment’s characteristics, we propose an architecture that can dynamically discriminate among a set of exploration strategies. Even with good algorithms, sensorimotor exploration is still an expensive proposition— a problem since robots inherently face constraints on the amount of data they are able to gather; each observation takes a non-negligible time to collect. [...] Throughout this thesis, our core contributions are algorithms description and empirical results. In order to allow unrestricted examination and reproduction of all our results, the entire code is made available. Sensorimotor exploration is a fundamental developmental mechanism of biological systems. By decoupling it from learning and studying it in its own right in this thesis, we engage in an approach that casts light on important problems facing robots developing on their own.

This thesis describes a series of experiments to investigate the effect of thermal stimulation on corticospinal excitability using transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS). Experiment I showed that innocuous cooling or warming of a single digit, produced short-lasting and mixed patterns of modulation only during actual thermal stimulation, with the inhibition being the most common pattern observed. In line with this finding, cooling stimulation applied to a larger area (i.e. multi-digits) produced variable but more sustained modulation in motor evoked potential (MEP) amplitude in the post-cooling phase (Exp II). Notably, the responses to cooling in terms of either suppressed or enhanced corticospinal excitability tended to be fairly consistent in a given individual with repeated applications. When examining possible sources of the observed variable MEP modulation, we found that individual characteristics such as age, sex and changes in skin temperature had no major influences. We hypothesized that the variability of responses might be related to individual differences in the excitability of intra-cortical circuits involved in sensorimotor integration. To test this hypothesis, we performed Experiment III using conditioning TMS paradigms. This experiment revealed that TMS markers of sensorimotor integration (SAI and SAF levels) were good predictors of individual variations in cooling-induced modulation in corticospinal excitability. This provided evidence supporting the role of SAI and SAF as markers to predict individual’s response to focal thermal stimulation. The identification of such predictors could enhance the therapeutic applicability of this form of stimulation in neurorehabilitation. Collectively, these findings advance our understanding of the neurophysiological basis of thermal stimulation and shed light on the development of a more rational application of neurofacilitation techniques based on afferent stimulation in clinical populations, such as stroke survivors.

Balance ist als die koordinative Fähigkeit anzusehen, die am meisten durch das Sinnes- und Nervensystem determiniert ist. Damit könnte sie als Indikator für Funktionseinschränkungen des Nervensystems - etwa bei Lernstörungen - von Wert sein. Aussagen über Zusammenhänge zwischen Balance und Kognition werden vielfach diskutiert, sind jedoch noch nicht hinreichend wissenschaftlich gesichert. Hieraus wird die zentrale Zielstellung der Arbeit abgeleitet, das Wissen über somatische und psychische Determinanten von Balance zu erweitern. Betrachtet werden daher bei Vorschulkindern mögliche Zusammenhänge mit dem Geschlecht, mit den anthropometrischen Parametern Körperhöhe und Fußgröße, mit Statikstörungen des Beckens und der Intelligenzleistung. <br><br> An der Studie nahmen insgesamt 201 drei- bzw. vierjährige Kinder sowie 148 fünf- bzw. sechsjährige Kinder teil. Die Balancefähigkeit wurde mit Hilfe einer Kraftmomentenplattform sowie eines klinischen Tests erfasst und mit anthropometrischen Parametern, qualitativen statischen Befunden bzw. den Ergebnissen des BIVA-Intelligenztests nach SCHAARSCHMIDT verglichen. Für die Auswertung der Balanceparameter wurden sowohl lineare als auch nichtlineare Verfahren eingesetzt, die zum Teil gegenläufige Trends in Bezug auf Zusammenhänge lieferten. <br><br> Im Ergebnis konnte ein starker Einfluss des Geschlechts nachgewiesen werden. Mädchen zeigten eine bessere Balanceleistung als Jungen sowohl bei 3-Jährigen als auch bei 6-Jährigen. Dies wird als Beleg für den geschlechtsspezifischen Vorsprung der sensomotorischen Entwicklung bei den Mädchen im Alter von 3 bis 6 Jahren angesehen. Außerdem gab es einige Hinweise auf einen Zusammenhang mit der Körperhöhe bzw. Fußlänge. Ein Zusammenhang mit den Umstellungen des ersten Gestaltwandels wird vermutet. Die Daten sprechen für einen statistisch schwachen Einfluss von Störungen der Beckenstatik (Beckenverwringung) auf die Balance bei den Kindern. Es wird vermutet, dass die Verrechnung Balance relevanter Inputs durch nozizeptive Impulse beeinträchtig werden kann. Dies könnte Anlass sein, diesen Aspekt bei Funktionsstörungen mit zu berücksichtigen. Signifikante Zusammenhänge mit Ergebnissen des BIVA-Intelligenztests konnten kaum gefunden werden. Allerdings fallen überzufällig viele Mittelwertvergleiche in Richtung der Hypothese aus, erreichen jedoch nicht Signifikanzniveau. Dies könnte ein Hinweis auf einen schwachen Zusammenhang darstellen, der jedoch mit einer größeren Gruppe noch bestätigt werden müsste. Weitere Forschung auf diesem Gebiet ist erforderlich. Sollte hinreichende Evidenz erreicht werden können, so könnte in der Förderung koordinativer Fähigkeiten und insbesondere der posturalen Balance eine wichtige pädagogische Reserve liegen. / Balance is considered a coordinative ability, which is mostly affected by the sensory and nervous systems. It can be used as an indicator for the functional ability of the nervous system, such as learning disability. Although the relationship between balance and cognition has long been postulated, this interaction has not yet been scientifically well established. The aim of this study is to examine the somatic and psychological determinants of balance. Preschool children were used to analyse the balance-cognition relationship with respect to gender, anthropometric parameters of body height and foot length, pelvic static and intelligence ability. <br><br> 201 three to four years old children, as well as 148 five to six years old children, were used in this study. A clinical test involving a force moment platform was used to examine the balance ability. Results obtained were compared with specific anthropometric parameters and findings obtained from the BIVA-intelligent tests (SCHAARSCHMIDT). <br><br> In the results, there is a strong effect of gender on balance. Girls showed a better balance ability than boys in the age groups of three and six years old. This finding provides evidence of an earlier gender specific advantage of sensor-motor development in girls between the ages of 3 to 6 years old. A relationship between postural balance and body height/ foot length was found. This may be attributed to the transposition of the body developmental changes. The results show a weak statistical effect of pelvic static disorders on balance in children. It can be suggested that inputs through the nociceptive impulse pathway can have a negative effect on balance. This can be factored as an aspect of a function disorder. Slight significant relationship could be found from the results of BIVA-intelligent tests. This can provide information on the weak relationship, which might show in larger group size. Further studies in this research area are necessary. Sufficient evidence should be reached, regarding the support of coordination ability and particularly postural balance, and the relationship could play an important role in education

Tendinopathien der Achilles- oder Patellarsehne sind häufig in Sportarten mit zahlreichen repetitiven Belastungen im Dehnungs-Verkürzungs-Zyklus der unteren Extremität zu finden. Sowohl eine möglicherweise alterierte belastungsspezifische neuromuskuläre Antwort (NMA), als auch funktional begründete Therapiemaßnahmen mit möglichen positiven Effekten sind aktuell ungeklärt. Ziel der Arbeit war deshalb die Untersuchung der belastungsspezifischen neuromuskulären Antwort bei Athleten mit Tendinopathie der Achilles- oder Patellarsehne im Vergleich zu beschwerdefreien Athleten. Zusätzlich sollten mögliche funktionale und therapeutische Effekte eines sensomotorischen Trainings im randomisierten, kontrollierten und prospektiven Studiendesign überprüft werden. 51 Sportler mit unilateraler Tendinopathie (Achilles-/Patellarsehne n = 35/16) und 33 gesunde Sportler wurden zur Beurteilung der belastungsspezifischen neuromuskulären Antwort eingeschlossen. Zur Klärung der Effekte eines sensomotorischen Trainings im Längsschnitt konnten 26 Sportler mit Tendinopathie randomisiert zu einer Kontrollgruppe (n = 14) und einer Therapiegruppe mit sensomotorischem Training (n = 12) zugeordnet werden. Nach einer ersten biomechanischen Messung M1 (Belastungssituationen: Lauf-, Stabilisations-, Kraftbelastung) und der Erhebung der subjektiven Schmerzsymptomatik folgte eine 8-wöchige Therapiephase mit einer abschließenden Re-Test-Messung M2 identisch zu M1. Das sensomotorische Training war auf die gesamte untere Extremität ausgerichtet und wurde nach Einweisung regelmäßig kontrolliert. Die Erfassung der NMA erfolgte über die Quantifizierung der muskulären Aktivität (EMG). Zusätzlich wurde die Kinetik (z.B. Maximalkraft) belastungsspezifisch erfasst. Eine reduzierte NMA konnte für die Sportler mit Tendinopathie über veränderte EMG-Zeit- und Amplitudenmessgrößen, eine reduzierte aktive Stabilisationsfähigkeit und Maximalkraft (p < 0,05) nachgewiesen werden. In Abhängigkeit der Lokalisation (Achilles-/Patellarsehen) bzw. der Seite (Beschwerdeseite/gesunde Seite) ergaben sich keine relevanten Differenzen. Das sensomotorische Training zeigte eine Optimierung der NMA (z.B. erhöhte Maximalkraft) bei Tendinopathie der Achilles- oder Patellarsehne. Die Überprüfung der Beschwerdesymptomatik wies in allen Schmerz-Scores nach der Therapie reduzierte Werte und damit einen positiven therapeutischen Effekt gegenüber der Kontrollgruppe auf. Zusammenfassend kann eine systematisch reduzierte NMA bei Lauf-, Stabilisations- und Kraftbelastung der Sportler mit Tendinopathie nachgewiesen werden. Das sensomotorische Training ist funktional und therapeutisch als effiziente Therapiemaßnahme zu erachten. / Tendinopathies of the achilles- or patellartendon are common overuse unjuries in sports including high numbers of repetitive stretch-shortening-cycles of the lower limb. Possible alterations of the neuromuscular response (NMR) to physical stress and functionally justified therapies with potential positive effects are currently unknown. The aim of the study was therefore the analysis of the neuromuscular response in situations with physical stress in athletes with tendinopathie of the achilles or patellartendon compared to symptom free athletes. In addition, possible functional and therapeutic effects of a sensorimotor training were studied in a prospective, randomized and controlled study. 51 athletes with unilateral tendinopathy (achilles-/patellartendon n = 35/16) and 33 healthy athletes were included to assess the stress related neuromuscular response (NMR). To clarify the effects of a sensorimotor training 26 athletes with tendinopathy were randomized to a control group (n = 14) and a therapy group with sensorimotor training (n = 12). After initial biomechanical measurements M1 (situations: running, active postural stability and maximum strength test) and the collection of subjective complaints (pain) an 8-week treatment phase followed with a final re-test M2 measure identical to M1. The sensorimotor training was arranged for the entire lower extremity, and was checked after an initial briefing on a regular basis. The assessment of the NMR was quantified by muscle activity (EMG). In addition, the kinetics (e.g. maximum force) was acquired in the stabilization and maximum strength test. A reduced NMR could be proven for athletes with tendinopathy with changed EMG time and amplitude measurements, a reduced active postural stabilization ability and reduced maximum strength (p <0.05). No relevant differences could be observed in comparing localization (achilles-/patellartendon) and side (leg with complains/healthy leg). The sensorimotor training showed an optimization of NMR (e.g. increased maximum strength) for patient with tendinopathy of the achilles- or patellartendon. The examination of the complaints showed reduced values in all pain scores after therapy. The treatment had therefore positive therapeutic effects compared to the control group. In summary, a systematically reduced NMR in running, stabilization and strength tests are evident for athletes with tendinopathy. The sensorimotor training can be considered as an efficient treatment with functional and therapeutic effects.