Executantes habilidosos desenvolvem uma capacidade de perceber e processar uma vasta quantidade de informações com velocidade e precisão, bem como o de realizar ajustes eficientes quando necessário (Schmidt e Wrisberg 2001). Corticalmente, para obter esse controle mais refinado, a integração sensoriomotora é fundamental. Essa integração consiste no contínuo processamento, pelo sistema motor, das aferências sensoriais que preparam para o ato motor e melhoram a execução de atividades de controle motor fino (Minc et al., 2010). Atividades físicas que diferem exatamente em relação a como seus praticantes necessitam processar as informações sensoriais para gerar o movimento, devem resultar em integrações sensoriomotoras distintas. Este estudo tem como objetivo analisar a atividade eletroencefálica de indivíduos com habilidades percepto-motoras distintas (indivíduos altamente habilidosos com treinamento em dança/TD e treinamento em vôlei/TV), evocados por tarefas de simulação de ação. A amostra do presente estudo foi intencional e composta por 14 participantes destros, cada grupo foi constituído por 07 mulheres com idade entre 18 anos e 29 anos. Através de EEG, foram extraídos os parâmetros de média de energia (processamento cortical ao longo do tempo), amplitude (número de elementos neuronais envolvidos na tarefa) e frequência (ritmo oscilatório predominante) na banda alfa e gama do sinal cerebral nos pontos C3, C4, Cz (córtex motor primário), F3 (área motora suplementar esquerda), F7 (córtex pré-motor esquerdo), P3, P4 e Pz (córtex parietal), evocados por tarefas envolvendo a observação e imaginação de gestos específicos dos dois treinamentos e gestos considerados como neutros. Os principais resultados encontrados forneceram evidências de que o grupo TD apresentou, nas tarefas de dança, um maior processamento cortical ao longo do tempo nos pontos referentes ao córtex motor primário (Minc et al., 2010), córtex pré-motor (Freund e Hummelsheim, 1984) e área motora suplementar (Serrien et al.,2002) esquerdos; maior número de elementos neuronais envolvidos na tarefa no ponto referente ao córtex motor primário esquerdo; diferenças na principal componente da frequência no ritmo alfa no córtex motor primário esquerdo; e diferenças na principal componente da frequência no ritmo gama no córtex motor primário direito. Nas tarefas referentes ao treinamento em vôlei, o grupo TV apresentou menor processamento ao longo do tempo nos pontos parietal (Wolpert et al., 1998); menor número de elementos neuronais envolvidos na tarefa nos pontos referentes aos córtices motor primário e pré-motor esquerdos e diferença na principal componente da frequência no ritmo gama no córtex motor primário esquerdo. Nas tarefas consideradas como neutras foram encontradas diferenças entre os grupos no córtex motor primário direito no ritmo alfa e no córtex parietal direito no ritmo gama. Os resultados encontrados no presente estudo nos parâmetros que representam o processamento cortical, que refletem o número de elementos neuronais envolvidos na tarefa e que representam o ritmo oscilatório predominante demonstraram claramente que as regiões corticais envolvidas na integração sensoriomotora apresentaram diferenças na forma como os dois grupos processaram a informação sensorial e prepararam o gesto motor. Tomados em conjunto, esses resultados demonstram que cada grupo apresentou um padrão constante de processamento sensoriomotor, independente da tarefa. Essas evidências nos permitem concluir que indivíduos com diferentes habilidades percepto-motoras apresentam integrações sensoriomotoras distintas. / Skilled performers develop an ability to perceive and process a vast amount of information with speed and accuracy, as well as to perform efficient adjustments when necessary (Schmidt and Wrisberg 2001). Cortically to achieve this finer control, sensorimotor integration is the key. This integration consists in continuous processing, by the motor system, the sensory afferents that prepare for the motor act and improve the performance of activities for fine motor control (Minc et al., 2010). Physical activities that differ over exactly how its practitioners need to process sensory information to generate movement should result in distinct sensorimotor integration. This study aims to analyze the electroencephalography activity of individuals with perceptual-motor skills (highly skilled individuals with training in dance/TD and training in volleyball/TV) evoked by action simulation tasks. The study sample was intentional and composed of 14 right-handed participants; each group consisted of 07 women aged between 18 and 29 years. Through EEG were extracted parameters mean energy (cortical processing over time), amplitude (number of neural elements involved in the task) and frequency (oscillating rhythm predominant) in alpha and gamma bands in the brain signal points C3, C4, Cz (primary motor cortex), F3 (left supplementary motor area), F7 (left premotor cortex), P3, P4 and Pz (parietal cortex), evoked by tasks involving observation and imagination of specific gestures of both training and gestures considered neutral. The main results provided evidence that the TD group presented the tasks of dance, a higher cortical processing over time in points for the primary motor cortex (Minc et al., 2010), left premotor cortex (Freund and Hummelsheim, 1984) and left supplementary motor area (Serrien et al. 2002); greater number of neural elements involved in the task at point for the left primary motor cortex; differences in the main frequency component of the alpha rhythm in the left primary motor cortex , and differences in the main component of the frequency gamma in the right primary motor cortex. In tasks relating to training volleyball, VT group showed lower processing over time at parietal points (Wolpert et al. 1998); smaller number of neural elements involved in the task at points related to left primary motor cortex and left premotor and main component difference in the frequency gamma in the left primary motor cortex. In the tasks considered neutral differences were found between groups in the right primary motor cortex in the alpha rhythm and in the right parietal cortex in the gamma rhythm. The results found in this study at the parameters that represent the cortical processing, that reflect the number of neuronal elements involved in the task and which represent the predominant rhythm oscillatory clearly demonstrated that cortical regions involved in sensorimotor integration showed differences in how the two groups processed sensory information and prepared the gesture motor. Taken together, these results demonstrate that each group had a consistent pattern of sensorimotor processing, regardless of the task. This evidence allows us to conclude that individuals with different perceptual-motor skills have distinct sensorimotor integration.

abstract: Incidental learning of sequential information occurs in visual, auditory and tactile domains. It occurs throughout our lifetime and even in nonhuman species. It is likely to be one of the most important foundations for the development of normal learning. To date, there is no agreement as to how incidental learning occurs. The goal of the present set of experiments is to determine if visual sequential information is learned in terms of abstract rules or stimulus-specific details. Two experiments test the extent to which interaction with the stimuli can influence the information that is encoded by the learner. The results of both experiments support the claim that stimulus and domain specific details directly shape what is learned, through a process of tuning the neuromuscular systems involved in the interaction between the learner and the materials. / Dissertation/Thesis / M.A. Psychology 2013

Executantes habilidosos desenvolvem uma capacidade de perceber e processar uma vasta quantidade de informações com velocidade e precisão, bem como o de realizar ajustes eficientes quando necessário (Schmidt e Wrisberg 2001). Corticalmente, para obter esse controle mais refinado, a integração sensoriomotora é fundamental. Essa integração consiste no contínuo processamento, pelo sistema motor, das aferências sensoriais que preparam para o ato motor e melhoram a execução de atividades de controle motor fino (Minc et al., 2010). Atividades físicas que diferem exatamente em relação a como seus praticantes necessitam processar as informações sensoriais para gerar o movimento, devem resultar em integrações sensoriomotoras distintas. Este estudo tem como objetivo analisar a atividade eletroencefálica de indivíduos com habilidades percepto-motoras distintas (indivíduos altamente habilidosos com treinamento em dança/TD e treinamento em vôlei/TV), evocados por tarefas de simulação de ação. A amostra do presente estudo foi intencional e composta por 14 participantes destros, cada grupo foi constituído por 07 mulheres com idade entre 18 anos e 29 anos. Através de EEG, foram extraídos os parâmetros de média de energia (processamento cortical ao longo do tempo), amplitude (número de elementos neuronais envolvidos na tarefa) e frequência (ritmo oscilatório predominante) na banda alfa e gama do sinal cerebral nos pontos C3, C4, Cz (córtex motor primário), F3 (área motora suplementar esquerda), F7 (córtex pré-motor esquerdo), P3, P4 e Pz (córtex parietal), evocados por tarefas envolvendo a observação e imaginação de gestos específicos dos dois treinamentos e gestos considerados como neutros. Os principais resultados encontrados forneceram evidências de que o grupo TD apresentou, nas tarefas de dança, um maior processamento cortical ao longo do tempo nos pontos referentes ao córtex motor primário (Minc et al., 2010), córtex pré-motor (Freund e Hummelsheim, 1984) e área motora suplementar (Serrien et al.,2002) esquerdos; maior número de elementos neuronais envolvidos na tarefa no ponto referente ao córtex motor primário esquerdo; diferenças na principal componente da frequência no ritmo alfa no córtex motor primário esquerdo; e diferenças na principal componente da frequência no ritmo gama no córtex motor primário direito. Nas tarefas referentes ao treinamento em vôlei, o grupo TV apresentou menor processamento ao longo do tempo nos pontos parietal (Wolpert et al., 1998); menor número de elementos neuronais envolvidos na tarefa nos pontos referentes aos córtices motor primário e pré-motor esquerdos e diferença na principal componente da frequência no ritmo gama no córtex motor primário esquerdo. Nas tarefas consideradas como neutras foram encontradas diferenças entre os grupos no córtex motor primário direito no ritmo alfa e no córtex parietal direito no ritmo gama. Os resultados encontrados no presente estudo nos parâmetros que representam o processamento cortical, que refletem o número de elementos neuronais envolvidos na tarefa e que representam o ritmo oscilatório predominante demonstraram claramente que as regiões corticais envolvidas na integração sensoriomotora apresentaram diferenças na forma como os dois grupos processaram a informação sensorial e prepararam o gesto motor. Tomados em conjunto, esses resultados demonstram que cada grupo apresentou um padrão constante de processamento sensoriomotor, independente da tarefa. Essas evidências nos permitem concluir que indivíduos com diferentes habilidades percepto-motoras apresentam integrações sensoriomotoras distintas. / Skilled performers develop an ability to perceive and process a vast amount of information with speed and accuracy, as well as to perform efficient adjustments when necessary (Schmidt and Wrisberg 2001). Cortically to achieve this finer control, sensorimotor integration is the key. This integration consists in continuous processing, by the motor system, the sensory afferents that prepare for the motor act and improve the performance of activities for fine motor control (Minc et al., 2010). Physical activities that differ over exactly how its practitioners need to process sensory information to generate movement should result in distinct sensorimotor integration. This study aims to analyze the electroencephalography activity of individuals with perceptual-motor skills (highly skilled individuals with training in dance/TD and training in volleyball/TV) evoked by action simulation tasks. The study sample was intentional and composed of 14 right-handed participants; each group consisted of 07 women aged between 18 and 29 years. Through EEG were extracted parameters mean energy (cortical processing over time), amplitude (number of neural elements involved in the task) and frequency (oscillating rhythm predominant) in alpha and gamma bands in the brain signal points C3, C4, Cz (primary motor cortex), F3 (left supplementary motor area), F7 (left premotor cortex), P3, P4 and Pz (parietal cortex), evoked by tasks involving observation and imagination of specific gestures of both training and gestures considered neutral. The main results provided evidence that the TD group presented the tasks of dance, a higher cortical processing over time in points for the primary motor cortex (Minc et al., 2010), left premotor cortex (Freund and Hummelsheim, 1984) and left supplementary motor area (Serrien et al. 2002); greater number of neural elements involved in the task at point for the left primary motor cortex; differences in the main frequency component of the alpha rhythm in the left primary motor cortex , and differences in the main component of the frequency gamma in the right primary motor cortex. In tasks relating to training volleyball, VT group showed lower processing over time at parietal points (Wolpert et al. 1998); smaller number of neural elements involved in the task at points related to left primary motor cortex and left premotor and main component difference in the frequency gamma in the left primary motor cortex. In the tasks considered neutral differences were found between groups in the right primary motor cortex in the alpha rhythm and in the right parietal cortex in the gamma rhythm. The results found in this study at the parameters that represent the cortical processing, that reflect the number of neuronal elements involved in the task and which represent the predominant rhythm oscillatory clearly demonstrated that cortical regions involved in sensorimotor integration showed differences in how the two groups processed sensory information and prepared the gesture motor. Taken together, these results demonstrate that each group had a consistent pattern of sensorimotor processing, regardless of the task. This evidence allows us to conclude that individuals with different perceptual-motor skills have distinct sensorimotor integration.

The distinction between the sense of body-ownership and the sense of agency has attracted considerable empirical and theoretical interest lately. However, the respective contributions of multisensory and sensorimotor integration to these two varieties of body experience are still the subject of ongoing research. In this study, I examine the various methodological problems encountered in the empirical study of body-ownership and agency with the use of novel immersive virtual environment technology to investigate the interplay between sensory and motor information. More specifically, the focus is on testing the relative contributions and possible interactions of visual-tactile and visual-motor contingencies implemented under the same experimental protocol. The effect of this is supported by physiological measurements obtained from skin conductance responses and heart rate. The findings outline a relatively simple method for identifying the necessary and sufficient conditions for the experience of body-ownership and agency, as studied with immersive virtual environment technology.

Bakgrund: Distal radiusfraktur (DRF) är en vanligt förekommande fraktur med en incidens i Sverige på 31-32 per 10000 personår. Många personer upplever kvarstående besvär efter utläkt fraktur och i dagsläget saknas evidens kring optimal behandling och rehabilitering. Fler studier har konstaterat kvarstående symtom som nedsatt greppstyrka och rörlighet samt smärta. Syfte: Syftet med aktuell studie varatt undersöka specifik rörlighet 6 månader efter distal radiusfraktur. Jämförelser gjordes med andra utfallsmått på rörlighet, styrka och funktion. Metod:Utifrån en tvärsnittsdesign undersöktes 11 personer över 18 år som ådragit sig en DRF och behandlats för den under mars-maj 2016. Utfallsmått var specifik ledrörlighet testat utifrån Kaltenborns metod för ledundersökning. Detta jämfördes med uppmätt greppstyrka, angulär aktiv och passiv rörlighet samt subjektiv funktionsskattning DASH och PRWE. Sensomotorik och upplevelse av denna adresserades också. Resultat:Hos samtliga personer sågs hög grad av funktionsinskränkningar i samtliga utfallsmått, förutom hos de två av deltagarna som uppgav att de i princip var återställda. Hos dessa personer noterades inga nedsättningar i specifik ledrörlighet trots att även de hade nedsatt greppstyrka och inskränkt angulär rörlighet. Slutsats:Trots ett litet deltagarantal fanns en indikation på att specifik ledrörlighet kan vara en faktor i kvarstående funktionsinskränkning. Inget samband noterades mellan funktion, rörlighet och greppstyrka. Fler studier bör framöver utforska detta samband samt undersöka effekten av specifik behandling av rörelseinskränkningarna. Personer som ådragit sig en DRF bör följas upp närmare avseende rörelseförutsättningar och behandlingen därefter behöver vara mer specifik än idag. Här bör fysioterapeuter med utbildning inom OMT vara en självklar del i vårdkedjan.

Notre travail de thèse s'est attaché à comprendre les mécanismes mis en jeu par une expérience d'adaptation visuomanuelle inspirée de l'adaptation saccadique, qui a été décrite par [Magescas 2006a]. Le premier chapitre visait à montrer que le paradigme de [Magescas 2006a] induisait peu ou pas d'effets sensoriels. Dans le deuxième chapitre, nous nous sommes intéressés au processus exact de généralisation de l'adaptation au niveau de la seule articulation du coude. Nos résultats nous permettent d'avancer l'idée que le paradigme étudié induisait une modification spécifique du gain moteur pour le groupe de muscles extenseurs du coude. Le troisième chapitre présente le développement de méthodes d'enregistrement de la chaîne articulaire du membre supérieur. Cette méthodologie a permis une comparaison précise entre des hypothèses de généralisation de l'adaptation dans l'espace des tâches et dans l'espace articulaire. Dans un quatrième chapitre, suivant une démarche exploratoire, nous avons imaginé deux protocoles de transposition de l'expérience de [Magescas 2006a], afin d'élargir nos possibilités pour une future étude sur des patients ayant un déficit moteur. A l'issue de ce travail, nous disposons à la fois : de moyens méthodologiques pour l'enregistrement et la modélisation de la chaîne articulaire du membre supérieur ; d'un modèle théorique du fonctionnement de l'adaptation motrice étudiée ; et d'un protocole d'adaptation de la saisie, mieux adapté à la clinique que le protocole d'adaptation du pointage. / We investigated the underlying mechanisms of an visuomanual adaptation experiment mimicking the well-known saccadic adaptation paradigm, described by [Magescas 2006a]. The first chapter aims at giving evidence that the [Magescas 2006a]'s paradigm induced little if any perceptual effects, which means it implicated the only phase of motor commands generation. The second chapter deals with the generalization process of adaptation at the level of one joint (the elbow). Our results suggest that the studied paradigm induced a focused change of the motor gain of the group of elbow extensor muscles. The third chapter details the development of methods to record the arm joint configuration. Such a methodology allowed to precisely compared the hypothesis of generalisation of adaptation in task space and in joint space. In chapter 4, following an explorative approach, we have designed two protocols transposing the [Magescas 2006a]'s experiment, in order to widen our ressources for a future research on patients with motor deficit. At the end of the present work, we have : methodological means of recording and of modeling the joint chain of the arm ; a theoretical model of the studied motor adaptation ; and a new protocol of adaptation of grasping, which is more convenient than adaptation of pointing for clinical purposes.

Notre système sensorimoteur a développé une relation particulière entre nos actions et le retour sonore qui en découle. Les systèmes de captation gestuelle et les technologies audio permettent de manipuler ce retour sonore par la sonification interactive du mouvement. Nous explorons dans divers cadres expérimentaux la contribution de la sonification à l'apprentissage moteur dans les systèmes interactifs. Tout d'abord, nous montrons que le système auditif intègre des indices acoustiques issus du mouvement pour le contrôle moteur. Des représentations de l'espace émergent de ces indices et sont transformées en commandes motrices. Le cas d'un objet virtuel sonore nous apprend que ces représentations audiomotrices influencent les stratégies d'exploration et permettent des cas de substitution sensorielle par le son. Ensuite, nous mesurons qu'un retour sonore continu permet d'améliorer significativement la performance à une tâche de poursuite. La sonification de l'erreur et des paramètres de la tâche aident à la performance mais montrent des effets différents sur l'apprentissage. Nous observons également que la sonification du mouvement de l'utilisateur augmente l'énergie contenue dans le geste et prévient la dépendance au retour sonore. Enfin, nous présentons le concept de tâche sonore dans lequel la cible est présentée et s'exprime sous forme de paramètres sonores à reproduire. Les résultats montrent qu'une adaptation motrice peut être provoquée par des indices acoustiques seuls. Ce travail permet de dégager des principes importants du design de l'interaction geste-son, et présente des applications originales comme des scénarios interactifs pour la rééducation. / Our sensorimotor system has developed a specific relationship between our actions and their sonic outcomes, which it interprets as auditory feedback. The development of motion sensing and audio technologies allows emphasizing this relationship through interactive sonification of movement. We propose several experimental frameworks (visual, non-visual, tangible, virtual) to assess the contribution of sonification to sensorimotor control and learning in interactive systems. First, we show that the auditory system integrates dynamic auditory cues for online motor control, either from head or hand movements. Auditory representations of space and of the scene can be built from audio features and transformed into motor commands. The framework of a virtual sonic object illustrates that auditory-motor representations can shape exploratory movement features and allow for sensory substitution. Second, we measure that continuous auditory feedback in a tracking task helps significantly the performance. Both error and task sonification can help performance but have different effects on learning. We also observe that sonification of user’s movement can increase the energy of produced motion and prevent feedback dependency. Finally, we present the concept of sound-oriented task, where the target is expressed as acoustic features to match. We show that motor adaptation can be driven by interactive audio cues only. In this work, we highlight important guidelines for sonification design in auditory-motor coupling research, as well as applications through original setups we developed, like perceptual and physical training, and playful gesture-sound interactive scenarios for rehabilitation.

The limited amount of normative information regarding speech motor development in the clinically important age range four to seven years served as motivation for this study. The main aim of the study was to collect normative information regarding sensorimotor speech control skills of pre-school children. The method of the study was designed and the results interpreted within the framework of the four-level model of speech production of Van der Merwe (1997). Basic qualitative and quantitative data were gathered for a variety of aspects of speech motor development in Afrikaans-speaking children aged 4;0 to 6;7 years in the following areas: 1) non-speech oral movements, 2) non-speech diadochokinesis, 3) speech diadochokinesis, 4) cluster production, 5) word syllable structure in spontaneous speech, 6) acoustic data regarding first-vowel duration and variability of first-vowel duration in repeated utterances of the same word, 7) acoustic voice onset time data, 8) acoustic data regarding first-syllable duration in words of increasing length. Results indicated that associated movements and accuracy errors occurred in some non-speech oral movement and non-speech diadochokinesis tasks. Normative, diadochokinetic rate data were gathered. Perceptual analysis indicated difficulty with glottal and three-place diadochokinesis tasks. Subjects produced 84% of initial clusters in isolation correctly and 79% of final clusters. Schwa-vowel insertions occurred in clusters in isolation, but not in spontaneously produced words. Subjects produced 163 different word syllable structures in spontaneous speech, with 18 structures occurring in all subjects’ data. Six-year-olds generally displayed the shortest first-vowel duration. Individual, non-age related trends occurred for variability of first-vowel duration. Mean voice onset times in voiced stop contexts ranged from -97ms to +12ms, with overall instances of mean voicing lead occurring in 27% of the four-year olds’ productions, 4% of the five-year-olds’ productions and 80% of the six-year-olds’ productions. Mean voice onset times in voiceless stop contexts ranged from +11ms to +37ms. Subjects adapted first-syllable duration to word length by decreasing it as the word length increased. Results indicated that a wide range of normal speech motor performance is possible for children this age, and that individuals can display different performance levels for different speech parameters. This emphasizes the complexity of speech motor development and the need to assess a variety of speech motor parameters. It is essential that quantitative (objective) analysis of children’s speech motor performance be supplemented with qualitative (descriptive) analysis. The study contributed knowledge to the understanding of certain aspects of speech motor development and to the speech production process in general. / Dissertation (MComm Path)--University of Pretoria, 2007. / Speech-Language Pathology and Audiology / Unrestricted

Thesis title: Evaluation of postural stability and postural strategy in obese people Objectives: The main objective was to evaluate postural stability using computer posturography in obese people and assess whether three-month exercise training with a focus on sensorimotor stimulation has an effect on postural stability. Methods: This is a cross-sectional experimental study. The research group consisted of 20 probands aged 30 to 62 years with BMI values of 31.1-53.5 kg / m2, from which the general posturography was evaluated. The effect of sensorimotor training was subsequently assessed of 13 probands, who were divided into two groups - interventional (n = 6) and control (n = 7). The measurement was performed using static computer posturography and computer goniometry processed by the freeStep software system. To compare the effect of sensorimotor training, measurements were performed twice in the intervention and control groups, over a period of approximately three months. Postural stability was evaluated based on the Sway test. Statistical analysis was performed using IBM SPSS Statistics 24 software. Statistical significance was determined at the level of α = 0.05, the result where p <0.05 was considered statistically significant. Results: General posturography in the research group showed a...

Chronic pain continues to be a prevalent condition in the U.S. costing the healthcare system billions of dollars annually with little success in treatment modalities. The goal of this study was to review nociceptive processing in the context of sensory and motor disorders where chronic pain often appears as a common symptom. An activation likelihood estimate (ALE) meta-analysis was performed on brain coordinates from articles containing sensory disorders (spinal cord injury and amputation) with or without pain performing a movement execution and movement imagery task and motor disorders (Parkinson’s disease and dystonia) performing a movement execution task. Aberrations found in the cortical activity of sensorimotor regions of both sensory and motor disorders suggests these disorders should be studied and treated as a dysfunction of sensorimotor integration instead of solely sensory or motor. Alterations of sensorimotor integration could be the necessary trigger for reorganization of cortical maps that alters nociceptive processing. Furthermore, abnormal activity found in the brain regions of both sensory and motor disorders involved in the cognitive and attentional modulation of pain suggests a once voluntary response has transitioned to a conditioned response that perpetuates the experience of pain.