title: Sensorimotor adaptation training's effect on head stabilization in response to a lateral perturbation in older adults.
abstract: The goal of this study was to determine if exposure to sensorimotor adaptation training improved head stabilization in older adults. Sixteen participants, age 66-81 yr, were assigned at random to the control group (n = 8) or the experimental group (n = 8). Both groups first completed 6 trials of walking a foam pathway consisting of a moveable platform that induced a lateral perturbation during walking. Head-in-space and trunk-in-space angular velocities were collected. Participants from both groups then trained twice per week for 4 wk. Both groups walked on a treadmill for 20 min. The control group viewed a static scene. The experimental group viewed a rotating visual scene that provided a perceptual-motor mismatch. After training, both groups were retested on the perturbation pathway test. The experimental group used a movement strategy that preserved head stabilization compared with the controls (p < .05). This training effect was not retained after 4 wk.
authors.affiliation: Neuroscience Laboratories, Wyle Integrated Science and Engineering, Houston, TX, USA.
authors.forename: Regina R
authors.initials: RR
authors.lastname: Buccello-Stout
authors.forename: Ronita L
authors.initials: RL
authors.lastname: Cromwell
authors.forename: Jacob J
authors.initials: JJ
authors.lastname: Bloomberg
authors.forename: Elbert B
authors.initials: EB
authors.lastname: Whorton
mesh_terms: D000054:Acceleration; D000058:Accidental Falls / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D000222:Adaptation, Physiological / Q000502:physiology*; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D016009:Chi-Square Distribution; D005260:Female; D019416:Head Movements / Q000502:physiology*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D004856:Postural Balance / Q000502:physiology; D011597:Psychomotor Performance / Q000502:physiology*; D016138:Walking / Q000502:physiology*