Zobrazit v EDS

Spinal Reflex Modulation in Real and Virtual Environments: Investigating the Muscle Spindle’s Role in Sensorimotor Adaptation to Altered Visual Feedback, Sympathetic Arousal, and Postural Tasks

Uloženo v:
Podrobná bibliografie
Název: Spinal Reflex Modulation in Real and Virtual Environments: Investigating the Muscle Spindle’s Role in Sensorimotor Adaptation to Altered Visual Feedback, Sympathetic Arousal, and Postural Tasks
Autoři: Hodgson, Daniel
Přispěvatelé: Peters, Ryan, Cluff, Tyler, Dalton, Brian, PRISM
Informace o vydavateli: Kinesiology, 2025.
Rok vydání: 2025
Témata: Spinal Reflexes, Sensorimotor Integration, Microneurography, Electromyography, Physiology, FOS: Biological sciences, Noisy Tendon Vibration, Health Sciences, Virtual Reality, Electrodermal Activity, Muscle Spindles, H-reflex, Neuroscience
Popis: Introduction: Sensorimotor control is influenced by multiple sensory and emotional factors, including visual feedback and sympathetic arousal. Virtual reality (VR) provides a powerful tool to study these mechanisms by simulating immersive environments that can modulate static and dynamic motor control. However, the effects of VR on spinal excitability and muscle spindle function remain poorly understood. This dissertation examines how VR alters sensorimotor integration across different motor tasks and explores the potential role of fusimotor control in these adaptations. Methods: Four interrelated studies investigated VR-induced neuromuscular adaptations in the lower limb during stance and locomotion and in the upper limb during muscle contraction and at rest. Reflex responses were assessed in Studies 1—3 using electrical nerve stimulation (H-reflexes) and mechanical (noisy) tendon vibration (NTV), and microneurography was used in Study 4, to examine spinal excitability and muscle spindle sensitivity. Electromyography (EMG) and electrodermal activity (EDA) were recorded to monitor muscle activation and sympathetic arousal. Participants were exposed to various VR conditions, including simulated heights, dynamic motion, and VR/real-world transitions, to assess how altered visual environments influence sensorimotor function. Results: Across studies, VR exposure suppressed H-reflex amplitudes, suggesting reduced spinal excitability, while NTV-evoked responses remained stable, indicating preserved spindle function. The extent and the temporal patterns of VR-induced changes in reflex excitability were task-dependent, with H-reflex suppression and recovery emerging at various stages of VR immersion. Direct recordings of muscle spindles revealed variable but distinct modulations in afferent activity, suggesting independent fusimotor control in VR. In all studies, VR increased physiological markers of sympathetic arousal (e.g., EDA) and subjective discomfort (e.g., fear, anxiety, motion sickness), reinforcing the link between emotional arousal and sensorimotor adaptation. Discussion: These findings demonstrate that immersive VR environments can alter sensorimotor integration through modulations in spinal excitability and fusimotor drive. The persistence of some neuromuscular effects following VR exposure suggests potential implications for rehabilitation, occupational training, and motor learning. Understanding how VR influences sensorimotor control may enhance its application in clinical and performance settings.
Druh dokumentu: Doctoral thesis
Popis souboru: application/pdf
Jazyk: English
DOI: 10.11575/prism/48852
Přístupová URL adresa: https://hdl.handle.net/1880/121262
https://doi.org/10.11575/prism/48852
Přístupové číslo: edsair.doi.dedup.....beb8653ef5d48eff0fb312d08d52e739
Databáze: OpenAIRE
Popis
Abstrakt:Introduction: Sensorimotor control is influenced by multiple sensory and emotional factors, including visual feedback and sympathetic arousal. Virtual reality (VR) provides a powerful tool to study these mechanisms by simulating immersive environments that can modulate static and dynamic motor control. However, the effects of VR on spinal excitability and muscle spindle function remain poorly understood. This dissertation examines how VR alters sensorimotor integration across different motor tasks and explores the potential role of fusimotor control in these adaptations. Methods: Four interrelated studies investigated VR-induced neuromuscular adaptations in the lower limb during stance and locomotion and in the upper limb during muscle contraction and at rest. Reflex responses were assessed in Studies 1—3 using electrical nerve stimulation (H-reflexes) and mechanical (noisy) tendon vibration (NTV), and microneurography was used in Study 4, to examine spinal excitability and muscle spindle sensitivity. Electromyography (EMG) and electrodermal activity (EDA) were recorded to monitor muscle activation and sympathetic arousal. Participants were exposed to various VR conditions, including simulated heights, dynamic motion, and VR/real-world transitions, to assess how altered visual environments influence sensorimotor function. Results: Across studies, VR exposure suppressed H-reflex amplitudes, suggesting reduced spinal excitability, while NTV-evoked responses remained stable, indicating preserved spindle function. The extent and the temporal patterns of VR-induced changes in reflex excitability were task-dependent, with H-reflex suppression and recovery emerging at various stages of VR immersion. Direct recordings of muscle spindles revealed variable but distinct modulations in afferent activity, suggesting independent fusimotor control in VR. In all studies, VR increased physiological markers of sympathetic arousal (e.g., EDA) and subjective discomfort (e.g., fear, anxiety, motion sickness), reinforcing the link between emotional arousal and sensorimotor adaptation. Discussion: These findings demonstrate that immersive VR environments can alter sensorimotor integration through modulations in spinal excitability and fusimotor drive. The persistence of some neuromuscular effects following VR exposure suggests potential implications for rehabilitation, occupational training, and motor learning. Understanding how VR influences sensorimotor control may enhance its application in clinical and performance settings.
DOI:10.11575/prism/48852