In this study, we investigated the fluctuation characteristics of micro vertical acceleration of center of mass (vCOMacc) in standing and examined the usefulness of vCOMacc as an aging marker for standing control abilities. Sixteen young and 18 older adults participated in this experiment. Data for vCOMacc were calculated as the vertical ground reaction force value divided by each participant’s body mass using a force plate. The COMacc frequency structure was determined using the continuous wavelet transform to analyze the relative frequency characteristics. For time domain analysis, we determined the root mean square (RMS) and maximum amplitude (MA) of the integrated power spectral density. We also analyzed the correlation between vCOMacc and lower limb muscle activity. The relative frequency band of vCOMacc was higher in older than young adults, and the time domain indicators were sufficient to distinguish the effects of aging. Regarding the relationship between vCOMacc during standing and muscle activity, a correlation was found with the soleus muscle in young adults, while it was moderately correlated with the gastrocnemius muscle in older adults. The cause of vCOM may be related to differences in muscle activity, and vCOMacc may be utilized to more easily assess the effects of aging in standing control.

The purpose of this study was to investigate the preventive effect of daily joint movement time on joint contracture in rats. [Subjects and Method] The subjects of this study were Wistar rats. The right hind limbs of all rats were immobilized in plantar flexion. The rats were divided into four groups with immobilization times of 24 (G 1), 12 (G 2), 8 (G 3) and 4 hours (G 4), respectively. The procedure was repeated daily for seven consecutive days for the designated times. On the last day, the angles of ankle dorsiflexion in G 1, G 2, G 3 and G 4 were measured after the casts had been removed. [Results] There was no significant change in G 4. [Conclusion] Our results indicate that if a rat is not allowed to freely move for 20 hours daily the ankle joint stiffens.

Cerebellar injuries can cause syntax impairments. Cortical dysfunction due to cerebello-cerebral diaschisis is assumed to play a role in this phenomenon. Functional magnetic resonance imaging studies have repeatedly shown the activation of Broca's area in response to syntactic tasks. However, there have been no reports of selective syntax impairment and hypoperfusion restricted to this area after cerebellar injury. We herein report a patient with right cerebellar hemorrhage that led to marked syntax impairment along with severe hypoperfusion confined to the Brodmann area (BA) 45 (anterior part of Broca's area) and BA46.

Focal dystonia (FD) can develop after thalamic lesions. Abnormal somatic sensations were argued to be responsible for FD. Our patient experienced FD-like movement disorders, agraphesthesia, and a reduced sense of shear force on the skin and pressure to deep tissues of the right upper limb following a small infarction in the left posterolateral thalamus. FD-like symptoms improved while the skin was being pulled or the deep tissue was being pushed in a manner proportional to the strength of muscle contractions. Therefore, the lack of these sensations was suggested to be related to FD-like symptoms.

Introduction: Focal brain damage can cause difficulties in counting similar items. It has been hypothesized that this visual counting disorder (VCD) is caused by an inability to recall places seen in the immediate past. However, this has not been directly tested. There also have been no studies on the impacts of VCD on patients' daily lives. Methods: A 60-year-old, right-handed man visited our hospital complaining of difficulty counting multiple similar objects placed next to each other; for example, accounting errors caused by an inability to read multiple zeros in numbers in sales receipts. This patient had the problem for 25 years, since an infarction in the right temporoparietal region after a subarachnoid hemorrhage. To test the recall hypothesis, we performed a visual counting test on the patient and healthy control subjects. Circles were presented under two conditions: static (rows of circles presented vertically, centered on the screen) and dynamic (rows of circles presented by scrolling vertically). Subjects were asked to count and report numbers of circles as soon as each row appeared. Results: Under the static condition, the patient showed a significantly longer reaction time and more frequent gaze retentions than did the control subjects; however, no differences were observed under the dynamic condition. Conclusion: These findings directly support the hypothesis. Our patient's compensatory methods might be useful to other patients.