Dynamic Control of Location-Specific Information in Tactile Cutaneous Reflexes from the Foot during Human Walking

Wezel, B.M.H. van; Ottenhoff, F. A. M.; Duysens, Jacques

doi:10.1523/jneurosci.17-10-03804.1997

Cited by 203 publications

(171 citation statements)

References 45 publications

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“…This loss in training ability is correlated to a reorganization of the plantar flexors activation patterns that is also attributed to the removal of plantar cutaneous input (Bouyer and Rossignol, 2003a,b). Similar effects have been reported for people with a sensory polyneuropathy of the feet, where a large variability in the step cycle duration and associated gait impairment are associated with a loss of reflex action of low-threshold cutaneous afferents (Van Wezel et al, 1997). In this respect, when foot sole stimulation is used as a conditioning stimulus it can depress soleus H-reflex excitability during assisted walking of people with a chronic SCI, resulting in a more normalized soleus H-reflex modulation pattern during walking (Fung and Barbeau, 1994).…”

Section: Introductionsupporting

confidence: 77%

Parallel facilitatory reflex pathways from the foot and hip to flexors and extensors in the injured human spinal cord

Knikou

Kay

Schmit

2007

Experimental Neurology

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Spinal integration of sensory signals associated with hip position, muscle loading, and cutaneous sensation of the foot contributes to movement regulation. The exact interactive effects of these sensory signals under controlled dynamic conditions are unknown. The purpose of the present study was to establish the effects of combined plantar cutaneous afferent excitation and hip movement on the Hoffmann (H) and flexion reflexes in people with a spinal cord injury (SCI). The flexion and Hreflexes were elicited through stimulation of the right sural (at non-nociceptive levels) and posterior tibial nerves respectively. Reflex responses were recorded from the ipsilateral tibialis anterior (TA) (flexion reflex) and soleus (H-reflex) muscles. The plantar cutaneous afferents were stimulated at three times the perceptual threshold (200 Hz, 24-ms pulse train) at conditioning-test intervals that ranged from 3 to 90 ms. Sinusoidal movements were imposed to the right hip joint at 0.2 Hz with subjects supine. Control and conditioned reflexes were recorded as the hip moved in flexion and extension. Leg muscle activity and sagittal-plane joint torques were recorded. We found that excitation of plantar cutaneous afferents facilitated the soleus H-reflex and the long latency flexion reflex during hip extension. In contrast, the short latency flexion reflex was depressed by plantar cutaneous stimulation during hip flexion. Oscillatory joint forces were present during the transition phase of the hip movement from flexion to extension when stimuli were delivered during hip flexion. Hip-mediated input interacts with feedback from the foot sole to facilitate extensor and flexor reflex activity during the extension phase of movement. The interactive effects of these sensory signals may be a feature of impaired gait, but when they are appropriately excited, they may contribute to locomotion recovery in these patients.

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Section: Introductionsupporting

confidence: 77%

Parallel facilitatory reflex pathways from the foot and hip to flexors and extensors in the injured human spinal cord

Knikou

Kay

Schmit

2007

Experimental Neurology

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“…Nevertheless, the pilot results are not trivial and may be of interest since they shed some light on the effect of foot pressure and central processing. For instance, from various cutaneous reflexes (Aniss et al, 1992;van Wezel et al, 1997;Yang & Stein, 1990;Zehr & Stein, 1999) one might expect to see a direct effect of foot pressure on motor patterns. In addition, it is well known that loss of cutaneous sensation from the foot can compromise stability in locomotion (Courtemanche et al, 1996;Dingwell & Cavanagh, 2001;Perry et al, 2000).…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…In addition, the organization of the interneuronal network for locomotion and the use of corrective reactions during walking points toward a rule-based finite control system rather than a simple additive principle of multisensory fusion (Misiaszek, 2006;Prochazka, 1996). A number of cutaneous reflexes may also participate in the fine control of foot positioning in animals (Guertin, Angel, Perreault, & McCrea, 1995;Schouenborg & Weng, 1994) and humans (Abbruzzese, Rubino, & Schieppati, 1996;Aniss, Gandevia, & Burke, 1992;Sayenko et al, 2007;van Wezel, Ottenhoff, & Duysens, 1997;Yang & Stein, 1990;Zehr & Stein, 1999). Nevertheless, the functional role of specific groups of sensory receptors in regulating human locomotion is still uncertain because they cannot be easily separated since they interact with each other and with central rhythm-generating centers in a complex manner.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

A novel approach to mechanical foot stimulation during human locomotion under body weight support

Gravano

Ivanenko

Maccioni

et al. 2011

Human Movement Science

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a b s t r a c tInput from the foot plays an essential part in perceiving support surfaces and determining kinematic events in human walking. To simulate adequate tactile pressure inputs under body weight support (BWS) conditions that represent an effective form of locomotion training, we here developed a new method of phasic mechanical foot stimulation using light-weight pneumatic insoles placed inside the shoes (under the heel and metatarsus). To test the system, we asked healthy participants to walk on a treadmill with different levels of BWS. The pressure under the stimulated areas of the feet and subjective sensations were higher at high levels of BWS and when applied to the ball and toes rather than heels. Foot stimulation did not disturb significantly the normal motor pattern, and in all participants we evoked a reliable step-synchronized triggering of stimuli for each leg separately. This approach has been performed in a general framework looking for ''afferent templates" of human locomotion that could be used for functional sensory stimulation. The proposed technique can be used to imitate or partially restore surrogate contact forces under body weight support conditions.

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“…3,11,26,54 Furthermore, CR is actively modulated during passive movement, 55 balance 56 and gait. 26,39,56 As such, it is surprising that only one study has observed abnormal CR activity in subjects with the spasticity syndrome during gait after incomplete SCI. 11 Higher Pl-TA CR activity in subjects diagnosed specifically with the SCI spasticity syndrome, detected without a change in background TA EMG activity during controlled ramp and hold phases of plantarflexion, supports further characterisation of cutaneous hyperreflexia as a test of spasticity for this pathology.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…11,38,39 First, background EMG signal activity was subtracted from evoked TA reflex activity. Second, reflex activity ratios were calculated between the ramp or hold phases of plantarflexion and activity measured during the rest period.…”

Section: Cr Measurement and Analysismentioning

confidence: 99%

Abnormal cutaneous flexor reflex activity during controlled isometric plantarflexion in human spinal cord injury spasticity syndrome

et al. 2016

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Study design: Although abnormal cutaneous reflex (CR) activity has been identified during gait after incomplete spinal cord injury (SCI), this activity has not been directly compared in subjects with and without the spasticity syndrome. Objectives: Characterisation of CR activity during controlled rest and 'ramp and hold' phases of controlled plantarflexion in subjects with and without the SCI spasticity syndrome. Design: Transverse descriptive study with non-parametric group analysis. Setting: SCI rehabilitation hospital. Methods: Tibialis Anterior (TA) reflexes were evoked by innocuous cutaneous plantar sole stimulation during rest and ramp and hold phases of plantarflexion torque in non-injured subjects (n = 10) and after SCI with (n = 9) and without (n = 10) hypertonia and/or involuntary spasm activity. Integrated TA reflex responses were analysed as total (50-300 ms) or short (50-200 ms) and long-latency (200-300 ms) activity. Results: Total and long-latency TA activity was inhibited in non-injured subjects and the SCI group without the spasticity syndrome during plantarflexion torque but not in the SCI spasticity group. Furthermore, loss of TA reflex inhibition during plantarflexion correlated with time after SCI (ρ = 0.79, P = 0.009). Moreover, TA reflex activity inversely correlated with maximum plantarflexion torque in the spasticity group (ρ = − 0.75, P = 0.02), despite similar non-reflex TA electromyographic activity during plantarflexion after SCI in subjects with (0.11, 0.08-0.13 mV) or without the spasticity syndrome (0.09, 0.07-0.12 mV). Conclusions: This reflex testing procedure supports previously published evidence for abnormal CR activity after SCI and may characterise the progressive disinhibition of TA reflex activity during controlled plantarflexion in subjects diagnosed with the spasticity syndrome. Spinal Cord (2016) 54, 687-694; doi:10.1038/sc.2016.9; published online 23 February 2016 INTRODUCTION Spasticity was originally defined as an increase in velocity-dependent, tonic stretch reflexes to passive movement 1 and has been used to describe a number of signs and symptoms that together contribute to the syndrome. 2 Cutaneous reflex (CR) dysfunction has also been regarded as an additional sign of the spasticity syndrome following spinal cord injury (SCI), 3-9 especially when detected in subjects with hypertonia and increased tonic stretch reflexes. [10][11][12] In addition, abnormal flexor reflex excitability is present during subacute 4,13 and chronic SCI, 14,15 impacts on residual gait function after SCI 16 and interferes with daily activities. 17 Lower limb CR activity in humans is modulated by several segmental and descending control mechanisms, 18-21 and the loss of descending modulatory mechanisms may contribute to the SCI spasticity syndrome. Tibialis Anterior (TA) muscle reflex activity evoked following cutaneous stimulation of the plantar surface (Pl-TA CR) [22][23][24] has been used as a test to assess the integrity of segmental and descending motor control mechanisms in healthy...

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Dynamic Control of Location-Specific Information in Tactile Cutaneous Reflexes from the Foot during Human Walking

Cited by 203 publications

References 45 publications

Parallel facilitatory reflex pathways from the foot and hip to flexors and extensors in the injured human spinal cord

Parallel facilitatory reflex pathways from the foot and hip to flexors and extensors in the injured human spinal cord

A novel approach to mechanical foot stimulation during human locomotion under body weight support

Abnormal cutaneous flexor reflex activity during controlled isometric plantarflexion in human spinal cord injury spasticity syndrome

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