Perceptibility of large and sequential changes in somatosensory information during leaning forward and backward when standing.

Full Abstract

11 healthy young men served as subjects in two experiments on perceptibility of (1) large changes in foot pressure and muscle activity induced by body leaning and (2) sequential changes in pressure at the first toe and the head of the first metatarsalis when leaning forward. The effects of reduced sensitivity on that perceptibility were also studied by repeating the experiments while cooling localized plantar areas of the sole (the head of the first metatarsalis, the first toe, and the heel). Under the normal (noncooled) condition, all subjects accurately perceived maximum pressure at the head of the first metatarsalis, but most subjects misperceived the second large increase in pressure at the first toe and in muscle activity as the first large increase. Under the cooling condition, localized cooling did not affect the perceptibility of maximum pressure at the head of the first metatarsalis or the activity in the tibialis anterior, but the perceptibility of pressure at the first toe and activity of the abductor hallucis were reduced. There were individual differences in perceptibility of activity of the rectus femoris when the heel was cooled. Perceptibility of sequential changes in the pressure was affected differently by the localized cooling of each region. Given these findings, we discussed the role and interrelatedness of pressure sensation in perceiving large and sequential changes in somatosensory information while standing and leaning forward and backward.

Learn Faster Today Improve your study skills

Author information

Author/s: Asai, Hitoshi (H); Fujiwara, Katsuo (K);

Affiliation: Department of Physical Therapy, School of Health Sciences, Faculty of Medicine, Kanazawa University, Japan. asai(-atsign-)mhs.mp.kanazawa-u.ac.jp

Journal and publication information

Publication Type: Journal Article; Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

Journal: Perceptual and motor skills (Percept Mot Skills), published in United States. (Language: eng)

Reference: 2003-Apr; vol 96 (issue 2) : pp 549-77

Dates: Created 2003/06/02; Completed 2003/09/30; Revised 2006/11/15;

PMID: 12776839, status: MEDLINE (last retrieval date: 12/26/2008)

Sourced from the National Library of Medicine. Abstract text and other information may be subject to copyright.

External Links for this article (including full text providers, if available):

Click Electronic Full-text Provider Links to see options for finding the electronic full text links to this article. Note there may be a subscription or fee required for access to the full text. See our FAQ for information on finding FREE full text articles.

This article may also be located in paper journal collections available in many libraries. Use the Journal and Publication Information above to find the full article.

MeSH headings (categories)

This article was linked to the MESH Headings shown below.

Adult
Electromyography
Foot - physiology
Humans
Male
Muscle, Skeletal - physiology

Perception
Posture
Pressure
Proprioception - physiology
Reaction Time
Sensation

These are the highest related articles currently in the database:

See 100+ related articles.