Project R-14603

Sensory Integration and Balance Control During Standing and Walking under Challenging Conditions in Healthy Young and Older Adults (Research)

The aim of this project is to investigate the underlying mechanisms of the sensory integration during standing and walking under challenging conditions in healthy young and older adults. Young adults who are between 18 to 35 years old and older adults who are older than 65 years old will be invited to participate in the project. In order to assess sensory integration and reweighing, the framework of the Clinical Test of Sensory Integration and Balance (CTSIB) will be used. CTSIB is a test that evaluates to what extent people rely on a specific sensory system (e.g. vision, proprioception) to maintain their balance by using eyes open and closed conditions and under different standing surfaces (i.e. different somatosensory input). Sensory reweighing can be assessed using these different conditions, indicating that a person will rely more on specific sensory information in one condition and more on other information in another condition. This will be evaluated under these conditions and during standing and walking. The spatiotemporal, kinetic and kinematic parameters of standing and gait including muscle activity will be collected with Gait Real-Time Analysis and Interactive Lab (GRAIL) or Computer Assisted Rehabilitation Environment (CAREN) lab. Additional tasks such as surface perturbations and dual-task conditions will be added to the standing and walking. The additional effect of each of these conditions and their collective effect will be examined. The difference between all the conditions will be observed and it will be unearthed whether a difference in sensory integration in standing and walking exist. Furthermore, the difference between the two cohorts (i.e. young and old adults) will also be investigated. Thus, a possible effect of aging on sensory integration and balance will be examined.

01 October 2023 - 30 September 2027