这项研究工作得到了 NIH 资助 R01 DC009031 的支持。感谢 Sharon L Congdon、Melody A Fregia 和 Nathan Silver 的技术支持。

本研究中描述的测试方法是在健康对照受试者和前庭疾病患者中开发的。健康对照受试者没有已知的神经系统、耳科或肌肉骨骼疾病史。前庭疾病患者在前庭系统的一系列客观测试中反应异常，包括黑暗中的前庭眼反射测试、位置测试和颈椎前庭诱发肌源性电位。这些研究得到了美国德克萨斯州休斯顿贝勒医学院人类受试者研究机构审查委员会的批准。
注:在 1869 年的一项研究中，年龄在 4 至 85 岁之间的健康受试者在休斯顿航天中心（社区科学教育中心）接受了测试，受试者使用本文中描述的方法进行了测试。参与者首先脱掉鞋子，但穿着袜子。然后，科学教育工作者在闭眼双人行走和CTSIB上测试参与者在顺应泡沫上，每个条件都闭上眼睛，头部静止不动，站立不动，缓慢点头（向上/向下），站立不动，偏航时缓慢摇头（右/左）。
1. 患者/研究对象
<ol><li>确保个人可以在没有支撑的情况下直立至少 30 秒。他们必须能够按照说明进行操作。</li>
</ol>2、环境与设备
<ol><li>在光线充足且表面坚固的房间内进行测试，例如乙烯基瓷砖或工业地毯。不要在毛绒地毯上进行这些测试。</li>
	<li>使用秒表、秒针时钟或数字计时器进行 CTSIB。TW不需要定时器件。</li>
	<li>要进行 CTSIB，请使用符合以下合规标准的中密度、顺应性泡沫:PSI = 0.85-0.95。这种类型的泡沫通常被称为回火泡沫或记忆泡沫。这些规范是用以下尺寸的泡沫开发的:40.64 cm X 45.72 cm X 10 cm。如果需要，可以使用更大的泡沫板，但这不是必需的。 注意:不止一家制造商生产这种泡沫。使用具有正确顺应特性的泡沫至关重要。如果使用其他类型的泡沫，则已发布的规范将不适用。</li>
</ol>第3章 CTSIB的方法
<ol><li>为了安全起见，将泡沫放在房间的一角或墙壁附近。让个人首先睁大眼睛在地板上练习测试，以学习所涉及的基本动作。<ol><li>指导被测试者直立，不要接触腿部或背部的任何东西，双脚并拢，并排。确保个人的手臂交叉在腰部，每只手握住对侧肘部或舒适地交叉在腰部。</li>
		<li>指导个人直视前方。在泡沫上进行 1-3 次测试试验，持续 5-10 秒，双臂交叉在腰部，双脚相邻，直立并直视前方，不要接触腿部或背部。</li>
		<li>为了稳定患者，将一只手放在患者的肩膀上，同时患者直视前方。</li>
		<li>要开始测试试验，请说"闭上眼睛"。将手从患者的肩膀上移开，说"开始"，然后开始计时试验长达 30 秒。仅执行一次此试用。如果个人表现出害怕、被噪音分散注意力或不理解说明，请进行第二次试验，并将第一次试验视为训练试验。 注意:闭上眼睛时，个体的姿势摇摆会增加，这可能是被测试者关注的问题。温和地建议个人不要担心。</li>
		<li>依赖测量:测量个人在犯错前可以保持直立姿势的时间，对于每种 CTSIB 条件，最多 30 秒。 注意:错误是睁开眼睛、移动手臂、迈出一步或靠在墙上。</li>
	</ol></li>
	<li>在头部静止的情况下执行试验 1。如果该人在第一次试验 1 中遇到困难，请将该试验视为培训试验，并进行第二次试验。使用第二次试验的分数。</li>
	<li>执行试验 2，以 0.3 Hz 的速度缓慢点头（向上/向下），以实际节拍器或数字节拍器应用。<ol><li>在开始试验 2 之前，让个人睁开眼睛站在地板上，练习及时点头，直到最大上下头部运动及时出现在应用程序上的最大和最小声音中，以便个人可以以 0.3 Hz 的速度移动。</li>
		<li>要进行试验 2，请指示个人站在泡沫上，双脚相邻，双臂交叉，如试验 1 所示。</li>
		<li>在个人闭上眼睛之前，在节拍器或节拍器应用程序上开始声音。然后指示该人闭上眼睛，而调查员的手放在该人的肩膀上以稳定他/她。</li>
		<li>要开始试验 2，当听到"Go"时，指示个人及时点头（头部向上/向下移动）。</li>
		<li>将手从个人的肩膀上移开，说"开始"，同时启动计时器。</li>
		<li>试验结束后，如果需要，让个人从泡沫上下来坐下，让个人休息几秒钟。</li>
	</ol></li>
	<li>执行试验 3，头部以 0.3 Hz 的频率摇晃（左/右），与声音同步。否则，请对试用版 2 使用相同的过程。</li>
</ol>4. 串联行走的方法论
<ol><li>确保房间没有障碍物，个人将向前走约 4.5 m 的距离，在个人的两侧行走约 1 m。可以使用更多空间，但不是必需的。</li>
	<li>为个人演示 3 到 5 个步骤的测试:将一只脚从脚跟到脚趾放在另一只脚的前面。再重复 4 个步骤，以便个人知道任务。</li>
	<li>实践试用:<ol><li>指导个人在CTSIB中睁开眼睛，双臂交叉在腰部进行练习试验，不穿鞋，但穿袜子以保持良好的卫生。</li>
		<li>让个人将一只脚放在另一只脚的正前方，前后脚之间的距离不超过 2.4 厘米（1 英寸）。确保个人执行最多 5 个步骤的练习试验。如果需要，对个人使用多个练习试验来了解运动任务。</li>
	</ol></li>
	<li>测试试验:让个人双臂交叉站立，双脚分开保持舒适的距离，不穿鞋，但穿袜子以保持良好的卫生。指导患者闭上眼睛并执行 10 个从脚跟到脚趾的步骤，如步骤 4.3 中所述，当调查员说"开始"时。</li>
	<li>不要为测试计时。</li>
	<li>相关测量:测量 10 个步骤中执行的正确串联步骤的总数，即使这些步骤不是连续的。要计算不正确的步数，请用一只手的手指数数，就像孩子们用手指数数一样。大声计算总步数，但不要在测试过程中大声说出不正确的步数。 注意: 错误是:睁开眼睛、移动手臂、越线或后脚走得太远。</li>
</ol>5. CTSIB和TW评分
<ol><li>为了对试验进行评分，两个来源提供了数据。使用论文中关于CTSIB和TW的儿童和年轻人的规范以及这些已发表的数据9。此外，论文中提供了 21 至 90 岁成年人的 CTSIB 和 TW 规范，这些已发表的数据为8。</li>
	<li>将个人的分数与已公布的数据进行比较，以确定个人年龄组的分数是正常还是异常，对于 CTSIB，则确定每种情况的分数是正常还是异常。</li>
</ol>

实施前庭疾病筛查测试

<ol>
	<li>Wilson, V. J., Melvill Jones, G. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed&cmd=Search&doptcmdl=Citation&defaultField=Title+Word&term=.">.</a> Mammalian Vestibular Physiology. , (1979).</li><li>Bergen, G., Stevens, M. R., Burns, E. R. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed&cmd=Search&doptcmdl=Citation&defaultField=Title+Word&term=Falls+and+fall+injuries+among+adults+aged+&#8805;65+years-United+States,+2014.">Falls and fall injuries among adults aged &#8805;65 years-United States, 2014.</a> MMWR Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report. 65 (37), 993-998 (2016).</li><li>Burns, E., Kakara, R. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed&cmd=Search&doptcmdl=Citation&defaultField=Title+Word&term=Deaths+from+falls+among+persons+aged+&gt;+65+years+-+United+States,+2017+-+2016.">Deaths from falls among persons aged &gt; 65 years - United States, 2017 - 2016.</a> MMWR Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report. 67 (18), 509-514 (2018).</li><li>Strupp, M., Brandt, T., Dieterich, M. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed&cmd=Search&doptcmdl=Citation&defaultField=Title+Word&term=.">.</a> Vertigo and Dizziness. , (2023).</li><li>Lanska, D. J. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed&cmd=Search&doptcmdl=Citation&defaultField=Title+Word&term=The+Romberg+sign+and+early+instruments+for+measuring+postural+sway.">The Romberg sign and early instruments for measuring postural sway.</a> Seminars in Neurology. 22 (4), 409-418 (2002).</li><li>Horak, F. B. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed&cmd=Search&doptcmdl=Citation&defaultField=Title+Word&term=Clinical+measurement+of+postural+control+in+adults.">Clinical measurement of postural control in adults.</a> Physical Therapy. 67 (12), 1881-1885 (1987).</li><li>Gosselin, G., Fagan, M. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed&cmd=Search&doptcmdl=Citation&defaultField=Title+Word&term=Foam+pads+properties+and+their+effects+on+posturography+in+participants+of+different+weight.">Foam pads properties and their effects on posturography in participants of different weight.</a> Chiropractic &amp; Manual Therapies. 23 (1), 2 (2015).</li><li>Lin, C. -. C., et al. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed&cmd=Search&doptcmdl=Citation&defaultField=Title+Word&term=Test-retest+reliability+of+postural+stability+on+two+different+foam+pads.">Test-retest reliability of postural stability on two different foam pads.</a> Journal of Nature and Science. 1 (2), e43 (2015).</li><li>Cohen, H. S., Sangi-Haghpehkar, H. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed&cmd=Search&doptcmdl=Citation&defaultField=Title+Word&term=Differences+in+responses+on+the+modified+clinical+test+of+sensory+interaction+and+balance+on+medium+firm+and+medium+density+foam+in+healthy+controls+and+patients+with+vestibular+disorders.">Differences in responses on the modified clinical test of sensory interaction and balance on medium firm and medium density foam in healthy controls and patients with vestibular disorders.</a> Biomedicine Hub. 5 (1), 1548-1555 (2020).</li><li>Patel, M., Fransson, P. A., Lush, D., Gomez, S. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed&cmd=Search&doptcmdl=Citation&defaultField=Title+Word&term=The+effect+of+foam+surface+properties+on+postural+stability+assessment+while+standing.">The effect of foam surface properties on postural stability assessment while standing.</a> Gait &amp; Posture. 28 (4), 649-656 (2008).</li><li>Cohen, H. S., et al. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed&cmd=Search&doptcmdl=Citation&defaultField=Title+Word&term=Tandem+walking+as+a+quick+screening+test+for+vestibular+disorders.">Tandem walking as a quick screening test for vestibular disorders.</a> The Laryngoscope. 128 (7), 1687-1691 (2018).</li><li>Cohen, H. S., et al. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed&cmd=Search&doptcmdl=Citation&defaultField=Title+Word&term=Screening+for+vestibular+disorders+using+the+modified+clinical+test+of+sensory+interaction+and+balance+and+tandem+walking+with+eyes+closed.">Screening for vestibular disorders using the modified clinical test of sensory interaction and balance and tandem walking with eyes closed.</a> Otology &amp; Neurotology. 40 (5), 658-665 (2019).</li><li>Friello, P., Silver, N., Sangi-Haghpeykar, H., Cohen, H. S. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed&cmd=Search&doptcmdl=Citation&defaultField=Title+Word&term=Screening+for+balance+in+children+and+adults+in+a+community+science+education+setting:+normative+data,+influence+of+age,+sex,+and+body+mass+index,+and+feasibility.">Screening for balance in children and adults in a community science education setting: normative data, influence of age, sex, and body mass index, and feasibility.</a> PLoS One. 17 (5), e0268030 (2022).</li><li>Bermudez Rey, M. C., Clark, T. K., Merfeld, D. M. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed&cmd=Search&doptcmdl=Citation&defaultField=Title+Word&term=Balance+screening+of+vestibular+function+in+subjects+aged+4+years+and+older:+a+living+laboratory.">Balance screening of vestibular function in subjects aged 4 years and older: a living laboratory.</a> Frontiers in Neurology. 8, 631 (2017).</li><li>Shumway-Cook, A., Horak, F. B. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed&cmd=Search&doptcmdl=Citation&defaultField=Title+Word&term=Assessing+the+influence+of+sensory+interaction+on+balance.">Assessing the influence of sensory interaction on balance.</a> Physical Therapy. 66 (10), 1548-1550 (1986).</li></ol>

作者没有什么可透露的。

这些筛查测试需要最少或不需要技术和最小的空间。管理和评分既快速又简单。因此，这些筛查测试被医疗提供者、职业治疗师和物理治疗师广泛用于康复诊所和流行病学筛查研究中的医疗保健环境中。这些检查可用于筛查患者的前庭疾病，也可用于筛查患有非前庭疾病（如老花病）的患者。其他平衡障碍也可以通过这些检查进行筛查，但可能的疾病列表太长，无法在这里描述。接受过各种类型的前庭和非前庭平衡障碍评估和治疗培训的临床医生可以将这些筛查测试用作临床工具箱的一部分。
这些测试有一些局限性。这些测试只能用于能够遵循说明并能够在独立的情况下站立的人。肌肉骨骼问题，如关节炎和关节畸形、脚趾截肢、严重无力以及影响足部和下肢的不协调都会影响测试结果。同样，神经系统的运动障碍，如帕金森病，也会影响测试结果。肌肉骨骼和运动障碍可能会干扰站立足够长的时间进行测试的能力，是否具有足够好的重量转移能力，甚至影响执行测试的运动控制。为了与规范数据保持一致，不应穿鞋，但应穿袜子以保持良好的卫生。肥胖影响结局5.用于 CTSIB 的顺应泡沫类型会影响结果。如果测试管理员更喜欢使用不同类型的泡沫，那么测试管理员应遵循 CTSIB 的创始人 Shumway-Cook 和 Horak 的建议，并在与患者15 进行测试之前制定健康个体规范。
这些规范的平衡测试可用于筛查不同年龄段的平衡。它们需要最少的设备和最短的时间，但为在各种环境中使用提供有效和可靠的数据。测试管理员应使用具有正确密度特性的泡沫，个人应不穿鞋但穿着袜子，闭上眼睛进行测试。如果同时使用这两种测试，测试的敏感性（对患者）和特异性（对健康对照）将得到改善。考试成绩将受到运动障碍、肌肉骨骼疾病或难以遵循指示的影响。因此，在存在此类问题的情况下，请谨慎解释数据。

筛查前庭系统是众所周知的困难，前庭系统是内耳中具有检测头部运动的受体的感觉系统。由于前庭脊髓束的存在，前庭脊髓束从喙髓质的前庭核向下投射到脊髓的颈椎、胸椎和腰骶水平，前庭系统产生的头部速度信号会影响站立和行走过程中的平衡1.因此，许多患有前庭系统疾病的人平衡受损，有跌倒的风险。例如，25% 的 65 岁以上的美国老年人每年跌倒 2,2016 年美国跌倒的死亡率从每 100,000 人 24.2 人到 142.7 人不等，具体取决于各州3。因此，平衡测试通常是临床评估或筛查前庭损伤的一个组成部分，并且通常用于临床研究4。这些测试也可用于对运动员、飞行后宇航员、军事人员和其他可能表现出一些平衡问题的个人进行现场筛查。这些人可能需要分别在运动场附近、着陆点、紧急野战医院或其他紧急情况下进行筛查，然后才能被长途运送到综合医疗机构进行详细检测。
为了筛查人们的平衡障碍，通常使用两种不同类型的平衡测试。站立不动和转移重心，例如在厨房水槽洗碗时，涉及的技能与走路时通过空间翻译身体的技能有些不同。应该检查这两种平衡。平衡测试通常在狭窄的支撑基础下进行，以使测试对个人具有挑战性。例如，双脚并拢、闭上眼睛时的站立平衡测试基于 Romberg 征，即患者睁开眼睛时保持良好平衡，但闭上眼睛时失去平衡1。多年来，该测试已经过多次改进，直到 Romberg 或感觉统合和平衡临床测试 （CTSIB）4 的当前修改版本比以前的测试更简单、更短且已证明具有良好的灵敏度，因此对临床筛查更有用。当前版本在支撑表面上使用不稳定、中等密度、柔顺的泡沫，并通过头部运动进一步锐化。这些修改已被用于最近的研究，显示了儿童和成人与年龄相关的规范数据，也用于表明这些规范特定于所用泡沫的研究 7,8,9,10。
双人行走（TW），也称为脚跟-脚趾行走，在地板上进行，受试者穿着袜子但不穿鞋，闭上眼睛。最近的研究提供了与儿童和成人年龄相关的规范数据11,12,13。TW 和 CTSIB 表现下降可能与前庭系统疾病一致，尽管平衡测试不是前庭系统的直接测试。当 TW 和 CTSIB 一起给予没有肌肉骨骼畸形或明显神经系统问题的患者时，测试对前庭疾病的敏感性高于仅给予 TW 或 CTSIB 时12。
使用本文中描述的方法，已经对健康参与者进行了几项研究。例如，一项针对 292 名健康对照组和 90 名前庭疾病患者的研究（如使用双热热量测试、前庭诱发肌源电位和 Dix-Hallpike 测试对前庭系统进行的标准临床客观测试所示）显示，CTSIB 条件和 TW11、12、13 的对照组与年龄相关的下降。TW7 和 CTSIB8 的单个测试的灵敏度中等，但组合电池的灵敏度> 0.9。在波士顿科学博物馆的一项 CTSIB 研究中，健康参与者能够在头部仍处于14 状态的情况下，在顺应性泡沫上测试自己在 CTSIB 上。该组也发现了儿童和成人中与年龄相关的变化。
这些基于表现的筛选测试无法通过阅读研究论文中的内容来学习。本文旨在准确告知读者如何执行这些测试。

<table border="1" fo:keep-together.within-page="1" fo:keep-with-next.within-page="always">
	<tbody>
		<tr>
			<td>10 cm thick, medium density, Sunmate foam</td>
			<td>Dynamic Systems, Leicester, NC, USA;</td>
			<td>sunmatecushions.com</td>
			<td>Either this foam or foam by another manufacturer that has the same compliance characteristics as medium density Sunmate foam will be sufficient. Use a slab of foam large enough for an adult man&#39;s feet, e.g. 40.65 cm X 45.72 cm or larger</td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>Metronome app</td>
			<td>Any source</td>
			<td>N/A</td>
			<td>Either a real, physical metronome or a metronome app that can provide an auditory cue at 0.3 Hz. 0.3 Hz is the equivalent of 18 beats per minute, but using 20 beats per minute is acceptable if your app only goes that low.</td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>Stopwatch</td>
			<td>Any source</td>
			<td>N/A</td>
			<td>Any timing device in tenths of seconds will be sufficient</td>
		</tr>
	</tbody>
</table>

screening people on standing balance with romberg testing and walking balance with tandem walking

该协议的目的是告知读者用于执行前庭疾病两种筛查测试的确切程序:闭眼串联行走 （TW），也称为脚跟-脚趾行走，以及感觉统合和平衡临床测试 （CTSIB），也称为改良的 Romberg。该研究描述了执行每项测试和三个 CTSIB 子测试中每个测试的步骤，以便读者能够复制测试条件，以便在临床、临床实验室或任何其他需要有效和可靠筛查的情况下使用平衡技能，这些平衡技能可能会受到前庭系统功能变化的影响。此处详述的程序易于管理，每次试验只需不到 1 分钟。提供了已发表论文和规范性数据的参考文献。代表性结果部分包括通过这些筛查测试收集的数据示例。

与其他研究一样，在双人步行和CTSIB中发现了与年龄相关的变化，特别是对于幼儿和老年人，尽管由于样本量小，年龄最大的老年人的数据可能不可靠。 图 1 显示了 CTSIB 三种条件的数据。 图 2 显示了闭眼串联行走的数据。与10岁及以上的儿童相比，幼儿在两项测试中的得分都有所降低。分数在中年，尤其是老年时下降。在这项特殊的研究中，由于样本量小，最年长受试者的数据不可靠。
<img alt="Figure 1" class="xfigimg" src="/files/ftp_upload/65663/65663fig01.jpg"> 图 1:按年龄组划分的平均 CTSIB 数据。 数据是以秒为单位的时间。（A） CTSIB头部静止。（B） CTSIB头部偏航。（C） CTSIB头部螺距。该图已从原始论文修改，并经 Friello 等人许可使用13。 <a href="https://www-jove-com.remotexs.ntu.edu.sg/files/ftp_upload/65663/65663fig01large.jpg" target="_blank">请点击这里查看此图的较大版本.</a>
<img alt="Figure 2" class="xfigimg" src="/files/ftp_upload/65663/65663fig02.jpg"> 图 2:按年龄组划分的 TW 中位数数据。 数据是正确串联步数。范围从 1 到 10 不等，但因年龄而异;有关详细信息，请参阅 Friello 等人 13 。该图已从原始论文修改，并经 Friello 等人许可使用13。 <a href="https://www-jove-com.remotexs.ntu.edu.sg/files/ftp_upload/65663/65663fig02large.jpg" target="_blank">请点击这里查看此图的较大版本.</a>

Watch this Scientific Journal Video about Developing Low-Tech Balance Assessment Methods for Broad-Spectrum Healthcare Applications at JoVE.com

作者聚焦:为广泛的医疗保健应用开发低技术平衡评估方法 

本文介绍了使用两种规范的、快速的、低技术含量的平衡测试来筛查人们站立和行走平衡障碍的程序。

通过 Romberg 测试筛查站立平衡的人，并通过串联步行筛查步行平衡

The goal of this protocol is to inform readers about the exact procedures to use to perform two screening tests for vestibular disorders: tandem walking ...

科学挑战是在不依赖大量技术的情况下创造可靠和有效的测量平衡的技术。这些测试应适用于实地研究、小型诊所以及在医疗保健技术有限的地方筛查患者。测试足够多的不同年龄段的健康个体，以及足够多的前庭疾病和其他平衡问题患者至关重要。招募足够多的人可能具有挑战性，但有必要确定这些测试是否可以有效地筛查个人的各种平衡问题。临床医生和研究人员可以在复杂的医疗环境中使用这些测试，也可以在小型诊所、疗养院、社区护理设施、用于基于人群的流行病学研究的移动实验室，甚至在飞行后宇航员的着陆点使用这些测试。这些数据有助于临床决策。

screening-people-on-standing-balance-with-romberg-testing-walking

Nanyang Technological University

Research

JoVE Journal

Behavior

Screening People on Standing Balance with Romberg Testing and Walking Balance with Tandem Walking

4.3K 次观看.  Baylor College of Medicine. 科学挑战是在不依赖大量技术的情况下创造可靠和有效的测量平衡的技术。这些测试应适用于实地研究、小型诊所以及在医疗保健技术有限的地方筛查患者。测试足够多的不同年龄段的健康个体，以及足够多的前庭疾病和其他平衡问题患者至关重要。招募足够多的人可能具有挑战性，但有必要确定这些测试是否可以有效地筛查个人的各种平衡问题。临床医生和研究人员?...

视频: 作者聚焦:为广泛的医疗保健应用开发低技术平衡评估方法 

Barnes Maze Testing Strategies with Small and Large Rodent Models

Spatial learning and memory of laboratory rodents is often assessed via navigational ability in mazes, most popular of which are the water and dry-land (Barnes) mazes. Improved performance over sessions or trials is thought to reflect learning and memory of the escape cage/platform location. Considered less stressful than water mazes, the Barnes maze is a relatively simple design of a circular platform top with several holes equally spaced around the perimeter edge. All but one of the holes are false-bottomed or blind-ending, while one leads to an escape cage. Mildly aversive stimuli (e.g.&#160;bright overhead lights) provide motivation to locate the escape cage. Latency to locate the escape cage can be measured during the session; however, additional endpoints typically require video recording. From those video recordings, use of automated tracking software can generate a variety of endpoints that are similar to those produced in water mazes (e.g.&#160;distance traveled, velocity/speed, time spent in the correct quadrant, time spent moving/resting, and confirmation of latency). Type of search strategy (i.e.&#160;random, serial, or direct) can be categorized as well. Barnes maze construction and testing methodologies can differ for small rodents, such as mice, and large rodents, such as rats. For example, while extra-maze cues are effective for rats, smaller wild rodents may require intra-maze cues with a visual barrier around the maze. Appropriate stimuli must be identified which motivate the rodent to locate the escape cage. Both Barnes and water mazes can be time consuming as 4-7 test trials are typically required to detect improved learning and memory performance (e.g.&#160;shorter latencies or path lengths to locate the escape platform or cage) and/or differences between experimental groups. Even so, the Barnes maze is a widely employed behavioral assessment measuring spatial navigational abilities and their potential disruption by genetic, neurobehavioral manipulations, or drug/ toxicant exposure.

The dry-land Barnes maze is widely used to measure spatial navigation ability in response to mildly aversive stimuli. Over consecutive days, performance (e.g.&#160;latency to locate escape cage) of control subjects improves, indicative of normal learning and memory. Differences between rats and mice necessitate apparatus and methodology changes that are detailed here.

巴恩斯迷宫测试策略与小型和大型啮齿类动物模型

Spatial learning and memory of laboratory rodents is often assessed via navigational ability in mazes, most popular of which are the water and dry-land ...

科研

行为学

Testing Sensory and Multisensory Function in Children with Autism Spectrum Disorder

In addition to impairments in social communication and the presence of restricted interests and repetitive behaviors, deficits in sensory processing are now recognized as a core symptom in autism spectrum disorder (ASD). Our ability to perceive and interact with the external world is rooted in sensory processing. For example, listening to a conversation entails processing the auditory cues coming from the speaker (speech content, prosody, syntax) as well as the associated visual information (facial expressions, gestures). Collectively, the &#8220;integration&#8221; of these multisensory (i.e., combined audiovisual) pieces of information results in better comprehension. Such multisensory integration has been shown to be strongly dependent upon the temporal relationship of the paired stimuli. Thus, stimuli that occur in close temporal proximity are highly likely to result in behavioral and perceptual benefits &#8211; gains believed to be reflective of the perceptual system&#39;s judgment of the likelihood that these two stimuli came from the same source. Changes in this temporal integration are expected to strongly alter perceptual processes, and are likely to diminish the ability to accurately perceive and interact with our world. Here, a battery of tasks designed to characterize various aspects of sensory and multisensory temporal processing in children with ASD is described. In addition to its utility in autism, this battery has great potential for characterizing changes in sensory function in other clinical populations, as well as being used to examine changes in these processes across the lifespan.

We describe how to implement a battery of behavioral tasks to examine the processing and integration of sensory stimuli in children with ASD. The goal is to characterize individual differences in temporal processing of simple auditory and visual stimuli and relate these to higher order perceptual skills like speech perception.

测试儿童的感官和多感官功能自闭症谱系障碍

In addition to impairments in social communication and the presence of restricted interests and repetitive behaviors, deficits in sensory processing are ...

Experimental Research Examining How People Can Cope with Uncertainty Through Soft Haptic Sensations

Human beings are constantly surrounded by uncertainty and change. The question arises how people cope with such uncertainty. To date, most research has focused on the cognitive strategies people adopt to deal with uncertainty. However, especially when uncertainty is due to unpredictable societal events (e.g., economical crises, political revolutions, terrorism threats) of which one is unable to judge the impact on one&#8217;s future live, cognitive strategies (like seeking additional information) is likely to fail to combat uncertainty. Instead, the current paper discusses a method demonstrating that people might deal with uncertainty experientially through soft haptic sensations. More specifically, because touching something soft creates a feeling of comfort and security, people prefer objects with softer as compared to harder properties when feeling uncertain. Seeking for softness is a highly efficient and effective tool to deal with uncertainty as our hands are available at all times. This protocol describes a set of methods demonstrating 1) how environmental (un)certainty can be situationally activated with an experiential priming procedure, 2) that the quality of the softness experience (what type of softness and how it is experienced) matters and 3) how uncertainty can be reduced using different methods.

To date research has focused on cognitive strategies people adopt to cope with uncertainty. This research examines instead an experiential way of dealing with uncertainty and introduces a set of experimental methods showing how the experience of haptic softness can serve as a tool to deal with uncertainty.

实验研究研究如何人能不确定性通过软触觉感知应对

Human beings are constantly surrounded by uncertainty and change. The question arises how people cope with such uncertainty. To date, most research has ...

Exploring the Use of Isolated Expressions and Film Clips to Evaluate Emotion Recognition by People with Traumatic Brain Injury

The current study presented 60 people with traumatic brain injury (TBI) and 60 controls with isolated facial emotion expressions, isolated vocal emotion expressions, and multimodal (i.e., film clips) stimuli that included contextual cues. All stimuli were presented via computer. Participants were required to indicate how the person in each stimulus was feeling using a forced-choice format. Additionally, for the film clips, participants had to indicate how they felt in response to the stimulus, and the level of intensity with which they experienced that emotion.

This paper describes how to implement a battery of behavioral tasks to examine emotion recognition of isolated facial and vocal emotion expressions, and a novel task using commercial television and film clips to assess multimodal emotion recognition that includes contextual cues.

探索孤立的表达式和电影剪辑的使用与创伤性脑损伤的人评价情感识别

The current study presented 60 people with traumatic brain injury (TBI) and 60 controls with isolated facial emotion expressions, isolated vocal emotion ...

Substantiating Appropriate Motion Capture Techniques for the Assessment of Nordic Walking Gait and Posture in Older Adults

Nordic walking (NW) has become a safe and simple form of exercise in recent years, and in studying this gait pattern, various data collection techniques have been employed, each with positives and negatives. The aim was to determine the effect of NW on older adult gait and posture and to determine optimal use of different data collection systems in both short and long duration analysis. Gait and posture during NW and normal walking were assessed in 17 healthy older adults (age: 69 &#177; 7.3). Participants performed two trials of 6 Minute Walk Tests (6MWT) (1 with poles (WP) and 1 without poles (NP)) and 6 trials of a 5m walk (3 WP and 3 NP). Motion was recorded using two systems, a 6-sensor accelerometry system and an 8-camera 3-dimensional motion capture system, in order to quantify spatial-temporal, kinematic, and kinetic parameters.
With both systems, participants demonstrated increased stride length and double support and decreased gait speed and cadence WP compared to NP (p &#60;0.05). Also, with motion capture, larger single support time was found WP (p &#60;0.05). With 3-D capture, smaller hip power generation and moments of force were found at heel contact and pre-swing as well as smaller knee power absorption at heel contact, pre-swing, and terminal swing WP compared to NP, when assessed over one cycle (p &#60;0.05). Also, WP yielded smaller moments of force at heel contact and terminal swing along with larger moments at mid-stance of a gait cycle (p &#60;0.05). No changes were found for posture.
NW seems appropriate for promoting a normal gait pattern in older adults. Three-dimensional motion capture should primarily be used during short duration gait analysis (i.e. single gait cycle), while accelerometry systems should be primarily employed in instances requiring longer duration analysis such as during the 6MWT.

The aim was to substantiate optimal use of data collection techniques for Nordic walking gait and posture analysis. Three-dimensional motion capture should be used during short duration analysis (i.e. single gait cycle), while accelerometry should be employed for longer duration analysis (i.e. repeated cycles) like a 6 Minute Walk Test.

充实适当的运动捕捉技术的越野行走步态中老年人的评估和姿势

Nordic walking (NW) has become a safe and simple form of exercise in recent years, and in studying this gait pattern, various data collection techniques ...

Reversible Cooling-induced Deactivations to Study Cortical Contributions to Obstacle Memory in the Walking Cat

On complex, naturalistic terrain, sensory information about an environmental obstacle can be used to rapidly adjust locomotor movements for avoidance. For example, in the cat, visual information about an impending obstacle can modulate stepping for avoidance. Locomotor adaptation can also occur independent of vision, as sudden tactile inputs to the leg by an expected obstacle can modify the stepping of all four legs for avoidance. Such complex locomotor coordination involves supraspinal structures, such as the parietal cortex. This protocol describes the use of reversible, cooling-induced cortical deactivation to assess parietal cortex contributions to memory-guided obstacle locomotion in the cat. Small cooling loops, known as cryoloops, are specially shaped to deactivate discrete regions of interest to assess their contributions to an overt behavior. Such methods have been used to elucidate the role of parietal area 5 in memory-guided obstacle avoidance in the cat.

Complex locomotion in naturalistic environments requiring careful coordination of the limbs involves regions of the parietal cortex. The following protocol describes the use of reversible cooling-induced deactivation to demonstrate the role of parietal area 5 in memory-guided obstacle avoidance in the walking cat.

可逆冷却诱导 Deactivations 对行走猫的障碍记忆的皮层贡献研究

On complex, naturalistic terrain, sensory information about an environmental obstacle can be used to rapidly adjust locomotor movements for avoidance. For ...

A Vibrotactile Feedback Device for Seated Balance Assessment and Training

Postural perturbations, motion tracking, and sensory feedback are modern techniques used to challenge, assess, and train upright sitting, respectively. The goal of the developed protocol is to construct and operate a sitting platform that can be passively destabilized while an inertial measurement unit quantifies its motion and vibrating elements deliver tactile feedback to the user. Interchangeable seat attachments alter the stability level of the device to safely challenge sitting balance. A built-in microcontroller allows fine-tuning of the feedback parameters to augment sensory function. Posturographic measures, typical of balance assessment protocols, summarize the motion signals acquired during timed balance trials. No dynamic sitting protocol to date provides variable challenge, quantification, and sensory feedback free of laboratory constraints. Our results demonstrate that non-disabled users of the device exhibit significant changes in posturographic measures when balance difficulty is altered or vibrational feedback provided. The portable, versatile device has potential applications in rehabilitation (following skeletal, muscular, or neurological injury), training (for sports or spatial awareness), entertainment (via virtual or augmented reality), and research (of sitting-related disorders).

A sitting platform has been developed and assembled that passively destabilizes sitting posture in humans. During the user&#39;s stabilizing task, an inertial measurement unit records the device&#39;s motion, and vibrating elements deliver performance-based feedback to the seat. The portable, versatile device may be used in rehabilitation, assessment, and training paradigms.

一种用于座位平衡评估和训练的振动反馈装置

Postural perturbations, motion tracking, and sensory feedback are modern techniques used to challenge, assess, and train upright sitting, respectively. ...

Using a Real-Time Locating System to Measure Walking Activity Associated with Wandering Behaviors Among Institutionalized Older Adults

A real-time locating system (RTLS) can be used to track the walking activity of institutionalized older adults in long-term care who are at risk for wandering behaviors. The benefits of a RTLS are objective and continuous measurements of activity. Self-report methods of activity, especially wandering, by health care staff are vulnerable to floor effects and recall bias, and continuous clinical or research observation over the long-term can be time-consuming and expensive. Health care staff also fail to recognize the onset and/or duration of wandering behaviors, which are associated with a variety of adverse health outcomes in this population but amenable to intervention. RTLS technologies can measure the walking activity of institutionalized residents with cognitive impairment over time with a high degree of accuracy. This is particularly useful for the study of wandering, defined as walking for at least 60 seconds with few (if any) breaks in activity. Wandering is associated with disease progression, hospitalizations, falls and death. Previous work suggests older adults with poor balance ability and high sustained walking activity may be particularly susceptible to poor health outcomes. RTLS&#39;s are used to assess cognitive impairment and factors associated with gait and balance; however, supplemental paper and pencil gait/balance tools may be used to further refine risk profiles. This project discusses the use of a RTLS to measure walking activity and also gait quality and balance ability measures on this population.

This paper discusses the use of a continuous and objective real-time locating system to measure walking activity associated with wandering behaviors, focusing on older adults with cognitive impairment. Walking activity is measured by walking distance, sustained walking distance, and sustained gait speed. Also assessed are gait quality and balance ability.

利用实时定位系统测量被培养的老年人的游走行为相关的步行活动

A real-time locating system (RTLS) can be used to track the walking activity of institutionalized older adults in long-term care who are at risk for ...

Measuring the Switch Cost of Smartphone Use While Walking

This paper presents a study protocol to measure the task-switching cost of using a smartphone while walking. This method involves having participants walk on a treadmill under two experimental conditions: a control condition (i.e., simply walking) and a multitasking condition (i.e., texting while walking). During these conditions, the participants must switch between the tasks related to the experimental condition and a direction determining task. This direction task is done with a point-light walker figure, seemingly walking towards the left or the right of the participant. Performance on the direction task represents the participant&#8217;s task-switching costs. There were two performance measures: 1) correct identification of the direction and 2) response time. EEG data are recorded in order to measure the alpha oscillations and cognitive engagement occurring during the task switch. This method is limited in its ecological validity: pedestrian environments have many stimuli occurring simultaneously and competing for attention. Nonetheless, this method is appropriate for pinpointing task-switching costs. The EEG data allow the study of the underlying mechanisms in the brain that are related to differing task-switching costs. This design allows the comparison between task switching when doing one task at a time, as compared to task switching when multitasking, prior to the stimulus presentation. This allows understanding and pinpointing both the behavioral and neurophysiological impact of these two different task-switching conditions. Furthermore, by correlating the task-switching costs with the brain activity, we can learn more about what causes these behavioral effects. This protocol is an appropriate base for studying the switching cost of different smartphone uses. Different tasks, questionnaires, and other measures can be added to it in order to understand the different factors involved in the task-switching cost of smartphone use while walking.

This study design measures the task-switching cost of using a smartphone while walking. Participants undergo two experimental conditions: a control condition (walking) and a multitasking condition (texting while walking). Participants switch between these tasks and a direction determining task. EEG data as well as behavioral measures are recorded.

测量边走边使用智能手机的开关成本

This paper presents a study protocol to measure the task-switching cost of using a smartphone while walking. This method involves having participants walk ...

A Modified Lean and Release Technique to Emphasize Response Inhibition and Action Selection in Reactive Balance

Assessment of reactive balance traditionally imposes some type of perturbation to upright stance or gait followed by measurement of the resultant corrective behavior. These measures include muscle responses, limb movements, ground reaction forces, and even direct neurophysiological measures such as electroencephalography. Using this approach, researchers and clinicians can infer some basic principles regarding how the nervous system controls balance to avoid a fall. One limitation with the way in which these assessments are currently used is that they heavily emphasize reflexive actions without any need to revise automatic postural reactions. Such an exclusive focus on these highly stereotypical reactions would fail to adequately address how we can modify these reactions should the need arise (e.g., avoiding an obstacle with a recovery step). This would appear to be a glaring omission when one considers the enormous complexity of the environments we face daily. Overall, the status quo when evaluating the neural control of balance fails to truly expose how higher brain resources contribute to preventing falls in complex settings. The present protocol offers a way to require suppression of automatic, but inappropriate corrective balance reactions, and force a selection among alternative action choices to successfully recover balance following postural perturbation.

Here we offer a protocol that allows the user to selectively change affordances and/or constraints on movements that are relevant for recovering balance after postural perturbation.