Functional reorganization of upper-body movement after spinal cord injury

Exp Brain Res, 2010 · DOI: 10.1007/s00221-010-2427-8 · Published: December 1, 2010

Simple Explanation

The study investigates how individuals with spinal cord injuries (SCI) and those without impairments can adapt their upper body movements to control a cursor on a screen using shoulder motions, which is relevant to assistive devices. Both SCI and control subjects were able to quickly reorganize their movements to control the cursor, and most reduced ineffective movements, suggesting the motor system seeks efficiency, not just target acquisition. The findings suggest individuals can improve coordination to better align their body motions with the cursor's movement plane, which creates an internal model of the body-to-cursor map. These results are important for developing assistive devices that use residual motor control and enhance learning in disabled users.

Study Duration

Not specified

Participants

9 control subjects and 4 SCI subjects

Evidence Level

Not specified

Key Findings

1
Both SCI and control subjects demonstrated fast body movement reorganization to operate the upper body–cursor interface with smoother, faster and more precise trajectories.
2
Subjects training in a high-dimensional space of upper-body movements reorganized their control authority into two dominant principal components in order to manipulate the two-dimensional cursor projection.
3
The motor system reduces the effective dimensionality of body motions by utilizing a small number of simple and coordinated shoulders movements.

Research Summary

This study explores how individuals with and without spinal cord injuries reorganize their upper body movements to control a cursor on a screen, simulating the control of assistive devices. The results indicate that both groups can quickly adapt their movements and reduce ineffective motions, suggesting an efficient reorganization of motor coordination. The findings highlight the potential for developing adaptive assistive devices that leverage residual motor skills and enhance learning through personalized interfaces.

Practical Implications

Assistive Device Design

Informs the design of assistive devices that adapt to the user's residual motor abilities for more intuitive control.

Rehabilitation Strategies

Offers insights into motor learning and reorganization, potentially improving rehabilitation strategies for individuals with motor impairments.

Brain-Machine Interfaces

Contributes to the development of more effective brain-machine interfaces by understanding how users adapt to new control schemes.

Study Limitations

1
Small sample size, particularly for SCI subjects.
2
Limited duration of the training session (1 hour).
3
The study focused on a specific task (cursor control) and may not generalize to other motor tasks.

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