Abstract
This review article deals with some effects of neck muscle proprioception on human balance, gait trajectory, subjective straight-ahead (SSA), and self-motion perception. These effects are easily observed during neck muscle vibration, a strong stimulus for the spindle primary afferent fibers. We first remind the early findings on human balance, gait trajectory, SSA, induced by limb, and neck muscle vibration. Then, more recent findings on self-motion perception of vestibular origin are described. The use of a vestibular asymmetric yaw-rotation stimulus for emphasizing the proprioceptive modulation of motion perception from the neck is mentioned. In addition, an attempt has been made to conjointly discuss the effects of unilateral neck proprioception on motion perception, SSA, and walking trajectory. Neck vibration also induces persistent aftereffects on the SSA and on self-motion perception of vestibular origin. These perceptive effects depend on intensity, duration, side of the conditioning vibratory stimulation, and on muscle status. These effects can be maintained for hours when prolonged high-frequency vibration is superimposed on muscle contraction. Overall, this brief outline emphasizes the contribution of neck muscle inflow to the construction and fine-tuning of perception of body orientation and motion. Furthermore, it indicates that tonic neck-proprioceptive input may induce persistent influences on the subject’s mental representation of space. These plastic changes might adapt motion sensitiveness to lasting or permanent head positional or motor changes.
Highlights
Neck proprioception shapes body orientation and perception of motionReviewed by: Takashi Nagai, University of Pittsburgh, USA Denise Taylor, Auckland University of Technology, New Zealand
To many aged professors of physiology, the term proprioception promptly calls to mind the tendontap reflex, i.e., the “monosynaptic” reflex elicited by a tap onto the patellar or Achilles’ tendon and the consequent leg extension and foot plantarflexion, respectively
This phenomenon has been given such straightforward explanation (Ia spindle afferent fibers – motoneurons – homonymous muscle contraction) that no-one would have thought to doubt on the vital role of proprioceptive reflexes in all aspects of human movement, and in particular in the control of quiet upright stance or gait
Summary
Reviewed by: Takashi Nagai, University of Pittsburgh, USA Denise Taylor, Auckland University of Technology, New Zealand. This review article deals with some effects of neck muscle proprioception on human balance, gait trajectory, subjective straight-ahead (SSA), and self-motion perception. These effects are observed during neck muscle vibration, a strong stimulus for the spindle primary afferent fibers. Neck vibration induces persistent aftereffects on the SSA and on self-motion perception of vestibular origin These perceptive effects depend on intensity, duration, side of the conditioning vibratory stimulation, and on muscle status. It indicates that tonic neck-proprioceptive input may induce persistent influences on the subject’s mental representation of space These plastic changes might adapt motion sensitiveness to lasting or permanent head positional or motor changes
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