POSTURAL CONTROL IN THE AGING BRAIN: EFFECTS OF BALANCE TRAINING (BRAIN-BALANCE)
Main funder
Funder's project number: 350528
Funds granted by main funder (€)
- 447 650,00
Funding program
Project timetable
Project start date: 01/09/2022
Project end date: 31/08/2027
Summary
Falling, and fall-related injuries, are a major health issue in our aging society (30–40% of community dwellers >65 years-old fall annually). However, little is known about the exact neural mechanisms underpinning such outcomes, and whether they are reversible.
Possible candidates are changes in proprioception and/or sensorimotor functioning. Here, I will integrate novel test methodologies to reveal cortical activity and corticospinal excitation/inhibition, and their complex interactions. I will study the loss of balance at different ages, after follow-up and the effects of balance-improving intervention.
This is a combined 2-year follow-up observational study and randomized-controlled trial. One young (20-25y) and two older (one 60-65y and another 70-75y) participant groups will be recruited. Participants will be tested on a sliding force platform system developed by us while concurrent electroencephalography and transcranial magnetic stimulation measures are taken. During the randomized anterior-posterior perturbations, TMS and tibial nerve electrical stimulation will be delivered. These stimulations are timed to coincide with the short-, medium- and long-latency components of the stretch-reflex due to perturbation (cross-sectional study). All measurements will be repeated two years later to determine to what extent, changes in neural functioning have occurred (observational study). Older groups are expected to demonstrate greater cortical excitability/lower inhibition than young, but the differences between older age-groups will accentuate over the follow-up. The same participants will be randomized to a balance training intervention or control group (RCT), retested after 1 and 4 months to determine if the phenomena is reversible by training.
This project uniquely combines evaluation of sensorimotor control during balance perturbations with the trajectory of these processes during aging, as well as potential for reversibility during training. Significant scientific impact is gained through determining functional relevance of beta band oscillations (on balance recovery) for the first time. On a societal level, the RCT will determine whether the intervention targeted the identified neural deficits. As specific knowledge of effective interventions is lacking, only general guidance is provided, and is important in fall prevention.
This study falls within the Academy of Finland profiling area “BRAIN” at the University of Jyväskylä and advances my recent AoF Post-doc study.
Possible candidates are changes in proprioception and/or sensorimotor functioning. Here, I will integrate novel test methodologies to reveal cortical activity and corticospinal excitation/inhibition, and their complex interactions. I will study the loss of balance at different ages, after follow-up and the effects of balance-improving intervention.
This is a combined 2-year follow-up observational study and randomized-controlled trial. One young (20-25y) and two older (one 60-65y and another 70-75y) participant groups will be recruited. Participants will be tested on a sliding force platform system developed by us while concurrent electroencephalography and transcranial magnetic stimulation measures are taken. During the randomized anterior-posterior perturbations, TMS and tibial nerve electrical stimulation will be delivered. These stimulations are timed to coincide with the short-, medium- and long-latency components of the stretch-reflex due to perturbation (cross-sectional study). All measurements will be repeated two years later to determine to what extent, changes in neural functioning have occurred (observational study). Older groups are expected to demonstrate greater cortical excitability/lower inhibition than young, but the differences between older age-groups will accentuate over the follow-up. The same participants will be randomized to a balance training intervention or control group (RCT), retested after 1 and 4 months to determine if the phenomena is reversible by training.
This project uniquely combines evaluation of sensorimotor control during balance perturbations with the trajectory of these processes during aging, as well as potential for reversibility during training. Significant scientific impact is gained through determining functional relevance of beta band oscillations (on balance recovery) for the first time. On a societal level, the RCT will determine whether the intervention targeted the identified neural deficits. As specific knowledge of effective interventions is lacking, only general guidance is provided, and is important in fall prevention.
This study falls within the Academy of Finland profiling area “BRAIN” at the University of Jyväskylä and advances my recent AoF Post-doc study.
Principal Investigator
Other persons related to this project (JYU)
Primary responsible unit
Follow-up groups
Profiling area: Physical activity through life span (University of Jyväskylä JYU) PACTS; School of Wellbeing (University of Jyväskylä JYU) JYU.Well
Related publications and other outputs
- Associations of aging, menopause, and strength training on cortical somatosensory and motor functions (2024) Pesonen, Heidi; G5; OA; 978-952-86-0322-1
- Differential modulation of corticomotor excitability in older compared to young adults following a single bout of strength -exercise (2024) Siddique, Ummatul; et al.; A1; OA
- Inducing ipsilateral motor‐evoked potentials in the biceps brachii muscle in healthy humans (2024) Hu, Nijia; et al.; A1; OA
- Modulation of H-reflex and V-wave responses during dynamic balance perturbations (2023) Nevanperä, Samuli; et al.; A1; OA
