Adaptive Sensory-Motor Processes Disturb Balance Control After Spaceflight

Abstract

Balance control is a fundamental task performed by the central nervous system (CNS) on a continuous, (normally) subconscious basis, beginning when, as infants, we learn to hold our heads erect. Virtually every voluntary body movement we make, from running and jumping during a sporting event to reaching for a pencil while sitting at a desk, is accompanied by an automatic set of muscle activations that are commanded by the CNS and designed to keep the focal movement from disrupting the postural equilibrium of the body. One of the most important and well-studied balance control tasks is the maintenance of stable upright stance. Patients suffering from degradation of this function have significantly reduced abilities to perform normal activities of daily living.