Background: Action observation training has been suggested to facilitate motor improvements in the lives of persons with neural injury. Previous studies have shown that for persons with upper limb amputation, matched limb training, where prosthesis users emulate each other, has shown promise above mismatched training where a prosthesis user emulates actions of a person with sound limbs (most commonly that of a therapist). Objective: The mechanism underlying the matched limb training benefit is unclear. Gaze strategies may reveal unique patterns between matched and mismatched training which could explain improvements in motor function in matched limb training. Methods: Twenty persons with sound limbs were trained on how to use a prosthesis simulator using matched or mismatched limb training in a single session. Eye movements were recorded during the training phase. Kinematics were recorded as persons performed the task. Results: Gaze patterns showed differences between the training groups. The mismatched group demonstrated a higher probability of gaze on the path between the start and end of the action, while the matched group demonstrated a significantly higher probability of focusing on the elements of the path of the action and a trend of focusing on the shoulders. Kinematics also revealed overall improvements in motor control for the matched group. Conclusions: This study proposes a putative mechanism that may explain improvements in matched limb training through shifting gaze strategies. Further work is needed to understand whether implicit visual strategies seen during matched limb training might encourage motor learning during functional training with prostheses.
Prior work in amputees and partial limb immobilization have shown improved neural and behavioral outcomes in using their residual limb with prosthesis when undergoing observationbased training with a prosthesis-using actor compared to an intact limb. It was posited that these improvements are due to an alignment of user with the actor. It may be affected by visual angles that allow emphasis of critical joint actions which may promote behavioral changes. The purpose of this study was to examine how viewing perspective of observation-based training effects prosthesis adaptation in naïve device users. Twenty non-amputated prosthesis users (NAPUs) learned how to use an upper extremity prosthetic device while viewing a training video from either a sagittal or coronal perspective. These views were chosen as they place visual emphasis on different aspects of task performance to the device. We found that perspective of actions has a significant role in adaptation of the residual limb while using upper limb prostheses. Perspectives that demonstrate elbow adaptations to prosthesis usage may enhance the functional motor outcomes of action observation therapy. This work has potential implications on how prosthetic device operation is conveyed to persons adapting to prostheses through action observation based therapy.
Deficits in sequential motor learning have been observed in many patient populations. Having an understanding of the individual neural progression associated with sequential learning in healthy individuals may provide valuable insights for effective interventions with these patients. Due to individual variability in motor skill acquisition, the temporal course of such learning will be vary, suggesting a need for a more individualized approach. Knowing when a subject becomes aware of movement patterns may provide a marker with which to identify each individual’s learning time course. To avoid interfering with the incidental nature of discovery during learning, such an indicator requires an indirect, behaviorally-based approach. In Part I, our study aimed to identify a reliable behavioral indicator predictive of the presence of incidental explicit awareness in a sequential motor learning task. Part II, utilized the predictive indicator and EEG to provide neural validation of perceptual processing changes temporally correlated with the indicator. Results of Part I provide a reliable predictive indicator for the timing of explicit awareness development. Results from Part II demonstrates strong classification reliability, as well as a significant neural correlation with behavior for subjects developing awareness (EXP), not observed with subjects without awareness (NOEXP). Additionally, a temporal correlation of peak activation between neural regions was noted over frontoparietal regions, suggesting that the incidental discovery of motor patterns may involve a facilitative network during awareness development. The proposed indicator provides a tool in which to further examine potential impacts of awareness associated with incidental, or exploratory, motor learning, while the individual nature of the indicator provides a tool for monitoring progress in rehabilitative, exploratory motor learning paradigms.
Activation of NK3R results in receptor internalization and nuclear localization of NK3R‐IR in SON when a C‐terminal directed antibody (Ab; aa 438‐452; Novus) is used (Howe et al, J. Neurosci. 24:10103, 04). To further characterize this IR, we generated 2 Abs against each of 3 additional epitopes in the NK3R (N‐terminal aa 6‐18; C‐terminal aa 376‐396 and aa 408‐420). Western blot (WB) and IHC with confocal microscopy were used to characterize the IR. On WB, all Abs recognized ~70kD protein in microdissected rat SON and in CHO cells transfected with rat NK3R. This band was absent in non‐transfected CHO cells and following peptide preabsorption of the Ab. The larger than predicted size (e.g. ~54kD) probably reflects post‐translational modification of the receptor. IHC with the N‐terminal Abs duplicated the membrane labeling seen with the Novus Ab, but prominent membrane IR was not evident with the other Abs and none of the new Abs replicated the hypotension induced punctate nuclear staining evident with the Novus Ab. These observations were not altered by modification of the fixation protocol nor Ab dilution. These findings demonstrate that Abs generated against multiple epitopes of the NK3R recognize a similar protein on WB. In contrast, the epitope target of NK3R Ab alters IHC detected cellular localization of the receptor perhaps due to differential Ab access to the epitope in the intact cell. Supported by NIH R21‐NS059569.
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