Heritability of proprioceptive senses

Abstract

Heritability studies using the twin model have provided the basis to disentangle genetic and environmental factors that contribute to several complex human traits. However, the relative importance of these factors to individual differences in proprioception is largely unknown despite the fact that proprioceptive senses are of great importance, allowing us to respond to stimuli stemming from the space around us and react to altering circumstances. Hence, a total of 44 healthy male twins (11 MZ and 11 DZ pairs), 19-28 yr old, were examined for movement, position, and force sense at the elbow joint, and their heritability estimates were computed. Results showed that genetic factors explained 1) 72 and 76% of the total variance of movement sense at the start and the end of the movement, respectively, 2) 60 to 77% of the total variance of position sense, depending on the angle of elbow flexion and whether forearm positioning was active or passive, and 3) 73 and 70% of the total variance of the force sense at 90 and 60° of elbow flexion, respectively. It is concluded that proprioception assessed by these conscious sensations is to a substantial degree genetically dependent, with heritability indexes ranging from 0.60 to 0.77, depending on the task. NEW & NOTEWORTHY Proprioceptive acuity varies among people, but it is not known how much of this variability is due to differences in their genes. This study is the first to report that proprioception, expressed as movement sense, position sense, and force sense, is substantially heritable, and it is conceivable that this may have implications for motor learning and control, neural development, and neurorehabilitation.

Effects of an 8-week basketball-specific proprioceptive training with a single-plane instability balance platform

“…For instance, males were shown to sense and perceive movement, position and force differently. Thus, researchers have argued that proprioception assessed by these conscious sensations is substantially genetically dependent, with heritability indexes ranging from 0.60 to 0.77, contingent on the specific task requirements [24]. These individual multifactorial factors should be taken into account by practitioners before designing training sessions.…”

Elbow Joint Position and Force Senses in Young and Adult Untrained People and Gymnasts

“…As force reproduction was performed relative to MVC, the FS outcome was analyzed in percentage points. The reliability of JPS and FS tests on the Biodex System was previously established to be sufficient, with the intra-class correlation coefficient of 0.78 and 0.81, respectively [20].…”

“…However, it cannot be excluded that these children also had higher proprioception capabilities, even though they had never been tested before in this matter. It was shown that proprioception in terms of JPS and FS was to a substantial degree genetically conditioned, with heritability indices ranging from 0.60 to 0.77 [20]. It was also pointed out [20] that the role of environmental factors such as training should not be ignored, although genetics are responsible for the maximal capabilities of individuals.…”

“…It was shown that proprioception in terms of JPS and FS was to a substantial degree genetically conditioned, with heritability indices ranging from 0.60 to 0.77 [20]. It was also pointed out [20] that the role of environmental factors such as training should not be ignored, although genetics are responsible for the maximal capabilities of individuals. Other studies confirmed that the proprioception modalities, e.g., JPS, could be affected by physical activity in young and old adults [36,37] by neuromuscular training [18], or even by an eight-week warm-up program [38].…”

A tomada de decisão no desporto: uma perspetiva propriocetiva

“…Quando nascemos possuímos, desde logo, instruções genéticas que determinam, em grande medida, uma série de características do corpo (altura, composição do sistema músculo-esquelético, sensibilidade propriocetiva, etc. ), bem como programas motores que nos permitem movimentarmo-nos e agirmos no meio (Delafield-Butt & Gangopadhyay, 2013;Gandevia et al, 2018;Missitzi et al, 2004;Missitzi et al, 2018;). Existe alguma discussão sobre quando surge consciência dos recém-nascidos, mas é essencialmente comum a ideia de que os mesmos adquirem consciência concetual, sensivelmente, entre os 15 e os 20 meses (Bahrick, 1995), altura em que atingem a capacidade de se reconhecerem ao espelho, de preservarem memórias e de manifestarem algum conhecimento simbólico-concetual, etc.…”