Visual feedback in the lower visual field affects postural control during static standing

Hiroki Mani; Norio Kato; Naoya Hasegawa; Yuto Urano; Takumi Aiko; Takaki Kurogi; Tadayoshi Asaka

doi:10.1016/j.gaitpost.2022.07.004

Visual feedback in the lower visual field affects postural control during static standing

Gait Posture. 2022 Sep:97:1-7. doi: 10.1016/j.gaitpost.2022.07.004. Epub 2022 Jul 8.

Authors

Hiroki Mani¹, Norio Kato², Naoya Hasegawa³, Yuto Urano⁴, Takumi Aiko⁵, Takaki Kurogi⁶, Tadayoshi Asaka⁷

Affiliations

¹ Faculty of Welfare and Health Science, Oita University, 700, Dannoharu, 870-1192 Oita, Japan. Electronic address: mani-hiroki@oita-u.ac.jp.
² Department of Physical Therapy, Faculty of Health Sciences, Hokkaido University of Science, 7-Jo 15-4-1 Maeda, Teine, Sapporo, Hokkaido 006-858, Japan. Electronic address: kato-n@hus.ac.jp.
³ Department of Rehabilitation Sciences, Faculty of Health Sciences, Hokkaido University, Sapporo, Kita 12 Nishi 5, Kita-Ku, Sapporo, Hokkaido 060-0812, Japan. Electronic address: n_hasegawa@elms.hokudai.ac.jp.
⁴ Undergraduate School of Welfare and Health Science, Oita University, 700, Dannoharu, 870-1192 Oita, Japan. Electronic address: xiongfeipuye741@gmail.com.
⁵ Undergraduate School of Welfare and Health Science, Oita University, 700, Dannoharu, 870-1192 Oita, Japan. Electronic address: aiko.soccer.0316@gmail.com.
⁶ Undergraduate School of Welfare and Health Science, Oita University, 700, Dannoharu, 870-1192 Oita, Japan. Electronic address: takakikuroki2@gmail.com.
⁷ Department of Rehabilitation Sciences, Faculty of Health Sciences, Hokkaido University, Sapporo, Kita 12 Nishi 5, Kita-Ku, Sapporo, Hokkaido 060-0812, Japan. Electronic address: ask-chu@hs.hokudai.ac.jp.

PMID: 35843008
DOI: 10.1016/j.gaitpost.2022.07.004

Abstract

Background: The dorsal parietal visual system plays an important role in self-motion perception and spatial cognition. It also strongly responds to visual inputs from the lower visual field. Postural control is modified in a process called sensory reweighting based on the reliability of available sensory sources. The question of whether visual stimuli presented to either the lower or upper visual field affect postural control and sensory reweighting has not been resolved.

Research question: Do visual stimuli presented to the lower and upper visual fields affect postural control and sensory reweighting?

Methods: Twenty-nine healthy young adults participated in the study. Four conditions (full visual field, upper visual field, lower visual field, and no optic flow condition) were simulated in a VR environment using a head-mounted display. The optic flow stimuli used were swarms of small white spheres originating from the central point of the visual field, moving radially towards the periphery, and expanding across the scene. Participants were instructed to stand quietly for 50 s under each visual condition. Using force plate signals, we measured the center of pressure (COP) signal in the horizontal plane and calculated its 95 % ellipse area, root mean square (RMS) deviations, the mean velocity, and power spectral density (PSD).

Results: Optic ﬂow in the full and lower visual ﬁelds produced significantly smaller 95 % ellipse area and RMS of COP in the anterior-posterior direction compared to optic flow in the upper visual field. Furthermore, the PSD of the lower frequency band (0-0.3 Hz) was decreased and that of higher frequency bands (0.3-1 Hz and 1-3 Hz) was increased for the lower compared to the upper visual field.

Significance: Visual feedback affects static postural control more when presented in the lower visual field compared to the upper visual field.

Keywords: Center of pressure; Optic flow; Sensory reweighting; Static postural control; Virtual reality; Visual field.

Publication types

Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

Feedback, Sensory*
Humans
Optic Flow*
Postural Balance
Reproducibility of Results
Visual Fields
Young Adult