New Insights on Emotional Contributions to Human Postural Control
It has been just over 20 years since the effects of height-induced threat on human postural control were first investigated. Raising the height of the support surface on which individuals stood increased the perceived consequences of instability and generated postural control changes. Since this ini...
| Main Authors: | , |
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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Frontiers Media S.A.
2018-09-01
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| Series: | Frontiers in Neurology |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | https://www.frontiersin.org/article/10.3389/fneur.2018.00789/full |
| _version_ | 1819059255093755904 |
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| author | Allan L. Adkin Mark G. Carpenter Mark G. Carpenter Mark G. Carpenter |
| author_facet | Allan L. Adkin Mark G. Carpenter Mark G. Carpenter Mark G. Carpenter |
| author_sort | Allan L. Adkin |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | It has been just over 20 years since the effects of height-induced threat on human postural control were first investigated. Raising the height of the support surface on which individuals stood increased the perceived consequences of instability and generated postural control changes. Since this initial work, converging evidence has accumulated supporting the efficacy of using height-induced threat to study the effects of emotions on postural control and confirming a direct influence of threat-related changes in arousal, anxiety, and fear of falling on all aspects of postural control, including standing, anticipatory, and reactive balance. In general, threat-related postural changes promote a greater physical safety margin while maintaining upright stance. We use the static balance literature to critically examine the current state of knowledge regarding: (1) the extent to which threat-related changes in postural control are sensitive to threat-related changes in emotions; (2) the underlying neurophysiological and cognitive mechanisms that may contribute to explaining the relationship between emotions and postural control; and (3) the generalizability of threat-related changes across different populations and types of threat. These findings have important implications for understanding the neuromechanisms that control healthy balance, and highlight the need to recognize the potential contributions of psychological and physiological factors to balance deficits associated with age or pathology. We conclude with a discussion of the practical significance of this research, its impact on improving diagnosis and treatment of postural control deficits, and potential directions for future research. |
| first_indexed | 2024-12-21T14:08:11Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-2977a64af3f64d49a1be0c4a994ca7cc |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 1664-2295 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-12-21T14:08:11Z |
| publishDate | 2018-09-01 |
| publisher | Frontiers Media S.A. |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Frontiers in Neurology |
| spelling | doaj.art-2977a64af3f64d49a1be0c4a994ca7cc2022-12-21T19:01:08ZengFrontiers Media S.A.Frontiers in Neurology1664-22952018-09-01910.3389/fneur.2018.00789411342New Insights on Emotional Contributions to Human Postural ControlAllan L. Adkin0Mark G. Carpenter1Mark G. Carpenter2Mark G. Carpenter3Department of Kinesiology, Brock University, St. Catharines, ON, CanadaSchool of Kinesiology, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC, CanadaDjavad Mowafaghian Centre for Brain Health, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC, CanadaInternational Collaboration on Repair Discoveries, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC, CanadaIt has been just over 20 years since the effects of height-induced threat on human postural control were first investigated. Raising the height of the support surface on which individuals stood increased the perceived consequences of instability and generated postural control changes. Since this initial work, converging evidence has accumulated supporting the efficacy of using height-induced threat to study the effects of emotions on postural control and confirming a direct influence of threat-related changes in arousal, anxiety, and fear of falling on all aspects of postural control, including standing, anticipatory, and reactive balance. In general, threat-related postural changes promote a greater physical safety margin while maintaining upright stance. We use the static balance literature to critically examine the current state of knowledge regarding: (1) the extent to which threat-related changes in postural control are sensitive to threat-related changes in emotions; (2) the underlying neurophysiological and cognitive mechanisms that may contribute to explaining the relationship between emotions and postural control; and (3) the generalizability of threat-related changes across different populations and types of threat. These findings have important implications for understanding the neuromechanisms that control healthy balance, and highlight the need to recognize the potential contributions of psychological and physiological factors to balance deficits associated with age or pathology. We conclude with a discussion of the practical significance of this research, its impact on improving diagnosis and treatment of postural control deficits, and potential directions for future research.https://www.frontiersin.org/article/10.3389/fneur.2018.00789/fullpostural controlbalanceemotionsfearanxietythreat |
| spellingShingle | Allan L. Adkin Mark G. Carpenter Mark G. Carpenter Mark G. Carpenter New Insights on Emotional Contributions to Human Postural Control Frontiers in Neurology postural control balance emotions fear anxiety threat |
| title | New Insights on Emotional Contributions to Human Postural Control |
| title_full | New Insights on Emotional Contributions to Human Postural Control |
| title_fullStr | New Insights on Emotional Contributions to Human Postural Control |
| title_full_unstemmed | New Insights on Emotional Contributions to Human Postural Control |
| title_short | New Insights on Emotional Contributions to Human Postural Control |
| title_sort | new insights on emotional contributions to human postural control |
| topic | postural control balance emotions fear anxiety threat |
| url | https://www.frontiersin.org/article/10.3389/fneur.2018.00789/full |
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