Article

Although balance training is considered the most effective
treatment for balance impairments in Parkinson's disease (PD), few studies have
examined if learning for balance control remains intact with PD. This study aimed
to determine if learning for automatic postural responses is preserved in people
with PD. METHODS: Eleven participants with moderate PD (68+/-6.4years; H&Y: 2-3)
on their usual medication maintained balance on a platform that oscillated
forward and backward with variable amplitude and constant frequency. Participants
completed 42 trials during one training session, and retention and transfer tests
following a 24-h delay. Performance was measured by comparing spatial and
temporal measures of whole-body centre of mass (COM) with platform displacements.
Learning was compared between participants with PD and previously reported,
age-matched older adults (Van Ooteghem et al., 2010). RESULTS: Although postural
responses in participants with PD were impaired compared to control participants,
a majority of PD participants improved their postural responses with practice as
revealed by reduced COM displacements and improved phase relationships between
COM and platform motion. Rates of improvement were comparable between groups
demonstrating preserved adaptive capacity for participants with PD. Similar to
control participants, the PD group moved toward anticipatory COM control as a
strategy for improving stability, exhibited short-term retention of performance
improvements, and demonstrated generalizability of the learned responses. Rate of
improvement with practice, but not retention, was related to severity of motor
impairments. CONCLUSIONS: Patients with moderate PD on medication demonstrate
retention of improvements in automatic postural responses with practice
suggesting that intrinsic postural motor learning is preserved in this group.
CI - Copyright (c) 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Langue : ANGLAIS