# POSTURE IN AGE RELATED NEURODEGENERATIVE DISEASE

> **NIH NIH R01** · UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA AT DAVIS · 1993 · $99,915

## Abstract

DESCRIPTION:  (Adapted from investigator's abstract) The long-term aim of
this proposal is to understand the neural control of the human postural
motor system.  The applicants will use kinesiology (EMG, digital kinematic
recording, and forceplate pressure) following a toe-up/down platform
perturbation in patients with postural instability due to specific age-
related neuro-degenerative diseases.  Parkinson's patients showed enlarged
medium latency responses.  reversed distal-proximal sequencing patterns,
impairment of EMG response amplitude scaling during predictable
perturbations and inability to modify their stabilizing response by
cognitive set during random perturbations.

From this, the applicants hypothesize that:  (1) cognitive and attentional
functions of association cortex are important in postural stability; and
(2) those functions are separate from scaling function of the basal
ganglia.  To test this hypothesis, they will perform postural reflex
studies on:  (1) typical Alzheimer's patients with progressive memory and
learning impairment; (2) Alzheimer's patients with extrapyramidal features;
(3) Parkinson's patients with and without frontal lobe abnormalities; and
(4) elderly age/sex-matched normals.  The patients will also receive
extensive behavioral and SPECT studies which will define the cognitive and
postural sets that can separate cognitive from motor performance factors in
postural stability.  The correlation of specific functional deficits with
the degree of frontal cortex involvement will show the relative influence
of association cortex and basal ganglia contributions to postural
regulation. The results of this study should add understanding of postural
instability in Alzheimer's and other patients and will assist in detecting
patients at risk for falls and help in prevention and rehabilitation.  It
may also potentially provide an objective means of monitoring future
treatment in patients with Alzheimer's disease.

## Key facts

- **NIH application ID:** 3122081
- **Project number:** 5R01AG010121-02
- **Recipient organization:** UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA AT DAVIS
- **SAM.gov UEI:** TX2DAGQPENZ5
- **Principal Investigator:** Dennis John Beckley
- **Activity code:** R01 (R01, R21, SBIR, etc.)
- **Funding institute:** NIH
- **Fiscal year:** 1993
- **Award amount:** $99,915
- **Award type:** 5
- **Project period:** 1992-09-05 → 1995-08-31

## Primary source

NIH RePORTER: https://reporter.nih.gov/project-details/3122081

## Citation

> US National Institutes of Health, RePORTER application 3122081, POSTURE IN AGE RELATED NEURODEGENERATIVE DISEASE (5R01AG010121-02). Retrieved via MORVS 2026-10-25 from https://api.morvs.ai/grant/nih/3122081. Licensed CC0.

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