[The peculiarities of stability of vertical posture in patients with segmental lesions of the spinal cord].

Using computer stabilography, vertical posture has been studied in 3 groups of children and adolescences with traumatic lesion of the spinal cord after surgery of congenital myelocele (n=10) and myelodysplasia (n=10) and in 124 healthy controls. Also, an extent of segmental lesions was investigated by electroneuromyography of lower extremities muscles. Patients with pronounced segmental lesion had small-amplitude, -velocity and -frequency variations of body center of gravity (BCG) during standing with visual control. After excluding visual control of vertical posture, there was a significant decrease of vertical stability that suggests a relevant role of visual analyzer in the control of vertical posture. In patients with minor segmental lesion, BCG variations of small amplitude, velocity and frequency were observed. Exclusion of visual control did not result in significant reduction of vertical stability. It is concluded that stabilographic survey is an objective method for diagnosis of an extent of segmental lesion of the spinal cord.

[Kinesthetic characteristics of vertical stability in patients with infantile cerebral palsy]. / Kinesteticheskie kharakteristiki vertikal'noi ustoichivosti bol'nykh detskim tserebral'nym paralichom.

The study aimed at analyzing, a speed of body center of gravity (BCG) displacement and a frequency of its vibrations in sagittal and frontal planes in healthy adolescents and children as well as patients with spastic diplegia hemiparetic, hyperkinetic and atonic-astatic forms of infantile cerebral palsy (ICP) using a platform of computer stabilography in Romberg position. The results obtained suggest the presence of kinesthetic peculiarities of BCG vibration parameters, characteristic of CCP patients and pathognomic for a certain disease type that can be used for differential diagnosis. A low level of the visual control for BCG displacement speed is a common feature for all CCP types. On the other hand, an analysis of spectral characteristics implies an important role of the visual analyzer in the control of BCG vibration frequency. Also a common feature is higher frequency spectrum power in sagittal plane, comparing to frontal one that takes place in healthy persons as well. Individual differences in the vertical postural maintenance were observed. In spastic diplegia and hemiparetic types, speed of BCG displacement is lower than in controls, and special characteristics of its oscillations are similar to those of healthy individuals. In hyperkinetic and atonic-astatic CCP types, speeds of BCG displacement and oscillation spectrum power are very high, being more pronounced in the former one.

[Natural head-forelimb coordination in dogs after vestibular de-afferentation]. / Estestvennaia koordinatsiia dvizhenii golovy i perednei lapy u sobaki posle vykliucheniia vestibuliarnoi afferentatsii.

We studied the influence of the vestibular lesion on the natural head--forelimb coordination. This coordination exists in intact dogs at the early stage of acquisition of the instrumental feeding reaction of tonic forelimb flexion in order to hold a cup with meat during eating when the head is bent down to foodwell. In untrained dogs, the forelimb flexion is preceded by lifting the head bent down to the food; the following lowering of the head leads to extension of the flexed forelimb. For performing the instrumental reaction, the innate coordination has to be rearranged into the opposite one. It is achieved only by learning. After the lesion of the primary motor cortex contralateral to the "working" forelimb in trained dogs, the innate coordination reappears, whereas the learned coordination breaks down steadily. It was shown that bilateral vestibular lesion do not disturb the innate coordination in intact dogs at the early stage of learning and in trained dogs after the motor cortex lesion. It was concluded that the studied natural head--forelimb coordination is not connected with the vestibular reflex.

[An analysis of the gait in patients with different type of infantile cerebral paralysis]. / Analiz pokhodki bol'nykh s razlichnymi formami detskogo tserebral'nogo paralicha.

The issue related with impaired temporal movements as observed in patients with infantile cerebral paralysis (ICP) during walking still needs more research since it is a vital problem. The authors analyzed the temporal parameters of the step and of the phase of the key goniography spots within the stretch of the step cycle. The results are indicative of a presence of specific gait temporal indices typical of all ICP variations; they also reveal such indices typical of a certain disease type. The use of biochemical investigations of temporal parameters of the step and movements in legs' joints makes it possible to verify the available motor impairments and to carry out the differential diagnosis of different-type ICP.

[New possibilities of the use of space technologies in the treatment of children with injuries of the central nervous system]. / Novye vozmozhnosti ispol'zovaniia kosmichskikh tekhnologii v lechenii detei s travmaticheskimi porazheniiami tsentral'noi nervnoi sistemy.

The computerized stabilography was used to study the role of the visual analyzer (VA) in vertical posture acquisition and specifics of posture implementation by patients with craniocerebral injury (CCI) wearing suit Adele for dynamic proprioception correction (SDPC). Results of the investigation revealed a decreased vertical stability (VS) of CCI patients and a greater reliance on VA, which may be a compensatory instrument. Following the SDPC course, vertical stability was improved and the VA role in posture acquisition normalized suggesting alteration of the interanalyzer interaction in CCI patients owing to the treatment of proprioception impulsation.

[Use of computer-assisted stabilography and the method of computer-assisted biomechanical study of gait in the diagnosis of posture and motor disorders in patients with different forms of infantile cerebral paralysis]. / Primenenie komp'iuternoi stabilografii i metoda komp'iuternogo biomekhanicheskogo issledovaniia pokhodki dlia diagnostiki poznykh i dvigatel'nykh narushenii u bol'nykh s razlichnymi formami detskogo tserebral'nogo paralicha.

The paper presents and analyzes the results of assessment of vertical stability and walk in patients with infantile cerebral paralysis before and after dynamic proprioceptive correction, which is of great importance for differential diagnosis of different forms of this disease, for controlling the course of therapeutical measures, for working out criteria for the efficiency of treatment.

[Regulation of vertical posture in patients with children's cerebral paralysis treated with the method of proprioceptive correction]. / Reguliatsiia vertikal'noi pozy u bol'nykh detskim tserebral'nym paralichom pri lechenii metodom propriotseptivnoi korrektsii.

Maintenance of vertical posture is a complex coordination act dependent on a multi-level system of regulation. Functional state of the visual system may contribute significantly to the implementation of the mechanisms of vertical posture maintenance. Stabilographic examination of healthy teenagers and patients afflicted with the main CCP forms with the method of dynamic proprioceptive correction revealed dependence of posture stability and involvement of the visual analyzer on sex.

[The influence of space loading suits on interhemispheric asymmetry of the brain in infantile spastic cerebral palsy]. / Vliianie kosmicheskogo nagruzochnogo kostiuma na mezhpolusharnuiu asimmetriiu mozga pri spasticheskoi forme detskogo tserebral'nogo paralicha.

The paper presents the study concerning influence of somatosensory stimulation (single wearing of either space loading costume "PENGUIN" or its modification--"ADELY" costume) on the individual profile of interhemispheral cerebral assymmetry (IPIHCA) in patients with spastic form of infantile cerebral paralysis (ICP). The computer stabilograph analyzed motor arms' asymmetry, sensory asymmetry of visual hemiareas, asymmetry of the position of centre of gravity. It is shown that peculiarities of the realization of the standing position either with visual control or without it both in healthy individuals and in patients depended on initial IPIHCA. Initial stability was higher in healthy individuals than in patients, besides in healthy persons it was higher in right-handers while in patients--in left-handers. There was possibility of changes of both IPIHCA and stability during keeping up vertical position even during single somatosensory stimulation. For elaboration of new criteria of the estimation of the efficiency of treatment in patients with CNS damages, including ICP, it is necessary to take into consideration different influence of somatosensory stimulation on IPIHC in right-handers and left-handers.

[The individual profile characteristics of cerebral interhemispheric asymmetry during visual stimulation in healthy subjects and in patients with the spastic form of infantile cerebral palsy]. / Osobennosti individual'nogo profilia mezhpolusharnoi asimmetrii mozga pri zritel'noi stimuliatsii u zdorovykh i bol'nykh spasticheskoi formoi detskogo tserebral'nogo paralicha.

Individual profiles of brain interhemispheric asymmetry (IPA) and stability in maintenance of the vertical posture have been studied in healthy children and adults and patients with the spastic form of the infantile cerebral palsy before and after visual stimulation. The IPA were built on the basis of motor asymmetry of hands, asymmetry of visual half-fields, and asymmetry of muscle extension tone in vertical position in Romberg test at computer stabilograph. The visual stimulation was realized by unilateral tachistoscopic administration of a verbal stimulus in the visual half-field on the side of worst detection of the master stimulus during the procedure of initial IPA construction. The IPA were different in children, adults, and patients. Even single visual stimulation changed the initial IPA (not only its visual but motor and stability-related components). A correlation was shown between the individual features of realization of the vertical position, initial IPA, age of the subjects, and presence/absence of the cerebral palsy. The visual stimulation led to a decrease in initially low stability and, on the contrary, an increase in initially high stability both in healthy subjects and patients with cerebral palsy, regardless of their handedness. Increase in stability of the vertical posture was accompanied by a decrease in the role of the visual analyzer, and, on the contrary, decrease in stability was associated with an increase in the role of the visual analyzer in stability control. It is necessary to take into account the dissimilar action of sensory stimulation on the IPA and stability of the vertical posture in assessment of the effects of sensory stimulation on healthy persons and patients with CNS lesions, in particular, with cerebral palsy, in the course of development of new ways of treatment.

[Changes in individual profiles of cerebral hemispheric asymmetry during somatosensory stimulation due to wearing of G-suits by healthy adults and children]. / Izmenenie individual'nogo profilia mezhpolusharnoi asimmetrii mozga pri somatosensornoi stimuliatsii nosheniem kosmicheskogo nagruzochnogo kostiuma u zdorovykh vzroslykh i detei.

Presented are results of the investigations of individual profiles of the brain interhemispheric asymmetry (IPIHA) in healthy grown-ups and children prior to, during, and immediately after somatosensory stimulation. The somatosensory stimulation was performed by one-time wearing of space g-loading suit PENGUIN and its modification ADELIE. IPIHA was studied by the main functional asymmetries including motor hand asymmetry, sensory asymmetry of the visual hemispheres, body mass center asymmetry (BMA) using a computerized stabilimeter indirectly measuring the muscle tone of contralateral extensor. Results demonstrate differences in IPIHA of grown-ups and children, persons with right- and left-hand motor asymmetry. It was shown that peculiar features of standing posture acquisition with and without visual control are original IPIHA and age dependent. Initial stability was higher in grown-ups than children and right-handed grown-ups and left-handed children. IPIHA and stability of the vertical posture can be modified even during single somatosensory stimulation. Unequal effects of the somatosensory stimulation on IPIHA in right- and left-handed subjects of varying age dictate the necessity to allow for these differences when assessing effects of the somatosensory stimulation in grown-ups and developing criteria of effective therapy of patients with CNS pathology, specifically, infantile cerebral paralysis.

[The significance of visual analyzer in controlling the standing posture in individuals with the spastic form of child cerebral paralysis while wearing "Adel" suit]. / Znachenie zritel'nogo analizatora v kontrole pozy stoianiia u lits so spasticheskoi formoi detskogo tserebral'nogo paralicha pri noshenii kostiuma "Adeli".

The paper discussed the results of stabilographic examination of the children suffered from the spastic form of child cerebral paralysis (CCP) treated by means of graded wearing of "Adel" suit which is a modification of the "Penguin" spacesuit. There has been studied the state of 30 children before treatment with the use of "Adel" suit and after the treatment as well as following the several courses of wearing the suit. Besides the patients, eleven healthy volunteer subjects (control group) were examined. There have been obtained the results pointing to the fact that in the healthy persons when they try to achieve the standing posture the leading role pertains to visual analyzer, at the same time, in the patients with spastic form of CCP the realization of standing posture depends upon the severity of the motor function disorders. When in the process of control stabilographic examination the patients suffered from spastic form of CCP demonstrate the significant role of the visual analyzer in achieving the standing posture, the use of the "Adel" suit is most desirable. The use of the "Adel" suit in the CCP patients with a decreased role of visual analyzer in achieving the standing pose as it was found under control examination enhances its significance in controlling the position of the center of gravity of the body.

[Role of vestibular and visual analyzers in changes of postural activity of patients with childhood cerebral palsy in the process of treatment with space technology]. / Rol' vestibuliarnogo i zritel'nogo analizatorov v izmenenii poznoi aktivnosti u bol'nykh detskim tserebral'nym paralichom v protsesse lecheniia s ispol'zovaniem kosmicheskoi tekhnologii.

The paper presents the findings of stabiligraphic investigations of children afflicted with the hyperkinetic child's cerebral paralysis treated with the method of graduated wearing suit ADELI. This suit is a modification of space-designated PINGUIN used to counteract the adverse effect of long-term microgravity on the skeletal muscles and the skeleton. 30 children were investigated prior to, immediately after, and in a delayed period after this treatment. A group of 11 healthy volunteers were also investigated as their control. The program of investigation included routine stabilimetry, the station test, and head rolling tests. The results demonstrate that in healthy subjects the standing pose is primarily acquired and sustained by means of the visual analyzer, whereas the CCP patients pose could attain this pose with a significantly weakened control by the visual analyzer. Application of ADELI increases the role of visual analyzer in the control of standing pose. Following the treatment, the stabilimetric indices of patients changed for the better and approached those in healthy subjects.