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European Journal of Applied Physiology

Erschienen in:

28.09.2022 | Original Article

The influence of reduced foot dorsum cutaneous sensitivity on the vestibular control of balance

verfasst von: Mathew I. B. Debenham, Hogun J. Kang, Stephen S. Cheung, Brian H. Dalton

Erschienen in: European Journal of Applied Physiology | Ausgabe 1/2023

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Abstract

Purpose

Foot sole cooling increases vestibular-evoked balance responses, but less is known about foot dorsum temperature alterations. The purpose was to determine whether decreasing cutaneous receptor sensitivity via foot dorsum cooling modulates the vestibular control of balance.

Methods

Eighteen participants (9 males; 9 females) stood quietly on a force plate with feet together, eyes closed, and head rotated leftward during 4, 90-s trials (2 control; 2 cooled) of continuous electrical vestibular stimulation (EVS). Icepacks placed on the dorsum of both feet for 15 min induced cooling and remained throughout the EVS trials. Monofilament testing was performed at multiple locations before and after cooling to determine tactile detection thresholds. T-type thermocouples monitored skin temperature over the tibialis anterior, soleus, foot dorsum and arch of the right leg. Vestibular-evoked balance responses were characterized using time (cumulant density) and frequency (coherence and gain) domain analyses to determine the relationship between the EVS input and motor output (anteroposterior force—AP force; right medial gastrocnemius electromyography—MG EMG).

Results

Skin temperature of the foot dorsum and arch decreased ~ 70 and 15%, respectively during cooling (p < 0.05), but was unaltered at other locations (p ≥ 0.10). Detection thresholds for the foot dorsum increased following cooling (p < 0.05). Surprisingly, cooling reduced EVS-AP force and EVS-MG EMG coherence and gain at multiple frequencies, and peak-to-peak amplitude compared to control (p < 0.05).

Conclusion

Our results indicate that vestibular-driven balance responses are reduced following foot dorsum cooling, likely owing to alterations in cutaneous mechanoreceptor sensitivity and subsequent alterations in the transformation of vestibular cues for balance control.

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Titel: The influence of reduced foot dorsum cutaneous sensitivity on the vestibular control of balance
verfasst von: Mathew I. B. Debenham
Hogun J. Kang
Stephen S. Cheung
Brian H. Dalton
Publikationsdatum: 28.09.2022
Verlag: Springer Berlin Heidelberg
Erschienen in: European Journal of Applied Physiology / Ausgabe 1/2023
Print ISSN: 1439-6319
Elektronische ISSN: 1439-6327
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00421-022-05043-w

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The influence of reduced foot dorsum cutaneous sensitivity on the vestibular control of balance