# Neural correlates of whole-body motion perception during balance perturbations in stroke survivors and their relationship to balance function

> **NIH NIH F32** · EMORY UNIVERSITY · 2022 · $67,582

## Abstract

PROJECT SUMMARY/ABSTRACT
Both sensory and motor processing are impaired post-stroke, but frequently studied in isolation, with most
rehabilitation focused on the motor system. Our current understanding of the perception of body position and
movement (i.e. proprioception) is limited due to existing methodologies that are subjective, lack precision, and
are often assessed in single joints of the upper limb during non-functional behaviors. My dissertation research
used robotic methods to understand proprioceptive contributions to motor learning at a perceptual and
neurophysiological level. Learning was associated with enhanced proprioceptive function and changes in
sensorimotor neurophysiology. While these findings supported the value of using objective measures to
quantify proprioception in the context of learning and identified underlying neural substrates, the neural
mechanisms mediating proprioceptive contributions to functional behaviors, such as balance, is unknown.
When balance is perturbed, the brain must integrate sensory input across multiple joints and limbs to perceive
body position and plan the appropriate muscle response. Findings from our lab demonstrate that stroke
survivors have altered cortical responses and muscle activation patterns in response to a perturbation, but it is
unknown whether these abnormal responses are related to impairments in whole-body motion perception.
Objective biomarkers, including structural integrity and cortical responses to balance perturbations, of balance
function are necessary to identify individuals at risk for falls and to inform the development of targeted
interventions that capitalize on an individual’s underlying brain-balance profile. Towards this long-term goal, we
will pursue the following aims in chronic stroke survivors (N=20) and neurotypical older adults (N=20): 1) test
whether worse whole-body motion perception is associated with worse balance function; 2) determine if
cortical responses evoked during balance perturbations are modulating according to the difficulty of
discriminating between balance perturbations; and 3) test whether measures of structural integrity in sensory
pathways and cortical response latency are associated with balance function. To our knowledge, this is the first
study using a multi-modal approach to identify brain-balance relationships underlying somatosensory
perception during functional behaviors. If successful, such findings may contribute to a shift in existing
rehabilitation interventions focused on the motor system towards integrative approaches that address sensory
and perceptual contributions to movement. Given increased risk of falls with aging that is further increased
post-stroke, developing structural and functional biomarkers of somatosensory perception and balance function
is necessary to identify individuals at risk for falls, and to advance development of effective, evidence-based
rehabilitation interventions.

## Key facts

- **NIH application ID:** 10468014
- **Project number:** 5F32HD105458-02
- **Recipient organization:** EMORY UNIVERSITY
- **Principal Investigator:** Jasmine Mirdamadi
- **Activity code:** F32 (R01, R21, SBIR, etc.)
- **Funding institute:** NIH
- **Fiscal year:** 2022
- **Award amount:** $67,582
- **Award type:** 5
- **Project period:** 2021-07-01 → 2023-06-30

## Primary source

NIH RePORTER: https://reporter.nih.gov/project-details/10468014

## Citation

> US National Institutes of Health, RePORTER application 10468014, Neural correlates of whole-body motion perception during balance perturbations in stroke survivors and their relationship to balance function (5F32HD105458-02). Retrieved via AI Analytics 2026-05-22 from https://api.ai-analytics.org/grant/nih/10468014. Licensed CC0.

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