Hypergravity is more challenging than microgravity for the human sensorimotor system
Abstract The importance of gravity for human motor control is well established, but it remains unclear how the central nervous system accounts for gravitational changes to perform complex motor skills. We tested the hypothesis that microgravity and hypergravity have distinct effects on the neuromusc...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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Nature Portfolio
2025-01-01
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| Series: | npj Microgravity |
| Online Access: | https://doi.org/10.1038/s41526-024-00452-x |
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| author | Loïc Chomienne Patrick Sainton Fabrice R. Sarlegna Lionel Bringoux |
| author_facet | Loïc Chomienne Patrick Sainton Fabrice R. Sarlegna Lionel Bringoux |
| author_sort | Loïc Chomienne |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Abstract The importance of gravity for human motor control is well established, but it remains unclear how the central nervous system accounts for gravitational changes to perform complex motor skills. We tested the hypothesis that microgravity and hypergravity have distinct effects on the neuromuscular control of reaching movements compared to normogravity. To test the influence of gravity levels on sensorimotor planning and control, participants (n = 9) had to reach toward visual targets during parabolic flights. Whole-body kinematics and muscular activity were adjusted in microgravity, allowing arm reaching to be as accurate as in normogravity. However, we observed in hypergravity a systematic undershooting, which likely resulted from a lack of reorganization of muscle activations. While new studies are necessary to clarify whether hypergravity impairs the internal model of limb dynamics, our findings provide new evidence that hypergravity creates a challenge that the human sensorimotor system is unable to solve in the short term. |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj-art-f7cef96776a74af599868226bac9bc87 |
| institution | Kabale University |
| issn | 2373-8065 |
| language | English |
| publishDate | 2025-01-01 |
| publisher | Nature Portfolio |
| record_format | Article |
| series | npj Microgravity |
| spelling | doaj-art-f7cef96776a74af599868226bac9bc872025-01-12T12:33:57ZengNature Portfolionpj Microgravity2373-80652025-01-0111111210.1038/s41526-024-00452-xHypergravity is more challenging than microgravity for the human sensorimotor systemLoïc Chomienne0Patrick Sainton1Fabrice R. Sarlegna2Lionel Bringoux3Aix Marseille Univ, CNRS, ISMAix Marseille Univ, CNRS, ISMAix Marseille Univ, CNRS, ISMAix Marseille Univ, CNRS, ISMAbstract The importance of gravity for human motor control is well established, but it remains unclear how the central nervous system accounts for gravitational changes to perform complex motor skills. We tested the hypothesis that microgravity and hypergravity have distinct effects on the neuromuscular control of reaching movements compared to normogravity. To test the influence of gravity levels on sensorimotor planning and control, participants (n = 9) had to reach toward visual targets during parabolic flights. Whole-body kinematics and muscular activity were adjusted in microgravity, allowing arm reaching to be as accurate as in normogravity. However, we observed in hypergravity a systematic undershooting, which likely resulted from a lack of reorganization of muscle activations. While new studies are necessary to clarify whether hypergravity impairs the internal model of limb dynamics, our findings provide new evidence that hypergravity creates a challenge that the human sensorimotor system is unable to solve in the short term.https://doi.org/10.1038/s41526-024-00452-x |
| spellingShingle | Loïc Chomienne Patrick Sainton Fabrice R. Sarlegna Lionel Bringoux Hypergravity is more challenging than microgravity for the human sensorimotor system npj Microgravity |
| title | Hypergravity is more challenging than microgravity for the human sensorimotor system |
| title_full | Hypergravity is more challenging than microgravity for the human sensorimotor system |
| title_fullStr | Hypergravity is more challenging than microgravity for the human sensorimotor system |
| title_full_unstemmed | Hypergravity is more challenging than microgravity for the human sensorimotor system |
| title_short | Hypergravity is more challenging than microgravity for the human sensorimotor system |
| title_sort | hypergravity is more challenging than microgravity for the human sensorimotor system |
| url | https://doi.org/10.1038/s41526-024-00452-x |
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