Manipulation of sensory feedback using virtual environments for motor learning and rehabilitation.

Mindy Levin
School of Physical & Occupational Therapy, McGill University

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     Last modified: April 28, 2007
     Presentation date: 08/09/2007 5:40 PM in MCC
     (View Schedule)

Abstract
Sensory information is used by the central nervous system to initiate and guide movement production. For example, the initiation and maintenance of gait is presumably driven by the internal transformation of the optic flow pattern whereby the environment is perceived as being motionless despite the motion of the body. Sensory information also provides information about the movement in the form of concurrent or post-movement feedback during the learning of a new motor skill. Virtual reality, a computer-based, interactive multisensory simulation that occurs in real-time, provides the opportunity to manipulate the environment to facilitate movement and to provide an enriched learning experience. Current studies using enhanced sensory feedback via virtual reality environments will be presented. The presentation will focus on motor relearning of upper limb movements in stroke survivors and on enhancing movement initiation and locomotion by manipulating optic flow patterns.