Aspetti fisiologici e fisiopatologici dell’integrazione sensorimotoria

My PhD program was mainly focused on the physiological and pathophysiological characteristics of sensorimotor integration. As part of this activity, I studied particular aspects of this topic in different populations of subjects: healthy young adults, visually impaired subjects, subjects suffering from Parkinson's disease and subjects suffering from cervical dystonia. Sensorimotor integration is a complex process that involves numerous central and peripheral nervous structures and is the basis of fundamental functions including the perception of the body in space and maintaining balance both in static and dynamic conditions. In the various studies published during the PhD program, I was able to investigate the stabilizing effects on the equilibrium of the haptic afference provided indirectly in the healthy young adult subject. Subsequently, we studied the effect of the stabilization given by the indirect haptic afference in blind and partially sighted subjects, then comparing the results with those obtained by providing the subjects with a direct haptic afference. Still on healthy young adult subjects, we investigated the effects of unilateral proprioceptive stimulation of the axial muscles on the podokinetic reflex, elicited by stepping in place on a rotating platform. In subjects suffering from Parkinson's disease, we evaluated the efficiency of the postural stabilization mechanisms necessary to counteract the perturbations induced by the motor resonance effect. In subjects suffering from cervical dystonia, we studied the characteristics of proprioceptive accuracy in the dystonic body segment and in a body segment not affected by the disease. In addition, a further study on a population of subjects suffering from cervical dystonia is currently under review, this time concerning the balance and kinematic characteristics of gait. The purpose of this thesis is to summarize the scientific activity of my PhD program.