{"id":{"repo_id":"edinburgh","oai_identifier":"oai:era.ed.ac.uk:1842/30642"},"canonical_url":"https://search.dev.ndltd.org/etd/edinburgh/oai:era.ed.ac.uk:1842/30642","repository":{"repo_id":"edinburgh","name":"University of Edinburgh","base_url":"https://era.ed.ac.uk/server/oai/request"},"display":{"title":"Swayed by sound: sonic guidance as a neurorehabilitation strategy in the cerebellar ataxias","abstract":"Cerebellar disease leads to problems in controlling movement. The most common difficulties are dysmetria and instability when standing. Recent understanding of cerebellar function has expanded to include non -motor aspects such as emotional, cognitive and sensory processing. Deficits in the acquisition and processing of sensory information are one explanation for the movement problems observed in cerebellar ataxia. Sensory deficits result in an inability to make predictions about future events; a primary function of the cerebellum. A question therefore, is whether augmenting or replacing sensory information can improve motor performance in cerebellar disease. This question is tested in this thesis by augmenting sensory information through the provision of an auditory movement guide.","abstract_html":"Cerebellar disease leads to problems in controlling movement. The most common difficulties are dysmetria and instability when standing. Recent understanding of cerebellar function has expanded to include non -motor aspects such as emotional, cognitive and sensory processing. Deficits in the acquisition and processing of sensory information are one explanation for the movement problems observed in cerebellar ataxia. Sensory deficits result in an inability to make predictions about future events; a primary function of the cerebellum. A question therefore, is whether augmenting or replacing sensory information can improve motor performance in cerebellar disease. This question is tested in this thesis by augmenting sensory information through the provision of an auditory movement guide.","abstract_has_math":false,"creators":["Perkins, Jon Davis"],"institution":"The University of Edinburgh","degree_name":null,"degree_level":null,"degree_discipline":null,"degree_department":null,"school":null,"contributors":[],"advisors":[],"committee_chairs":[],"committee_members":[],"year":2014,"date_issued":"2014","date_published":"2014","updated_at":"2026-07-24T02:14:07Z","subjects":[],"languages":[],"rights":[],"rights_urls":[],"identifier_entries":[]},"links":{"outbound_url":"http://hdl.handle.net/1842/30642","outbound_label":"Handle","outbound_source":"dc:identifier.uri"},"metadata_groups":[{"id":"people","label":"People","entries":[{"key":"dc:creator","label":"Author","values":["Perkins, Jon Davis"]}]},{"id":"academic_context","label":"Academic Context","entries":[{"key":"dc:date.accessioned","label":"Dc Date Accessioned","values":["2018-05-22T12:46:59Z"]},{"key":"dc:date.available","label":"Dc Date Available","values":["2018-05-22T12:46:59Z"]},{"key":"dc:date.issued","label":"Date","values":["2014"]},{"key":"dc:publisher","label":"Institution","values":["The University of Edinburgh"]},{"key":"dc:type","label":"Dc Type","values":["Thesis or Dissertation"]},{"key":"dc:type.qualificationlevel","label":"Dc Type Qualificationlevel","values":["Doctoral"]},{"key":"dc:type.qualificationname","label":"Dc Type Qualificationname","values":["PhD Doctor of Philosophy"]}]},{"id":"identifiers","label":"Identifiers","entries":[{"key":"dc:identifier.uri","label":"Identifier URI","values":["http://hdl.handle.net/1842/30642"]}]},{"id":"additional","label":"Additional Metadata","entries":[{"key":"dc:description.abstract","label":"Abstract","values":["Cerebellar disease leads to problems in controlling movement. The most common difficulties are dysmetria and instability when standing. Recent understanding of cerebellar function has expanded to include non -motor aspects such as emotional, cognitive and sensory processing. Deficits in the acquisition and processing of sensory information are one explanation for the movement problems observed in cerebellar ataxia. Sensory deficits result in an inability to make predictions about future events; a primary function of the cerebellum. A question therefore, is whether augmenting or replacing sensory information can improve motor performance in cerebellar disease. This question is tested in this thesis by augmenting sensory information through the provision of an auditory movement guide.","A variable described in motor control theory (tau) was used to develop auditory guides that were continuous and dynamic. A reaching experiment using healthy individuals showed that the timing of peak velocity, audiomotor coordination accuracy, and velocity of approach, could be altered in line with the movement parameters embedded in the auditory guides. The thesis then investigated the use of these sonic guides in a clinical population with cerebellar disease. Performance on neurorehabilitation exercises for balance control was tested in twenty people with cerebellar atrophy, with and without auditory guides. Results suggested that continuous, predictive, dynamic auditory guidance is an effective way of improving iii movement smoothness in ataxia (as measured by jerk). In addition, generating and swaying with imaginary auditory guides was also found to increase movement smoothness in cerebellar disease.","Following the tests of instantaneous effects, the thesis then investigated the longterm consequences on motor behaviour of following a two -month exercise with auditory guide programme. Seven people with cerebellar atrophy were assessed pre - and post -intervention using two measures, weight -shifting and walking. The results of the weight -shifting test indicated that the sonic -guide exercise programme does not initiate long -term changes in motor behaviour. Whilst there were minor, improvements in walking, because of the weight -shifting results, these could not be attributed to the sonic guides. This finding confirms the difficulties of motor rehabilitation in people with cerebellar disease.","This thesis contributes original findings to the field of neurorehabilitation by first showing that on -going and predictive stimuli are an appropriate tool for improving motor behaviour. In addition, the thesis is the first of its kind to apply externally presented guides that convey continuous meaningful information within a clinical population. Finally, findings show that sensory augmentation using the auditory domain is an effective way of improving motor coordination in some forms of cerebellar disease."]},{"key":"dc:title","label":"Title","values":["Swayed by sound: sonic guidance as a neurorehabilitation strategy in the cerebellar ataxias"]}]}],"canonical_facts":{"dc:creator":["Perkins, Jon Davis"],"dc:date.accessioned":["2018-05-22T12:46:59Z"],"dc:date.available":["2018-05-22T12:46:59Z"],"dc:date.issued":["2014"],"dc:description.abstract":["Cerebellar disease leads to problems in controlling movement. The most common difficulties are dysmetria and instability when standing. Recent understanding of cerebellar function has expanded to include non -motor aspects such as emotional, cognitive and sensory processing. Deficits in the acquisition and processing of sensory information are one explanation for the movement problems observed in cerebellar ataxia. Sensory deficits result in an inability to make predictions about future events; a primary function of the cerebellum. A question therefore, is whether augmenting or replacing sensory information can improve motor performance in cerebellar disease. This question is tested in this thesis by augmenting sensory information through the provision of an auditory movement guide.","A variable described in motor control theory (tau) was used to develop auditory guides that were continuous and dynamic. A reaching experiment using healthy individuals showed that the timing of peak velocity, audiomotor coordination accuracy, and velocity of approach, could be altered in line with the movement parameters embedded in the auditory guides. The thesis then investigated the use of these sonic guides in a clinical population with cerebellar disease. Performance on neurorehabilitation exercises for balance control was tested in twenty people with cerebellar atrophy, with and without auditory guides. Results suggested that continuous, predictive, dynamic auditory guidance is an effective way of improving iii movement smoothness in ataxia (as measured by jerk). In addition, generating and swaying with imaginary auditory guides was also found to increase movement smoothness in cerebellar disease.","Following the tests of instantaneous effects, the thesis then investigated the longterm consequences on motor behaviour of following a two -month exercise with auditory guide programme. Seven people with cerebellar atrophy were assessed pre - and post -intervention using two measures, weight -shifting and walking. The results of the weight -shifting test indicated that the sonic -guide exercise programme does not initiate long -term changes in motor behaviour. Whilst there were minor, improvements in walking, because of the weight -shifting results, these could not be attributed to the sonic guides. This finding confirms the difficulties of motor rehabilitation in people with cerebellar disease.","This thesis contributes original findings to the field of neurorehabilitation by first showing that on -going and predictive stimuli are an appropriate tool for improving motor behaviour. In addition, the thesis is the first of its kind to apply externally presented guides that convey continuous meaningful information within a clinical population. Finally, findings show that sensory augmentation using the auditory domain is an effective way of improving motor coordination in some forms of cerebellar disease."],"dc:identifier.uri":["http://hdl.handle.net/1842/30642"],"dc:publisher":["The University of Edinburgh"],"dc:title":["Swayed by sound: sonic guidance as a neurorehabilitation strategy in the cerebellar ataxias"],"dc:type":["Thesis or Dissertation"],"dc:type.qualificationlevel":["Doctoral"],"dc:type.qualificationname":["PhD Doctor of Philosophy"]},"updated_at":"2026-07-24T02:14:07Z"}