Obstacle clearance and prevention from falling in the bipedally walking Japanese monkey, Macaca fuscata.

BACKGROUND studies are needed which consider CNS-controlled strategies for accommodating perturbed bipedal (Bp) posture and walking. OBJECTIVE to demonstrate the suitability of the Japanese monkey, Macaca fuscata, for the above purpose. SETTING AND SUBJECTS three adult monkeys were operantly trained to use Bp-walking on a moving treadmill belt. On one side of the belt, a rectangular adjustable-height obstacle confronted the ipsilateral leg every 4-6 steps, as determined by belt speed. METHODS animal posture and walking patterns were captured and digitized by two high-speed video systems. Frame-by-frame analyses of side- and back-view kinematics were obtained. RESULTS the monkeys learned quickly to proactively clear the in-coming obstacles by use of a flexible hip-knee-ankle flexion strategy. This featured an appropriate postural adjustment and leg trajectory. In cases where a monkey failed to clear the obstacle, it promptly adopted a defensive posture to avoid falling. There was then a quick return to a posture that allowed the resumption of a Bp gait. CONCLUSIONS when Bp posture and gait are perturbed in a non-human primate model, the prompt adjustment of a flexible hip-knee-ankle flexion strategy and a defensive postural adjustment act together to prevent a fall and enable the speedy resumption of normal Bp posture and gait.

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