Locomotion and Posture in Older Adults : The Role of Aging and Movement Disorders

According to World Population Prospects 2024 to the United Nations, the global number of older people (>65 years) is projected to almost double by 2050, increasing from 800 million in 2024 to 1.6 billion. Aging leads to various motor, sensorial and neural deficits, impairing locomotion and postural control. The severity of this framework is exacerbated when aging is accompanied by movement disorders such as Parkinson's disease, Chorea, Multiple Sclerosis, Dystonia, Huntington's disease, etc.

This book's new edition aims to advance the discussion and deepen our understanding of the effects of aging and movement disorders on movement control during walking and postural tasks. Although these activities are performed daily, they require complex interactions between the musculoskeletal and neural systems to be executed efficiently. Despite their routine nature and extensive research on related topics, the mechanisms of control, including their planning and coordination, remain subjects of debate among health professionals and researchers. The introduction of aging into this discussion adds a critical dimension, highlighting the importance of developing targeted strategies for managing these challenges.

According to World Population Prospects 2024 to the United Nations, the global number of older people (>65 years) is projected to almost double by 2050, increasing from 800 million in 2024 to 1.6 billion. Aging leads to various motor, sensorial and neural deficits, impairing locomotion and postural control. The severity of this framework is exacerbated when aging is accompanied by movement disorders such as Parkinson's disease, Chorea, Multiple Sclerosis, Dystonia, Huntington's disease, etc.

This book's new edition aims to advance the discussion and deepen our understanding of the effects of aging and movement disorders on movement control during walking and postural tasks. Although these activities are performed daily, they require complex interactions between the musculoskeletal and neural systems to be executed efficiently. Despite their routine nature and extensive research on related topics, the mechanisms of control, including their planning and coordination, remain subjects of debate among health professionals and researchers. The introduction of aging into this discussion adds a critical dimension, highlighting the importance of developing targeted strategies for managing these challenges.

This second edition collates topics to discuss up-to-date and novel insights into how aging and movement disorders affect gait and postural control across a broad range of conditions and perspectives. Chapters from the first edition have been updated, and the book's expanded content includes new chapters that explore innovative rehabilitation strategies and the role of artificial intelligence in advancing the field of gait and postural control. By incorporating the latest research findings, this edition provides a comprehensive resource for understanding and addressing the multifaceted challenges posed by aging and movement disorders.

Invited authors with different expertise present and discuss how environmental, sensorial, motor, cognitive and individual aspects influence the planning, performance and impairment of locomotor and postural activities. In addition, the book provides new perspectives on the use of technologies, tools, and interventions designed to improve the understanding and/or minimize, counteract, or delay the onset of impairments as a consequence of aging and movement disorders. Thus, it is a valuable resource to clinicians, physical therapists, occupational therapists, psychologists, biologists, researchers, health professionals, and professionals related to physical education and sports medicine.

Fabio Augusto Barbieri: Associate Professor at São Paulo State University (Unesp) - School of Sciences - Department of Physical Education (Bauru, Brazil), where he is the coordinator of the Human Movement Research Laboratory (MOVI-LAB) and professor of the post-graduate program in Movement Sciences (Unesp). Bachelor's and licentiate degrees in Physical education and Master of Science in Movement Sciences. Double PhD in Human Movement Science at Vrije University (Amsterdam, the Netherlands) and Unesp. Main research interests are aimed at understanding the neuromechanisms of human movements. Our research's approach consists of a combination of experimental, interventional and clinical studies aiming at unraveling the interplay between neural, perceptual and motor systems and considering the organismic, task-related, and environmental constraints. These approaches are developed to improve and rehabilitate human movement. Specifically, the main interests are on 1) the impact of movement disorders in gait and posture neuromechanisms and adaptability, 2) rehabilitation strategies, such as motor (e.g., exercise) and non-motor interventions, to improve movement in people with movement disorders.

Rodrigo Vitório: Vice-Chancellor's Research Fellow (Assistant Professor) at the Department of Sport, Exercise and Rehabilitation (Northumbria University, Newcastle upon Tyne, UK). Bachelor's in Physical Education (2006), Master of Science (2009), and PhD (2015) in Human Movement Science. His overall research goal is to improve mobility and reduce the risk of falls in the context of aging and Parkinson's disease. His projects are focused on 1) better understanding the neural correlates of gait and balance impairments (through the combination of portable neuroimaging technologies with movement analysis) and 2) developing enhanced therapeutic strategies (e.g., non-invasive brain stimulation, medication, biofeedback, sensory cueing, and exercise) to address mobility impairments.

Paulo Cezar Rocha dos Santos: Paulo Cezar Rocha dos Santos: Postdoctoral Fellow at the Department of Computer Science and Applied Mathematics of the Weizmann Institute of Science (Rehovot, Israel) and IDOR/Pioneer Science Initiative (Rio de Janeiro, Brazil). Bachelor's in physical education (2009) and Master of Science (2013) in Human Movement Science at São Paulo State University - UNESP (Rio Claro, Brazil) and double PhD in Human Movement Science (2020) at the University of Groningen (Groningen, the Netherlands) and UNESP. He has been developing research in collaboration with the Center of Advanced Technologies in Rehabilitation (CATR - Sheba Hospital, Israel) aiming to examine the underlying cortical and mechanistic aspects of bilateral control of gait in neurological diseases. Main research interests involve understanding cortico-muscular control related to postural and gait adaptability to internal and external perturbation/stimuli; examining gait and posture from an integrative view; and developing and/or optimizing prevention/rehabilitation strategies, mainly related to exercises, for aging and age-related diseases.