Jg. Anson et Ml. Latash, TOWARD PEACEFUL COEXISTENCE OF ADAPTIVE CENTRAL STRATEGIES AND MEDICAL PROFESSIONALS, Behavioral and brain sciences, 19(1), 1996, pp. 94
We start with a number of philosophical and theoretical issues related
to motor control, proceed through a spectrum of problems related to t
he role of adaptive changes in the central nervous system (CNS) in res
ponse to a primary disorder, and end with tentative practical recommen
dations. We consider the hierarchical and dynamic approaches to motor
control not as incompatible alternatives but as ways of approaching tw
o equally important issues, those of control and coordination. Profess
ionals working in the area of physical therapy and rehabilitation shou
ld make use of the adaptive abilities of the CNS, identify goals, prov
ide tools, and allow the CNS to develop optimal strategies. Therapists
should intervene if they suspect that the CNS settles down in a local
rather than a global optimum because of such factors as pain or the l
ack of a long-term predictive ability. Adaptive changes within the CNS
may be important not only in pathologies but also in cases of special
ized training, normal growth, and normal ageing.