Physiological Tremor under Pseudo-Fraction Gravity

Abstract

The effect of pseudo-fraction gravity on physiological tremor of the human finger (finger tremor) has been examined experimentally by immersing an index finger into water at different immersion levels. The pseudo-fraction gravity, γG, was established by water buoyancy at immersion levelΩ, G being gravitation acceleration and γ between zero and unit. The nature of variations of finger tremor under the influence of γG is estimated based on FFT spectral analysis. It is illustrated that with a decrease in γ, or equivalently an increase in Ω, two dominant peaks remaining approximately constant in frequencies around 10HZ and 20HZ are found, while peak amplitude is decreased rapidly for higher peak and slowly for lower one. Theoretically the effect of pseudo-fraction gravity is analyzed in terms of a specific model for finger tremor. The experimental results presented in this paper are predicted rather well by two resonant modes which occurred in our model system. It is possible to conclude that the model, which is characterized by a pair of antagonistic muscles and two reflex pathways, provides an adequate quantitative description of finger tremor.