Propriosensorisk

Propriosensorisk refers to the sensory modality by which the nervous system perceives the position and movement of the body, arising from proprioceptors located in muscles, tendons, joints and, to a lesser extent, skin. This sense provides continuous information about limb orientation, joint angles, muscle length, and effort, enabling unconscious as well as conscious control of movement.

Proprioceptors include muscle spindles (sense muscle length and velocity), Golgi tendon organs (sense muscle tension), and joint receptors (sense position and movement within joints). Cutaneous mechanoreceptors also contribute to the overall sense of limb position, particularly during complex tasks. Afferent signals are transmitted mainly by large-diameter fibers to the spinal cord and brainstem, then ascend via pathways such as the dorsal columns and the spinocerebellar tracts to the brain, where the information is integrated with visual and vestibular cues.

The cerebellum plays a central role in using proprioceptive input to modulate ongoing movement, support motor learning, and maintain posture and balance. The sensorimotor system relies on internal models to predict sensory consequences of actions, enabling rapid adjustments even in the absence of visual input.

Propriosensorisk is essential for everyday actions, from reaching and grasping to standing and walking. Impairments can arise from neuropathy, spinal cord injury, stroke, or aging and may manifest as reduced joint position sense, ataxia, or postural instability. Assessment methods include joint position matching, movement sense testing, and Romberg-like balance evaluations. Rehabilitation and training, including proprioceptive exercises and assistive devices, aim to restore or compensate for degraded proprioceptive function.