Mind Over Matter

As Waterman grappled with the loss of his ability to perceive his own body, he began to feel as if he no longer existed. The intricate neural pathways responsible for proprioception, which span across joints, tendons, and muscles, had vanished for him. Proprioception is essential for standing, balancing, performing coordinated movements, and navigating through spaces.

Determined to avoid a life confined to a wheelchair, Waterman, who had previously worked as a butcher—a profession reliant on precise movement—started to visualize his actions as if he were performing them. One day, while lying flat on his back, he envisioned the act of sitting up. By practicing this visualization daily, he gradually began to experience small movements, even though he felt no physical sensations. Eventually, he managed to sit up by harnessing the power of his intent.

Waterman trained himself to regain movement by consciously controlling and visually tracking each action. The visual aspect of this training was crucial; if the lights were turned off suddenly, he would collapse as if disconnected. When the lights were restored, however, he could stand and move again. Dr. Jonathan Cole, a physician at Poole Hospital and Southampton University, recognized Waterman’s unique self-training methods and documented his remarkable story in the book Pride and a Daily Marathon. Waterman reflected, "Before I met Jonathan, I often thought I might be mad. No one understood what was wrong or why life was such a struggle."

The Significance of Proprioception

Waterman's journey intrigued the medical community, particularly because of his remarkable ability to adapt despite his condition. While many individuals facing similar challenges chose to forgo rehabilitation, Waterman refused to give up. His experience highlights the vital role of proprioception and touch, as noted by psychologist Michael Turvey, Ph.D., who studies touch at the University of Connecticut. "The haptic senses underlie almost everything we do that involves movement," he states. "At the same time, Waterman can do more than many theories of touch and movement would predict." His case provided a rare opportunity to explore theories of movement and proprioception in a context that had never before been possible.

"Every act of perception is, to some degree, an act of creation, and every act of memory is, to some degree, an act of imagination."

― Oliver Sacks, Musicophilia: La musique, le cerveau et nous

In the 19th century, physiologists were unaware of specialized proprioceptors' existence. They speculated about the origins of 'muscle sense,' a term attributed to Charles Bell, who was the first to differentiate between motor and sensory nerves. Proprioception is regulated by mechanosensory neurons, known as proprioceptors, dispersed throughout the body. Earlier physiologists believed that awareness of body position was solely managed by the brain. However, in the late 19th century, neurophysiologist Charles Sherrington demonstrated that sensory receptors in muscles and tendons played a critical role, establishing that the nervous system, including the brain, operates as a cohesive network.

Sherrington introduced the term proprioception, defining it as the sensation resulting from the organism's own actions. His sensory theory differentiated between exteroception (external stimuli) and interception (internal sensory signals). While others, such as Kuhne and Ruffini, identified proprioceptor organs, Sherrington was the first to apply the influence of sensory neurons on the control of posture and movement.

The study of sensorimotor control continues to be rooted in Sherrington's early model of the proprioceptive system, particularly his emphasis on 'reflex' pathways that channel proprioceptive feedback into motor responses. How do these receptors enable us to maintain our position against gravity? The body contains three distinct types of sensors located in joints, muscle connections, and muscle fibers. Without them, for instance, a patient recovering from hip surgery would struggle to sense her feet in relation to her hips, rendering physical therapy nearly impossible.

How He Regained His Body

A muscle spindle, a crucial component in this system, consists of four nerve endings that spiral around muscle fibers. This small sensor, measuring only a centimeter, is enclosed in a cone-shaped fascia that separates it from the surrounding muscle. Proprioceptors transmit varied signals from neurons to the muscle, also retaining the position of the muscle when it is at rest. For Waterman, these connections were entirely severed. He had to rely on sight and deliberate thought to execute movements. Remarkably, he was the first individual to overcome such a profound loss and teach himself to walk again, depending solely on visual feedback and conscious commands.

Waterman has refined his technique to an extraordinary level. Since his movements necessitate continuous visual engagement with his surroundings, he must meticulously "plan" each walk. Every gesture is choreographed in advance, including calculations regarding force and direction, and these movements are closely monitored as he navigates. He describes his unique walking style as "controlled falling." While most of his actions are premeditated, research from The University of Chicago's David McNeill indicates that some movements occur without prior planning. McNeill's work involving Waterman demonstrated that the human brain can coordinate communicative gestures even in the absence of proprioception.

Through experiments focusing on vocal and hand movements, McNeill found that Waterman employs a thought-language-hand connection to regulate some of his gestures. When he speaks slowly, his gestures also slow down, yet the synchronization between speech and gesture remains intact. This suggests that control over hand movements and associated motor neurons can be directly linked to the cognitive-linguistic system. Despite having reconstructed his motion and control processes, Waterman’s thought-language-hand connection within the brain persevered through his neurological challenges.

Despite his disability, Ian Waterman approaches life with determination, consistently striving to do his best. Although he may not be deeply interested in the scientific aspects of his condition, he has significantly contributed to the field through countless hours of research. "We choose our own paths," he asserts.

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