Residual Upper Arm Motor Function Primes Innervation of Paretic Forearm Muscles in Chronic Stroke after Brain-Machine Interface (BMI) Training
Author/s
Curado, Marco Rocha; Garcia-Cossio, Eliana; Broetz, Doris; Agostini, Manuel; Cho, Woosang; [et al.]Date
2015-10-23Keywords
UPPER-EXTREMITY
UPPER-LIMB
CORTICAL DAMAGE
RECOVERY
POSTSTROKE
HEMIPARESIS
SYNERGIES
SURVIVORS
BCI
EMG
Abstract
Background
Abnormal upper arm-forearm muscle synergies after stroke are poorly understood. We investigated whether upper arm function primes paralyzed forearm muscles in chronic stroke patients after Brain-Machine Interface (BMI)-based rehabilitation. Shaping upper arm-forearm muscle synergies may support individualized motor rehabilitation strategies.
Methods
Thirty-two chronic stroke patients with no active finger extensions were randomly assigned to experimental or sham groups and underwent daily BMI training followed by physiotherapy during four weeks. BMI sessions included desynchronization of ipsilesional brain activity and a robotic orthosis to move the paretic limb (experimental group, n = 16). In the sham group (n = 16) orthosis movements were random. Motor function was evaluated with electromyography (EMG) of forearm extensors, and upper arm and hand Fugl-Meyer assessment (FMA) scores. Patients performed distinct upper arm (e.g., shoulder flexion) and hand movements ...
Type
article