ABSTRACT
Background: In infants presenting with motor development impairment, early kinesiotherapeutic interventions aim to normalise the pattern of movements and improve recovery. By applying Bobath and Vojta methods, we aimed to identify a combined approach regarding motor deficit in infants with neurological disabilities. Methods: We designed a prospective interventional study on 108 infants with motor developmental delay and applied Bobath, Vojta, or combined Bobath and Vojta therapy in three equal groups. Results: In the combined Bobath and Vojta group, complete motor recovery was achieved for 50% of the participants, with full recovery after six months, whereas in Bobath- or Vojta-only therapy groups, the total recovery for all participants was achieved at seven months. Regarding infants with muscular hypertonia, Bobath therapy initiation demonstrated complete recovery in 5 months in more than 50% of the cases, while for Vojta this was achieved in only 33.57% of the cases. Conclusions: The comparative evaluation conducted by analysing the data regarding the application of the Bobath and Vojta methods showed that combining these two therapies results in a shorter motor deficit recovery time than if a single therapy is applied. These findings have important implications for the selection of rehabilitation therapies in infants with neurological motor development issues.
Subject(s)
Movement Disorders , Humans , Infant , Movement , Pilot Projects , Prospective Studies , Movement Disorders/rehabilitation , Child DevelopmentABSTRACT
Restoration of upper limb motor function and patient functional independence are crucial treatment targets in neurological rehabilitation. Growing evidence indicates that music-based intervention is a promising therapeutic approach for the restoration of upper extremity functional abilities in neurologic conditions such as cerebral palsy, stroke, and Parkinson's Disease. In this context, music technology may be particularly useful to increase the availability and accessibility of music-based therapy and assist therapists in the implementation and assessment of targeted therapeutic goals. In the present study, we conducted a pre-clinical, single-arm trial to evaluate a novel music-based therapeutic device (SONATA) for upper limb extremity movement training. The device consists of a graphical user interface generated by a single-board computer displayed on a 32" touchscreen with built-in speakers controlled wirelessly by a computer tablet. The system includes two operational modes that allow users to play musical melodies on a virtual keyboard or draw figures/shapes whereby every action input results in controllable sensory feedback. Four motor tasks involving hand/finger movement were performed with 21 healthy individuals (13 males, aged 26.4 ± 3.5 years) to evaluate the device's operational modes and main features. The results of the functional tests suggest that the device is a reliable system to present pre-defined sequences of audiovisual stimuli and shapes and to record response and movement data. This preliminary study also suggests that the device is feasible and adequate for use with healthy individuals. These findings open new avenues for future clinical research to further investigate the feasibility and usability of the SONATA as a tool for upper extremity motor function training in neurological rehabilitation. Directions for future clinical research are discussed.
Subject(s)
Arm/physiology , Feedback, Sensory , Movement Disorders/rehabilitation , Music Therapy/instrumentation , Neuromuscular Diseases/rehabilitation , Physical Therapy Modalities/instrumentation , Acoustic Stimulation , Adult , Computer Systems , Feasibility Studies , Female , Fingers/physiology , Hand/physiology , Humans , Male , Movement Disorders/physiopathology , Music , Neuromuscular Diseases/physiopathology , Photic Stimulation , Psychomotor Performance , Reaction Time , Reference Values , Spatial Behavior , User-Computer Interface , Young AdultABSTRACT
A study of the changes in psychophysical function of the human body before and after relaxation sessions and acupuncture application has been conducted. The impact of relaxation sessions on psychophysical performance was studied on a group of university students and postgraduates aged between 18 and 30 years old; the impact of an acupuncture session course - on a group of subjects of a broad age range between 14 and 72, as they underwent rehabilitation therapy for their supportive locomotive apparatus disorders. The recording techniques used included electroencephalography (EEG), psychomotor reaction recording, minute-long time span accuracy reproduction; TST technique (Tactile Solar Test) of meridian and microsystem examination The results of this study suggest that relaxation sessions contribute to the enhancement of neurodynamical performance and mental activity efficiency. After the acupuncture therapy, relaxation effect, and restored tactile sensation on the meridians and microsystems was noted. A conclusion has been made that relaxation sessions and acupuncture may be used to improve psychophysical function.
Subject(s)
Acupuncture Therapy , Movement Disorders/rehabilitation , Relaxation , Adolescent , Adult , Aged , Humans , Middle Aged , Movement Disorders/physiopathology , Treatment Outcome , Young AdultABSTRACT
Best practice recommendations in cancer care increasingly call for integrated rehabilitation services to address physical impairments and disability. These recommendations have languished primarily due to a lack of pragmatic, generalizable intervention models. This perspective paper proposes a clinically integrated physical therapist (CI-PT) model that enables flexible and scalable services for screening, triage, and intervention addressing functional mobility. The model is based on (1) a CI-PT embedded in cancer care provider clinics, and (2) rehabilitation across the care continuum determined by the patient's level of functional mobility. The CI-PT model includes regular screening of functional mobility in provider clinics via a patient-reported mobility measure-the Activity Measure for Post-Acute Care, a brief physical therapy evaluation tailored to the specific functional needs of the individual-and a tailored, skilled physical therapist intervention based on functional level. The CI-PT model provides a pragmatic, barrier-free, patient-centric, data-driven approach to integrating rehabilitation as part of standard care for survivors of cancer. The model standardizes CI-PT practice and may be sufficiently agile to provide targeted interventions in widely varying cancer settings and populations. Therefore, it may be ideal for wide implementation among outpatient oncological settings. Implementation of this model requires a shared approach to care that includes physical therapists, rehabilitation administrators, cancer care providers, and cancer center administrators.
Subject(s)
Delivery of Health Care, Integrated/organization & administration , Mobility Limitation , Movement Disorders/rehabilitation , Neoplasms/therapy , Physical Therapy Specialty/organization & administration , Cancer Care Facilities , Humans , Models, Theoretical , Movement Disorders/diagnosis , Neoplasms/diagnosis , Patient Care Team/organization & administration , Physical Therapists , Population Surveillance/methods , TriageABSTRACT
STUDY DESIGN: Secondary outcome measures analysis of a randomized, controlled study. OBJECTIVE: To assess the effects of hybrid-functional electrical stimulation (FES) rowing on motor and sensory recovery in individuals with spinal cord injury (SCI) 6-18 months post injury. SETTING: Outpatient rehabilitation network. METHODS: 25 participants 6-12 months after SCI were randomly assigned to hybrid-FES rowing (n = 10) or standard of care (n = 15) groups. The hybrid-FES rowing group completed 6 months of rowing scheduled 3 times per week for 26 weeks at an exercise intensity of 70-85% of maximal heart rate. The standard of care group either participated in an arm ergometer exercise program (n = 6) or a waitlist without an explicit exercise program (n = 9). Changes in motor score and combined sensory score of the International Standards for Neurological Classification of SCI (ISNCSCI) were analyzed. RESULTS: Both groups demonstrated increases in motor and combined sensory scores, but no significant differences were noted between intervention groups (motor difference mean ↑1.3 (95% CI, -1.9 to 4.4), combined sensory difference mean ↓10 (-30 to 18)). There was an average of 63% adherence to the hybrid-FES rowing protocol, with no significant correlation in changes in motor or combined sensory score in the hybrid-FES rowing group with total distance or time rowed. CONCLUSIONS: No significant effects to neurologic improvement were found with hybrid-FES rowing when compared with standard of care interventions in individuals with SCI 6-18 months post injury.
Subject(s)
Electric Stimulation Therapy , Exercise Therapy , Movement Disorders/rehabilitation , Outcome Assessment, Health Care , Sensation Disorders/rehabilitation , Spinal Cord Injuries/rehabilitation , Adult , Combined Modality Therapy , Female , Humans , Male , Middle Aged , Movement Disorders/etiology , Sensation Disorders/etiology , Spinal Cord Injuries/complicationsABSTRACT
OBJECTIVE: To develop a revised definition of the Bobath concept that incorporates the perspectives of members of the International Bobath Instructors Training Association (IBITA). METHODS: A three-phase consensus building design utilizing (i) focus groups; (ii) survey methods; and, (iii) real-time Delphi. This paper presents the findings from the real-time Delphi, an iterative process to collect and synthesize expert opinions anonymously, provide controlled feedback, with the overall goal of achieving consensus. RESULTS: One hundred and twenty-one IBITA members participated in the real-time Delphi. Over three Delphi Rounds, consensus was reached on six overarching conceptual statements and 11 statements representing unique aspects of Bobath clinical practice. One statement that aimed to describe the Bobath clinical term of "placing" was eliminated in Round One due to participant reservations that a text description was insufficient for this term. Seven statements underwent minor wording revisions in Round Two and Three to improve sentence clarity. CONCLUSION: Using the real-time Delphi, we were successful in gaining consensus in an expert group on a series of statements on which a revised definition of the Bobath concept could be based.
Subject(s)
Central Nervous System Diseases/rehabilitation , Concept Formation , Consensus , Movement Disorders/rehabilitation , Delphi Technique , Focus Groups , Humans , Physical Therapy Modalities , Surveys and QuestionnairesABSTRACT
OBJECTIVE: This study was developed as a consensus-building exercise within the International Bobath Instructors Training Association (IBITA) to develop a revised definition of the Bobath concept. METHODS: A three-phase design utilizing (a) focus groups, (b) survey methods, and, (c) real-time Delphi. This paper details Phase 1 and 2. RESULTS: Forty IBITA members participated in five focus groups. Eight broad themes were developed from the focus groups from which the survey statements were developed. There was a high level of agreement on all nine survey statements identifying overarching constructs and on 12 of the 13 statements identifying unique aspects of Bobath clinical practice. Lower scores were attributed to lack of understanding of the term humanistic, Bobath clinical practice addressing multiple domains such as impairments, activities, and participation and limited agreement on the description of the term "placing." CONCLUSION: Focus groups and a web-based survey were successful in soliciting the opinions of IBITA members on themes and statements of importance for the development of a revised Bobath definition. The results of Phase 1 and 2 will inform Phase 3, a real-time Delphi, to gain consensus within IBITA on statements on which a revised Bobath definition is to be based.
Subject(s)
Consensus , Movement Disorders/rehabilitation , Physical Therapy Specialty/standards , Delphi Technique , Focus Groups , Humans , Models, Theoretical , Surveys and QuestionnairesABSTRACT
A neurological illness is t he disorder in human nervous system that can result in various diseases including the motor disabilities. Neurological disorders may affect the motor neurons, which are associated with skeletal muscles and control the body movement. Consequently, they introduce some diseases in the human e.g. cerebral palsy, spinal scoliosis, peripheral paralysis of arms/legs, hip joint dysplasia and various myopathies. Vojta therapy is considered a useful technique to treat the motor disabilities. In Vojta therapy, a specific stimulation is given to the patient's body to perform certain reflexive pattern movements which the patient is unable to perform in a normal manner. The repetition of stimulation ultimately brings forth the previously blocked connections between the spinal cord and the brain. After few therapy sessions, the patient can perform these movements without external stimulation. In this paper, we propose a computer vision-based system to monitor the correct movements of the patient during the therapy treatment using the RGBD data. The proposed framework works in three steps. In the first step, patient's body is automatically detected and segmented and two novel techniques are proposed for this purpose. In the second step, a multi-dimensional feature vector is computed to define various movements of patient's body during the therapy. In the final step, a multi-class support vector machine is used to classify these movements. The experimental evaluation carried out on the large captured dataset shows that the proposed system is highly useful in monitoring the patient's body movements during Vojta therapy.
Subject(s)
Artificial Intelligence , Brain Diseases/rehabilitation , Monitoring, Physiologic , Movement Disorders/rehabilitation , Physical Therapy Modalities , Reflexotherapy/methods , Algorithms , Female , Humans , Image Processing, Computer-Assisted , Infant , Infant, Newborn , Male , Physical StimulationABSTRACT
OBJECTIVE: The aim of the study was to examine whether neural state of spared motor and premotor cortices captured before a therapy predicts therapy-related motor gains in chronic subcortical stroke. DESIGN: Ten survivors, presenting chronic moderate upper limb impairment, underwent proton magnetic resonance spectroscopy, magnetic resonance imaging, clinical, and kinematics assessments before a 4-wk impairment-oriented training. Clinical/kinematics assessments were repeated after therapy, and motor gain was defined as positive values of clinical upper limb/elbow motion changes and negative values of trunk motion changes. Candidate predictors were N-acetylaspartate-neuronal marker, glutamate-glutamine-indicator of glutamatergic neurotransmission, and myo-inositol-glial marker, measured bilaterally within the upper limb territory in motor and premotor (premotor cortex, supplementary motor area) cortices. Traditional predictors (age, stroke length, pre-therapy upper limb clinical impairment, infarct volume) were also investigated. RESULTS: Poor motor gain was associated with lower glutamate-glutamine levels in ipsilesional primary motor cortex and premotor cortex (r = 0.77, P = 0.01 and r = 0.78, P = 0.008, respectively), lower N-acetylaspartate in ipsilesional premotor cortex (r = 0.69, P = 0.02), higher glutamate-glutamine in contralesional primary motor cortex (r = -0.68, P = 0.03), and lower glutamate-glutamine in contralesional supplementary motor area (r = 0.64, P = 0.04). These predictors outperformed myo-inositol metrics and traditional predictors (P ≈ 0.05-1.0). CONCLUSIONS: Glutamatergic state of bilateral motor and premotor cortices and neuronal state of ipsilesional premotor cortex may be important for predicting motor outcome in the context of a restorative therapy.
Subject(s)
Aspartic Acid/analogs & derivatives , Glutamic Acid/metabolism , Glutamine/metabolism , Motor Cortex/metabolism , Stroke Rehabilitation , Aspartic Acid/metabolism , Biomarkers/metabolism , Female , Humans , Magnetic Resonance Imaging , Magnetic Resonance Spectroscopy , Male , Middle Aged , Movement Disorders/etiology , Movement Disorders/rehabilitation , Outcome Assessment, Health Care , Pilot ProjectsABSTRACT
BACKGROUND: Stroke survivors with severe upper limb disability need opportunities to engage in task-oriented practice to achieve meaningful recovery. OBJECTIVE: To compare the effect of SMART Arm training, with or without outcome-triggered electrical stimulation to usual therapy, on arm function for stroke survivors with severe upper limb disability undergoing inpatient rehabilitation. METHODS: A prospective, multicenter, randomized controlled trial was conducted with 3 parallel groups, concealed allocation, assessor blinding and intention-to-treat analysis. Fifty inpatients within 4 months of stroke with severe upper limb disability were randomly allocated to 60 min/d, 5 days a week for 4 weeks of (1) SMART Arm with outcome-triggered electrical stimulation and usual therapy, (2) SMART Arm alone and usual therapy, or (3) usual therapy. Assessment occurred at baseline (0 weeks), posttraining (4 weeks), and follow-up (26 and 52 weeks). The primary outcome measure was Motor Assessment Scale item 6 (MAS6) at posttraining. RESULTS: All groups demonstrated a statistically ( P < .001) and clinically significant improvement in arm function at posttraining (MAS6 change ≥1 point) and at 52 weeks (MAS6 change ≥2 points). There were no differences in improvement in arm function between groups (P = .367). There were greater odds of a higher MAS6 score in SMART Arm groups as compared with usual therapy alone posttraining (SMART Arm stimulation generalized odds ratio [GenOR] = 1.47, 95%CI = 1.23-1.71) and at 26 weeks (SMART Arm alone GenOR = 1.31, 95% CI = 1.05-1.57). CONCLUSION: SMART Arm training supported a clinically significant improvement in arm function, which was similar to usual therapy. All groups maintained gains at 12 months.
Subject(s)
Arm , Electric Stimulation Therapy , Movement Disorders/rehabilitation , Stroke Rehabilitation , Arm/physiopathology , Disability Evaluation , Electric Stimulation Therapy/methods , Female , Follow-Up Studies , Hospitalization , Humans , Male , Middle Aged , Movement Disorders/etiology , Odds Ratio , Stroke/complications , Stroke/physiopathology , Stroke Rehabilitation/methods , Treatment OutcomeABSTRACT
INTRODUCTION: The purpose of this study was to determine the effects of motor control training on pain, disability and motor control indices in patients with nonspecific low back pain (NSLBP) and movement control impairment (MCI) and also to evaluate the correlation between the changes in disability and the motor control indices. METHODS: Thirty people with NSLBP and MCI based on a clinical examination were following either motor control training or normal activity over 8 weeks. RESULT: Significant differences between pre and post training in the experimental group were found in pain, disability and motor control indices. There were significant correlations between disability index with vertical ground reaction force (r = 0.43) and center of pressure (anterior-posterior) (r = 0.44) values. CONCLUSION: The results of this study showed that motor control indices are responsive measures to capture change during motor control training directed at retraining neuromuscular control, reducing pain and disability.
Subject(s)
Exercise Therapy/methods , Low Back Pain/rehabilitation , Movement Disorders/rehabilitation , Adult , Disability Evaluation , Female , Humans , Male , Middle Aged , Movement/physiology , Pain/rehabilitation , Prospective StudiesABSTRACT
Neglect is a supramodal, clinically relevant disorder, which occurs in the different sensory modalities as well as in the mental representation. The different manifestations of neglect show interindividual and intraindividual variation. Different spatial and attention-related interventions lead to varying degrees of improvement in neglect symptoms but are often not stable in time or transferable to activities of daily living. Representational deficits or body-related aspects to modify personal neglect are rarely a priority in current therapies. Because of the multisensory and motor deficits from our point of view the future of neglect rehabilitation lies in a combined therapy of visual exploration, motor imagery with intensive motor therapy of motor sensory deficits and probably best reinforced by continued neck muscle vibration or allocation of attention to the neglected side.
Subject(s)
Imagery, Psychotherapy/methods , Movement Disorders/rehabilitation , Neurofeedback/methods , Neurological Rehabilitation/methods , Perceptual Disorders/rehabilitation , Evidence-Based Medicine/methods , Humans , Movement Disorders/complications , Movement Disorders/diagnosis , Outcome Assessment, Health Care/methods , Perceptual Disorders/complications , Perceptual Disorders/diagnosis , Treatment OutcomeABSTRACT
BACKGROUND: The cardiopulmonary exercise test (CPET) is an established method for determining target exercise training intensity (ventilatory threshold [VAT]) and cardiovascular risk; unfortunately, CPET is not readily accessible to people post stroke. The objective of this study was to determine the utility of the 6-minute walk test (6MWT) as a less resource-intensive alternative to CPET for prescribing exercise intensity to people post stroke with motor impairments. METHODS: Sixty participants (male, 71.7%; 13.5 ± 22.5 [mean ± standard deviation] months post stroke; age 64.5 ± 12.5 years, with a Chedoke-McMaster Stroke Assessment score of 4.9 ± .9 of the leg) underwent 6MWT, CPET, balance, strength, and cognition assessments. RESULTS: 6MWT heart rate (hr) was significantly lower than VAT-hr (92.3 ± 14.8 beatsâ min(-1) versus 99.8 ± 15.7 beatsâ min(-1), respectively, P < .001; correlation r = .7, P < .001). Bland-Altman analysis revealed that the 6MWT underestimated the VAT-hr by 7.7 ± 11.5%. The 95% confidence interval of the mean bias was large (14.8% and -30.3%), reflecting poor agreement, with 71.7% (n = 43) of the participants unable to reach a walking intensity at or above the VAT-hr. Lower oxygen uptake at the VAT (ß = .655, P = .004), higher 6MWT-hr (ß = 1.07, P = .01), and better balance (ß = 1.128, P = .04) were associated with greater utility of the 6MWT for prescribing exercise. CONCLUSIONS: The 6MWT-hr was not interchangeable with the target training VAT-hr determined by CPET. However, in combination with CPET, the 6MWT will indicate when deficits preclude walking alone as the primary exercise modality for optimizing cardiovascular fitness. Future studies to develop a less resource-intensive, multimodal alternative to the CPET for prescribing exercise are needed. A modality that minimizes the effect of stroke deficits, specifically poor balance, should be included.
Subject(s)
Cardiorespiratory Fitness/physiology , Exercise Therapy/methods , Exercise/physiology , Movement Disorders/rehabilitation , Walking/physiology , Adult , Aged , Aged, 80 and over , Female , Humans , Male , Middle Aged , Movement Disorders/etiology , Oxygen Consumption/physiology , Prospective Studies , Regression Analysis , Stroke/complications , Stroke Rehabilitation , Treatment OutcomeABSTRACT
Contemporary strategies to promote motor recovery following stroke focus on repetitive voluntary movements. Although successful movement relies on efficient sensorimotor integration, functional outcomes often bias motor therapy toward motor-related impairments such as weakness, spasticity and synergies; sensory therapy and reintegration is implied, but seldom targeted. However, the planning and execution of voluntary movement requires that the brain extracts sensory information regarding body position and predicts future positions, by integrating a variety of sensory inputs with ongoing and planned motor activity. Neurological patients who have lost one or more of their senses may show profoundly affected motor functions, even if muscle strength remains unaffected. Following stroke, motor recovery can be dictated by the degree of sensory disruption. Consequently, a thorough account of sensory function might be both prognostic and prescriptive in neurorehabilitation. This review outlines the key sensory components of human voluntary movement, describes how sensory disruption can influence prognosis and expected outcomes in stroke patients, reports on current sensory-based approaches in post-stroke motor rehabilitation, and makes recommendations for optimizing rehabilitation programs based on sensory stimulation.
Subject(s)
Movement Disorders/rehabilitation , Sensation Disorders/rehabilitation , Stroke Rehabilitation/methods , Stroke/therapy , Humans , Movement Disorders/etiology , Sensation Disorders/complications , Sensation Disorders/etiology , Stroke/complicationsABSTRACT
This paper presents an assistive control system with a special kinematic structure of an upper limb rehabilitation robot embedded with force/torque sensors. A dynamic human model integrated with sensing torque is used to simulate human interaction under three rehabilitation modes: active mode, assistive mode, and passive mode. The hereby proposed rehabilitation robot, called NTUH-ARM, provides 7 degree-of- freedom (DOF) motion and runs subject to an inherent mapping between the 7 DOFs of the robot arm and the 4 DOFs of the human arm. The Lyapunov theory is used to analyze the stability of the proposed controller design. Clinical trials have been conducted with six patients, one of which acts as a control. The results of these experiments are positive and STREAM assessment by physical therapists also reveals promising results.
Subject(s)
Biofeedback, Psychology/instrumentation , Models, Biological , Motion Therapy, Continuous Passive/instrumentation , Movement Disorders/rehabilitation , Robotics/instrumentation , Therapy, Computer-Assisted/instrumentation , Arm , Biofeedback, Psychology/methods , Equipment Design , Equipment Failure Analysis , Exoskeleton Device , Humans , Motion Therapy, Continuous Passive/methods , Neurological Rehabilitation/instrumentation , Neurological Rehabilitation/methods , Robotics/methods , Therapy, Computer-Assisted/methodsABSTRACT
Motor dysfunction has been found to be predictive of cognitive dysfunction in Alzheimer's disease and to occur earlier than cognitive impairments. While apolipoprotein (Apo) E4 has been associated with cognitive impairments, it remains unclear whether it also increases risk for motor dysfunction. Exercise and antioxidants are often recommended to reduce cognitive declines, however it is unclear whether they can successfully improve motor impairments. This study was designed to determine the extent of the impact of apolipoprotein genotype on motor function, and whether interventions such as exercise and antioxidant intake can improve motor function. This study is the first to identify the nature of the interaction between antioxidant intake and exercise using a mouse model expressing either the human ApoE3 or ApoE4 isoforms under glial fibrillary acid protein promoter (GFAP-ApoE3 and GFAP-ApoE4 mice). The mice were fed either a control diet or the control diet supplemented with vitamins E and C (1.12 IU/g diet α-tocopheryl acetate and 1.65mg/g ascorbic acid). Each genotype/diet group was further divided into a sedentary group or a group that followed a 6 days a week exercise regimen. After 8 weeks on their respective treatment, the mice were administered a battery of motor tests to measure reflexes, strength, coordination and balance. GFAP-ApoE4 mice exhibited impaired motor learning and diminished strength compared to the GFAP-ApoE3 mice. Exercise alone was more efficient at improving motor function and reversing ApoE4-associated impairments than antioxidants alone, even though improvements were rather subtle. Contrarily to expected outcomes, combination of antioxidants and exercise did not yield further improvements of motor function. Interestingly, antioxidants antagonized the beneficial effects of exercise on strength. These data suggest that environmental and genetic factors influence the outcome of interventions on motor function and should be investigated more thoroughly and taken into consideration when implementing changes in lifestyles.
Subject(s)
Apolipoprotein E4/genetics , Glial Fibrillary Acidic Protein/genetics , Movement Disorders/genetics , Movement Disorders/rehabilitation , Analysis of Variance , Animals , Antioxidants/pharmacology , Antioxidants/therapeutic use , Apolipoprotein E4/metabolism , Body Weight/drug effects , Body Weight/genetics , Disease Models, Animal , Eating/drug effects , Eating/genetics , Exercise Therapy , Glial Fibrillary Acidic Protein/metabolism , Humans , Locomotion/drug effects , Locomotion/genetics , Mice , Mice, Transgenic , Movement Disorders/drug therapy , Movement Disorders/therapy , Muscle, Skeletal/drug effects , Muscle, Skeletal/physiology , Psychomotor Performance/drug effects , Reaction Time/drug effects , Reaction Time/genetics , Reflex/drug effectsABSTRACT
Intensive rehabilitation is believed to induce use-dependent plasticity in the injured nervous system; however, its causal relationship to functional recovery is unclear. Here, we performed systematic analysis of the effects of forced use of an impaired forelimb on the recovery of rats after lesioning the internal capsule with intracerebral hemorrhage (ICH). Forced limb use (FLU) group rats exhibited better recovery of skilled forelimb functions and their cortical motor area with forelimb representation was restored and enlarged on the ipsilesional side. In addition, abundant axonal sprouting from the reemerged forelimb area was found in the ipsilateral red nucleus after FLU. To test the causal relationship between the plasticity in the cortico-rubral pathway and recovery, loss-of-function experiments were conducted using a double-viral vector technique, which induces selective blockade of the target pathway. Blockade of the cortico-rubral tract resulted in deficits of the recovered forelimb function in FLU group rats. These findings suggest that the cortico-rubral pathway is a substrate for recovery induced by intensive rehabilitation after ICH. SIGNIFICANCE STATEMENT: The research aimed at determining the causal linkage between reorganization of the motor pathway induced by intensive rehabilitative training and recovery after stroke. We clarified the expansion of the forelimb representation area of the ipsilesional motor cortex by forced impaired forelimb use (FLU) after lesioning the internal capsule with intracerebral hemorrhaging (ICH) in rats. Anterograde tracing showed robust axonal sprouting from the forelimb area to the red nucleus in response to FLU. Selective blockade of the cortico-rubral pathway by the novel double-viral vector technique clearly revealed that the increased cortico-rubral axonal projections had causal linkage to the recovery of reaching movements induced by FLU. Our data demonstrate that the cortico-rubral pathway is responsible for the effect of intensive limb use.
Subject(s)
Cerebral Hemorrhage/complications , Forelimb/physiopathology , Motor Cortex/physiology , Movement Disorders/etiology , Movement Disorders/rehabilitation , Recovery of Function/physiology , Red Nucleus/physiology , Animals , Biotin/analogs & derivatives , Biotin/metabolism , Cerebral Hemorrhage/rehabilitation , Deep Brain Stimulation , Dextrans/metabolism , Disease Models, Animal , Doxycycline/administration & dosage , Forelimb/drug effects , Functional Laterality/physiology , GABA-A Receptor Agonists/pharmacology , Internal Capsule/injuries , Male , Motor Skills/physiology , Muscimol/pharmacology , Neural Pathways/physiology , Rats , Rats, Wistar , Recovery of Function/drug effectsABSTRACT
Functional electrical stimulation (FES) can be used to activate the dysfunctional lower limb muscles of individuals with neurological disorders to produce cycling as a means of rehabilitation. However, previous literature suggests that poor muscle control and nonphysiological muscle fiber recruitment during FES-cycling causes lower efficiency and power output at the cycle crank than able-bodied cycling, thus motivating the investigation of improved control methods for FES-cycling. In this paper, a stimulation pattern is designed based on the kinematic effectiveness of the rider's hip and knee joints to produce a forward torque about the cycle crank. A robust controller is designed for the uncertain, nonlinear cycle-rider system with autonomous, state-dependent switching. Provided sufficient conditions are satisfied, the switched controller yields ultimately bounded tracking of a desired cadence. Experimental results on four able-bodied subjects demonstrate cadence tracking errors of 0.05 ±1.59 and 5.27 ±2.14 revolutions per minute during volitional and FES-induced cycling, respectively. To establish feasibility of FES-assisted cycling in subjects with Parkinson's disease, experimental results with one subject demonstrate tracking errors of 0.43 ± 4.06 and 0.17 ±3.11 revolutions per minute during volitional and FES-induced cycling, respectively.
Subject(s)
Bicycling , Electric Stimulation Therapy/methods , Movement Disorders/physiopathology , Movement Disorders/rehabilitation , Muscle Contraction , Muscle, Skeletal/physiopathology , Adult , Computer Simulation , Hip Joint/physiopathology , Humans , Knee Joint/physiopathology , Male , Models, Biological , Physical Exertion , Therapy, Computer-Assisted/methodsABSTRACT
When the sensory-motor integration system is malfunctioning provokes a wide variety of neurological disorders, which in many cases cannot be treated with conventional medication, or via existing therapeutic technology. A brain-computer interface (BCI) is a tool that permits to reintegrate the sensory-motor loop, accessing directly to brain information. A potential, promising and quite investigated application of BCI has been in the motor rehabilitation field. It is well-known that motor deficits are the major disability wherewith the worldwide population lives. Therefore, this paper aims to specify the foundation of motor rehabilitation BCIs, as well as to review the recent research conducted so far (specifically, from 2007 to date), in order to evaluate the suitability and reliability of this technology. Although BCI for post-stroke rehabilitation is still in its infancy, the tendency is towards the development of implantable devices that encompass a BCI module plus a stimulation system.
Subject(s)
Brain-Computer Interfaces , Imagery, Psychotherapy/methods , Motor Activity/physiology , Movement Disorders/rehabilitation , Biofeedback, Psychology , Brain/physiopathology , Brain Waves/physiology , HumansABSTRACT
The discovery of rhythmic auditory-motor entrainment in clinical populations was a historical breakthrough in demonstrating for the first time a neurological mechanism linking music to retraining brain and behavioral functions. Early pilot studies from this research center were followed up by a systematic line of research studying rhythmic auditory stimulation on motor therapies for stroke, Parkinson's disease, traumatic brain injury, cerebral palsy, and other movement disorders. The comprehensive effects on improving multiple aspects of motor control established the first neuroscience-based clinical method in music, which became the bedrock for the later development of neurologic music therapy. The discovery of entrainment fundamentally shifted and extended the view of the therapeutic properties of music from a psychosocially dominated view to a view using the structural elements of music to retrain motor control, speech and language function, and cognitive functions such as attention and memory.