Cortical activation pattern of compensatory movement in stroke patients

Article type: Research Article

Authors: Lee, Mi Young^a | Park, Ji Won^b | Park, Rae Joon^c | Hong, Ji Heon^d | Son, Su Min^d | Ahn, Sang Ho^d | Cho, Yoon Woo^d | Jang, Sung Ho^{d; *}

Affiliations: [a] Department of Physical Therapy, College of Health and Therapy, Daegu Haany University, Daegu, Republic of Korea | [b] Department of Physical Therapy, College of Health Science, Catholic University of Daegu, Daegu, Republic of Korea | [c] Department of Physical Therapy, College of Rehabilitation Science, University of Daegu, Daegu, Republic of Korea | [d] Department of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, College of Medicine, Yeungnam University, Republic of Korea

Correspondence: [*] Address for correspondence: Sung Ho Jang, Department of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, College of Medicine, Yeungnam University 317-1, Daemyungdong, Namku, Taegu, 705-717, Republic of Korea. Tel.: +82 053 620 3269; Fax: +82 53 620 3269; E-mail: strokerehab@hanmail.net, belado@med.yu.ac.kr

Abstract: Objective:Little is known about the cortical activation pattern of compensatory movement (CM) in stroke patients. We attempted to investigate the cortical activation pattern of compensatory movement in stroke patients, using functional MRI (fMRI). Methods:Eight hemiparetic stroke patients were recruited for this study. We measured the shoulder abduction angle when each subject was simulating eating in a sitting position, which was considered as the degree of CM. The fMRI was performed at 1.5T using an elbow motor task at a frequency of 0.5 Hz. Results:There was an inverse correlation between the shoulder abduction angle of the affected side and the LI (Laterality Index) (r = −0.745; p < 0.05). The shoulder abduction angle of the affected side was significantly related to the sum of activated voxels in all regions of interest (r = 0.776; p < 0.05) and the activated voxels of the supplementary motor area (r = 951; p < 0.05). However, we did not find any correlation between the shoulder abduction angle and the activated voxels of other brain areas. Conclusions:We demonstrated that a greater shoulder abduction angle on the affected side requires more cortical activation. Therefore, CM appears to be related to the change of the cortical motor control toward greater recruitment of cortical neurons.

Keywords: Compensation, hemiplegia, functional MRI, motor function, stroke

DOI: 10.3233/NRE-2009-0523

Journal: NeuroRehabilitation, vol. 25, no. 4, pp. 255-260, 2009