Neurorehabilitation and neural repair
-
Neurorehabil Neural Repair · Mar 2015
Randomized Controlled TrialUnilateral and bilateral upper-limb training interventions after stroke have similar effects on bimanual coupling strength.
Bilateral training in poststroke upper-limb rehabilitation is based on the premise that simultaneous movements of the nonparetic upper limb facilitate performance and recovery of paretic upper-limb function through neural coupling effects. ⋯ The degree of coupling between both hands was not significantly higher after bilateral than after unilateral training and control treatment. Although improvements in movement harmonicity and amplitude following mBATRAC may indicate a beneficial influence of the interlimb coupling, those effects were more likely due to the particular type of limb movements employed during this training protocol.
-
Neurorehabil Neural Repair · Feb 2015
Effect of intrathecal baclofen bolus injection on ankle muscle activation during gait in patients with acquired brain injury.
Intrathecal baclofen (ITB) bolus injection effectively decreases spinal excitability but the impact on lower limb muscle activation during gait has not been thoroughly investigated. ⋯ ITB bolus injection alters the activation of MG and TA during gait. However, the changes in muscle activation are not closely related to the changes in gait speed or resting muscle hypertonia. The analysis of ankle muscle activation during gait better characterizes the response to ITB bolus injection than gait kinematics.
-
Neurorehabil Neural Repair · Feb 2015
Comparative StudyAge-dependent reorganization of peri-infarct "premotor" cortex with task-specific rehabilitative training in mice.
The incidence of stroke in adulthood increases with advancing age, but there is little understanding of how poststroke treatment should be tailored by age. ⋯ Our results indicate that reorganization of motor cortex may be limited by either aging or greater tissue damage, but the capacity to improve motor function via task-specific rehabilitative training continues to be well maintained in aged animals.
-
Neurorehabil Neural Repair · Feb 2015
Comparative StudyMotor switching and motor adaptation deficits contribute to freezing of gait in Parkinson's disease.
Patients with freezing of gait (FOG) have more difficulty with switching tasks as well as controlling the spatiotemporal parameters of gait than patients without FOG. Objective. To compare the ability of patients with and without FOG to adjust their gait to sudden speed switching and to prolonged walking in asymmetrical conditions. ⋯ Freezers have more difficulties adapting their gait during both suddenly triggered and continued gait speed asymmetry. The impaired ability of freezers during both switching and reswitching would suggest that they have an adaptive deficit rather than difficulties with asymmetry per se. Future work needs to address whether these adaptation problems can be ameliorated with rehabilitation.
-
Neurorehabil Neural Repair · Jan 2015
The impact of dynamic balance measures on walking performance in multiple sclerosis.
Static posture imbalance and gait dysfunction are common in individuals with multiple sclerosis (MS). Although the impact of strength and static balance on walking has been examined, the impact of dynamic standing balance on walking in MS remains unclear. ⋯ AP dynamic sway affects walking performance in MS. A combined evaluation of dynamic balance, static balance, and strength may lead to a better understanding of walking mechanisms and the development of strategies to improve walking.