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Rizvi A, Bell K, Yang D, Montenegro MP, Kim H, Bao S, Wright DL, Buchanan JJ, Lei Y. Effects of transcranial direct current stimulation over human motor cortex on cognitive-motor and sensory-motor functions. Sci Rep 2023; 13:20968. [PMID: 38017091 PMCID: PMC10684512 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-023-48070-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/07/2023] [Accepted: 11/22/2023] [Indexed: 11/30/2023] Open
Abstract
The primary motor cortex (M1) is broadly acknowledged for its crucial role in executing voluntary movements. Yet, its contributions to cognitive and sensory functions remain largely unexplored. Transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS) is a noninvasive neurostimulation method that can modify brain activity, thereby enabling the establishment of a causal link between M1 activity and behavior. This study aimed to investigate the online effects of tDCS over M1 on cognitive-motor and sensory-motor functions. Sixty-four healthy participants underwent either anodal or sham tDCS while concurrently performing a set of standardized robotic tasks. These tasks provided sensitive and objective assessments of brain functions, including action selection, inhibitory control, cognitive control of visuomotor skills, proprioceptive sense, and bimanual coordination. Our results revealed that anodal tDCS applied to M1 enhances decision-making capacity in selecting appropriate motor actions and avoiding distractors compared to sham stimulation, suggesting improved action selection and inhibitory control capabilities. Furthermore, anodal tDCS reduces the movement time required to accomplish bimanual movements, suggesting enhanced bimanual performance. However, we found no impact of anodal tDCS on cognitive control of visuomotor skills and proprioceptive sense. This study suggests that augmenting M1 activity via anodal tDCS influences cognitive-motor and sensory-motor functions in a task-dependent manner.
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Affiliation(s)
- Aoun Rizvi
- Program of Motor Neuroscience, Department of Kinesiology and Sport Management, Texas A&M University, College Station, TX, 77843, USA
| | - Kara Bell
- Program of Motor Neuroscience, Department of Kinesiology and Sport Management, Texas A&M University, College Station, TX, 77843, USA
| | - Daniel Yang
- Program of Motor Neuroscience, Department of Kinesiology and Sport Management, Texas A&M University, College Station, TX, 77843, USA
| | - Maria P Montenegro
- Program of Motor Neuroscience, Department of Kinesiology and Sport Management, Texas A&M University, College Station, TX, 77843, USA
| | - Hakjoo Kim
- Program of Motor Neuroscience, Department of Kinesiology and Sport Management, Texas A&M University, College Station, TX, 77843, USA
| | - Shancheng Bao
- Program of Motor Neuroscience, Department of Kinesiology and Sport Management, Texas A&M University, College Station, TX, 77843, USA
| | - David L Wright
- Program of Motor Neuroscience, Department of Kinesiology and Sport Management, Texas A&M University, College Station, TX, 77843, USA
| | - John J Buchanan
- Program of Motor Neuroscience, Department of Kinesiology and Sport Management, Texas A&M University, College Station, TX, 77843, USA
| | - Yuming Lei
- Program of Motor Neuroscience, Department of Kinesiology and Sport Management, Texas A&M University, College Station, TX, 77843, USA.
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Lowrey CR, Dukelow SP, Bagg SD, Ritsma B, Scott SH. Impairments in Cognitive Control Using a Reverse Visually Guided Reaching Task Following Stroke. Neurorehabil Neural Repair 2022; 36:449-460. [PMID: 35576434 PMCID: PMC9198399 DOI: 10.1177/15459683221100510] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Cognitive and motor function must work together quickly and seamlessly to allow us to interact with a complex world, but their integration is difficult to assess directly. Interactive technology provides opportunities to assess motor actions requiring cognitive control. OBJECTIVE To adapt a reverse reaching task to an interactive robotic platform to quantify impairments in cognitive-motor integration following stroke. METHODS Participants with subacute stroke (N=59) performed two tasks using the Kinarm: Reverse Visually Guided Reaching (RVGR) and Visually Guided Reaching (VGR). Tasks required subjects move a cursor "quickly and accurately" to virtual targets. In RVGR, cursor motion was reversed compared to finger motion (i.e., hand moves left, cursor moves right). Task parameters and Task Scores were calculated based on models developed from healthy controls, and accounted for the influence of age, sex, and handedness. RESULTS Many stroke participants (86%) were impaired in RVGR with their affected arm (Task Score > 95% of controls). The most common impairment was increased movement time. Seventy-three percent were also impaired with their less affected arm. The most common impairment was larger initial direction angles of reach. Impairments in RVGR improved over time, but 71% of participants tested longitudinally were still impaired with the affected arm ∼6 months post-stroke. Importantly, although 57% were impaired with the less affected arm at 6 months, these individuals were not impaired in VGR. CONCLUSIONS Individuals with stroke were impaired in a reverse reaching task but many did not show similar impairments in a standard reaching task, highlighting selective impairment in cognitive-motor integration.
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Affiliation(s)
- Catherine R Lowrey
- Centre for Neuroscience Studies, 4257Queen's University, Kingston, ON, Canada
| | - Sean P Dukelow
- Hotchkiss Brain Institute, 2129University of Calgary, Calgary, AB, Canada
| | - Stephen D Bagg
- Department of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, 4257Queen's University, Kingston, ON, Canada.,School of Medicine, 4257Queen's University, Kingston, ON, Canada
| | - Benjamin Ritsma
- Department of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, 4257Queen's University, Kingston, ON, Canada.,School of Medicine, 4257Queen's University, Kingston, ON, Canada
| | - Stephen H Scott
- Centre for Neuroscience Studies, 4257Queen's University, Kingston, ON, Canada.,Department of Biomedical and Molecular Sciences, 4257Queen's University, Kingston, ON, Canada.,Department of Medicine, 4257Queen's University, Kingston, ON, Canada
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Gage M, Putra M, Wachter L, Dishman K, Gard M, Gomez-Estrada C, Thippeswamy T. Saracatinib, a Src Tyrosine Kinase Inhibitor, as a Disease Modifier in the Rat DFP Model: Sex Differences, Neurobehavior, Gliosis, Neurodegeneration, and Nitro-Oxidative Stress. Antioxidants (Basel) 2021; 11:61. [PMID: 35052568 PMCID: PMC8773289 DOI: 10.3390/antiox11010061] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/07/2021] [Revised: 12/17/2021] [Accepted: 12/23/2021] [Indexed: 12/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Diisopropylfluorophosphate (DFP), an organophosphate nerve agent (OPNA), exposure causes status epilepticus (SE) and epileptogenesis. In this study, we tested the protective effects of saracatinib (AZD0530), a Src kinase inhibitor, in mixed-sex or male-only Sprague Dawley rats exposed to 4-5 mg/kg DFP followed by 2 mg/kg atropine and 25 mg/kg 2-pralidoxime. Midazolam (3 mg/kg) was given to the mixed-sex cohort (1 h post-DFP) and male-only cohort (~30 min post-DFP). Saracatinib (20 mg/kg, oral, daily for 7 days) or vehicle was given two hours later and euthanized eight days or ten weeks post-DFP. Brain immunohistochemistry (IHC) showed increased microgliosis, astrogliosis, and neurodegeneration in DFP-treated animals. In the 10-week post-DFP male-only group, there were no significant differences between groups in the novel object recognition, Morris water maze, rotarod, or forced swim test. Brain IHC revealed significant mitigation by saracatinib in contrast to vehicle-treated DFP animals in microgliosis, astrogliosis, neurodegeneration, and nitro-oxidative stressors, such as inducible nitric oxide synthase, GP91phox, and 3-Nitrotyrosine. These findings suggest the protective effects of saracatinib on brain pathology seem to depend on the initial SE severity. Further studies on dose optimization, including extended treatment regimen depending on the SE severity, are required to determine its disease-modifying potential in OPNA models.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | | | | | | | | | - Thimmasettappa Thippeswamy
- Department of Biomedical Sciences and Interdepartmental Neuroscience Program, Iowa State University, Ames, IA 50011, USA; (M.G.); (M.P.); (L.W.); (K.D.); (M.G.); (C.G.-E.)
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Atashzar SF, Carriere J, Tavakoli M. Review: How Can Intelligent Robots and Smart Mechatronic Modules Facilitate Remote Assessment, Assistance, and Rehabilitation for Isolated Adults With Neuro-Musculoskeletal Conditions? Front Robot AI 2021; 8:610529. [PMID: 33912593 PMCID: PMC8072151 DOI: 10.3389/frobt.2021.610529] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/26/2020] [Accepted: 02/08/2021] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Worldwide, at the time this article was written, there are over 127 million cases of patients with a confirmed link to COVID-19 and about 2.78 million deaths reported. With limited access to vaccine or strong antiviral treatment for the novel coronavirus, actions in terms of prevention and containment of the virus transmission rely mostly on social distancing among susceptible and high-risk populations. Aside from the direct challenges posed by the novel coronavirus pandemic, there are serious and growing secondary consequences caused by the physical distancing and isolation guidelines, among vulnerable populations. Moreover, the healthcare system's resources and capacity have been focused on addressing the COVID-19 pandemic, causing less urgent care, such as physical neurorehabilitation and assessment, to be paused, canceled, or delayed. Overall, this has left elderly adults, in particular those with neuromusculoskeletal (NMSK) conditions, without the required service support. However, in many cases, such as stroke, the available time window of recovery through rehabilitation is limited since neural plasticity decays quickly with time. Given that future waves of the outbreak are expected in the coming months worldwide, it is important to discuss the possibility of using available technologies to address this issue, as societies have a duty to protect the most vulnerable populations. In this perspective review article, we argue that intelligent robotics and wearable technologies can help with remote delivery of assessment, assistance, and rehabilitation services while physical distancing and isolation measures are in place to curtail the spread of the virus. By supporting patients and medical professionals during this pandemic, robots, and smart digital mechatronic systems can reduce the non-COVID-19 burden on healthcare systems. Digital health and cloud telehealth solutions that can complement remote delivery of assessment and physical rehabilitation services will be the subject of discussion in this article due to their potential in enabling more effective and safer NMSDK rehabilitation, assistance, and assessment service delivery. This article will hopefully lead to an interdisciplinary dialogue between the medical and engineering sectors, stake holders, and policy makers for a better delivery of care for those with NMSK conditions during a global health crisis including future pandemics.
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Affiliation(s)
- S. Farokh Atashzar
- Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering, Department of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering, New York University, New York, NY, United States
| | - Jay Carriere
- Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering, University of Alberta, Edmonton, AB, Canada
| | - Mahdi Tavakoli
- Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering, University of Alberta, Edmonton, AB, Canada
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Unimanual and bimanual motor performance in children with developmental coordination disorder (DCD) provide evidence for underlying motor control deficits. Sci Rep 2021; 11:5982. [PMID: 33727614 PMCID: PMC7971033 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-021-85391-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/10/2020] [Accepted: 03/01/2021] [Indexed: 01/31/2023] Open
Abstract
Much of our understanding of motor control deficits in children with developmental coordination disorder (DCD) comes from upper limb assessments focusing on the dominant limb. Here, using two robotic behavioural tasks, we investigated motor control in both the dominant and non-dominant limbs of children with DCD. Twenty-six children with diagnosed DCD (20 males; mean age 10.6 years ± 1.3 years) and 155 controls were included in this cross-sectional study. Participants completed a visually guided reaching task with their dominant and non-dominant limbs and a bimanual object hitting task. Motor performance was quantified across nine parameters. We determined the number of children with DCD who fell outside of the typical performance range of the controls on these parameters and compared the DCD and control groups using ANCOVAs, accounting for age. Children with DCD demonstrated impairments in six out of nine parameters; deficits were more commonly noted in the non-dominant limb. Interestingly, when looking at individual performance, several children with DCD performed in the range of controls. These findings indicate that children with DCD display deficits in motor control in both the dominant and non-dominant limb and highlight the importance of including detailed assessments of both limbs when investigating children with DCD. They also demonstrate the variability in motor control performance evidenced by children with DCD.
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Simmatis LE, Jin AY, Taylor SW, Bisson EJ, Scott SH, Baharnoori M. The feasibility of assessing cognitive and motor function in multiple sclerosis patients using robotics. Mult Scler J Exp Transl Clin 2020; 6:2055217320964940. [PMID: 33149931 PMCID: PMC7580159 DOI: 10.1177/2055217320964940] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/14/2020] [Accepted: 09/18/2020] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Background Multiple sclerosis (MS) causes pervasive motor, sensory and cognitive dysfunction. The Expanded Disability Status Scale (EDSS) is the gold standard for assessing MS disability. The EDSS is biased towards mobility and may not accurately measure MS-related disabilities in the upper limb or in cognitive functions (e.g. executive function). Objective Our objectives were to determine the feasibility of using the Kinarm robotic system to quantify neurological deficits related to arm function and cognition in MS patients, and examine relationships between traditional clinical assessments and Kinarm variables. Methods Individuals with MS performed 8 robotic tasks assessing motor, cognitive, and sensory ability. We additionally collected traditional clinical assessments and compared these to the results of the robotic assessment. Results Forty-three people with MS were assessed. Most participants could complete the robotic assessment. Twenty-six (60%) were impaired on at least one cognitive task and twenty-six (60%) were impaired on at least one upper-limb motor task. Cognitive domain task performance correlated most strongly with the EDSS. Conclusions Kinarm robotic assessment of people with MS is feasible, can identify a broad range of upper-limb motor and sensory, as well as cognitive, impairments, and complements current clinical rating scales in the assessment of MS-related disability.
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Affiliation(s)
- Leif Er Simmatis
- Centre for Neuroscience Studies, Queen's University, Kingston, Canada
| | | | - Sean W Taylor
- Centre for Neuroscience Studies, Queen's University, Kingston, Canada
| | - Etienne J Bisson
- Centre for Neuroscience Studies, Queen's University, Kingston, Canada
| | - Stephen H Scott
- Centre for Neuroscience Studies, Queen's University, Kingston, Canada
| | - Moogeh Baharnoori
- Centre for Neuroscience Studies, Queen's University, Kingston, Canada
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