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Charalambous CC, Bowden MG, Liang JN, Kautz SA, Hadjipapas A. Alpha and beta/low-gamma frequency bands may have distinct neural origin and function during post-stroke walking. Exp Brain Res 2024; 242:2309-2327. [PMID: 39107522 DOI: 10.1007/s00221-024-06906-8] [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: 03/17/2024] [Accepted: 07/31/2024] [Indexed: 08/11/2024]
Abstract
Plantarflexors provide propulsion during walking and receive input from both corticospinal and corticoreticulospinal tracts, which exhibit some frequency-specificity that allows potential differentiation of each tract's descending drive. Given that stroke may differentially affect each tract and impair the function of plantarflexors during walking; here, we examined this frequency-specificity and its relation to walking-specific measures during post-stroke walking. Fourteen individuals with chronic stroke walked on an instrumented treadmill at self-selected and fast walking speed (SSWS and FWS, respectively) while surface electromyography (sEMG) from soleus (SOL), lateral gastrocnemius (LG), and medial gastrocnemius (MG) and ground reaction forces (GRF) were collected. We calculated the intermuscular coherences (IMC; alpha, beta, and low-gamma bands between SOL-LG, SOL-MG, LG-MG) and propulsive impulse using sEMG and GRF, respectively. We examined the interlimb and intralimb IMC comparisons and their relationships with propulsive impulse and walking speed. Interlimb IMC comparisons revealed that beta LG-MG (SSWS) and low-gamma SOL-LG (FWS) IMCs were degraded on the paretic side. Intralimb IMC comparisons revealed that only alpha IMCs (both speeds) exhibited a statistically significant difference to random coherence. Further, alpha LG-MG IMC was positively correlated with propulsive impulse in the paretic limb (SSWS). Alpha and beta/low-gamma bands may have a differential functional role, which may be related to the frequency-specificity of the underlying descending drives. The persistence of alpha band in plantarflexors and its strong positive relationship with propulsive impulse suggests relative alteration of corticoreticulospinal tract after stroke. These findings imply the presence of frequency-specific descending drives to walking-specific muscles in chronic stroke.
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Affiliation(s)
- Charalambos C Charalambous
- Department of Neurology, Duke University School of Medicine, 40 Medicine Circle Box 3824, Durham, NC, 27710, USA.
- Department of Basic and Clinical Sciences, University of Nicosia Medical School, 21 Ilia Papakyriakou, Block C, Rm 202, 1700, Nicosia, Cyprus.
- Center for Neuroscience and Integrative Brain Research (CENIBRE), University of Nicosia Medical School, 21 Ilia Papakyriakou, Block C, Rm 202, 1700, Nicosia, Cyprus.
- Department of Health Sciences and Research, Medical University of South Carolina, 77 President Street MSC 700, Charleston, SC, 29425, USA.
| | - Mark G Bowden
- Brooks Rehabilitation Clinical Research Center, 3901 S. University Blvd, Suite 101, Jacksonville, FL, 32216, USA
| | - Jing Nong Liang
- Department of Physical Therapy, University of Nevada, 4505 S Maryland Pkwy, Box 453029, Las Vegas, NV, 89154-3029, USA
| | - Steven A Kautz
- Department of Health Sciences and Research, Medical University of South Carolina, 77 President Street MSC 700, Charleston, SC, 29425, USA
- Department of Rehabilitation Sciences, Medical University of South Carolina, Charleston, SC, USA
- Ralph H. Johnson VA Medical Center, 109 Bee St, Charleston, SC, 29401, USA
| | - Avgis Hadjipapas
- Department of Basic and Clinical Sciences, University of Nicosia Medical School, 21 Ilia Papakyriakou, Block C, Rm 202, 1700, Nicosia, Cyprus
- Center for Neuroscience and Integrative Brain Research (CENIBRE), University of Nicosia Medical School, 21 Ilia Papakyriakou, Block C, Rm 202, 1700, Nicosia, Cyprus
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Hüche Larsen H, Justiniano MD, Frisk RF, Lundbye-Jensen J, Farmer SF, Nielsen JB. Task difficulty of visually guided gait modifications involves differences in central drive to spinal motor neurons. J Neurophysiol 2024; 132:1126-1141. [PMID: 39196679 DOI: 10.1152/jn.00466.2023] [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: 12/17/2023] [Revised: 08/16/2024] [Accepted: 08/21/2024] [Indexed: 08/30/2024] Open
Abstract
Walking in natural environments requires visually guided modifications, which can be more challenging when involving sideways steps rather than longer steps. This exploratory study investigated whether these two types of modifications involve different changes in the central drive to spinal motor neurons of leg muscles. Fifteen adults [age: 36 ± 6 (SD) years] walked on a treadmill (4 km/h) while observing a screen displaying the real-time position of their toes. At the beginning of the swing phase, a visual target appeared in front (forward) or medial-lateral (sideways) of the ground contact in random step cycles (approximately every third step). We measured three-dimensional kinematics and electromyographic activity from leg muscles bilaterally. Intermuscular coherence was calculated in the alpha (5-15 Hz), beta (15-30 Hz), and gamma bands (30-45 Hz) approximately 230 ms before and after ground contact in control and target steps. Results showed that adjustments toward sideways targets were associated with significantly higher error, lower foot lift, and higher cocontraction between antagonist ankle muscles. Movements toward sideways targets were associated with larger beta-band soleus (SOL): medial gastrocnemius (MG) coherence and a more narrow and larger peak of synchronization in the cumulant density before ground contact. In contrast, movements toward forward targets showed no significant differences in coherence or synchronization compared with control steps. Larger SOL:MG beta-band coherence and short-term synchronization were observed during sideways, but not forward, gait modifications. This suggests that visually guided gait modifications may involve differences in the central drive to spinal ankle motor neurons dependent on the level of task difficulty.NEW & NOTEWORTHY This exploratory study suggests a specific and temporally restricted increase of central (likely corticospinal) drive to ankle muscles in relation to visually guided gait modifications. The findings indicate that a high level of visual attention to control the position of the ankle joint precisely before ground contact may involve increased central drive to ankle muscles. These findings are important for understanding the neural mechanisms underlying visually guided gait and may help develop rehabilitation interventions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Helle Hüche Larsen
- Department of Neuroscience, University of Copenhagen, Copenhagen, Denmark
- Elsass Foundation, Charlottenlund, Denmark
| | | | - Rasmus Feld Frisk
- Department of Neuroscience, University of Copenhagen, Copenhagen, Denmark
- Elsass Foundation, Charlottenlund, Denmark
| | - Jesper Lundbye-Jensen
- Movement and Neuroscience, Department of Nutrition, Exercise and Sports, University of Copenhagen, Copenhagen, Denmark
| | - Simon Francis Farmer
- Department of Clinical and Movement Neuroscience, Institute of Neurology, University College London, London, United Kingdom
- Department of Clinical Neurology, National Hospital for Neurology and Neurosurgery, London, United Kingdom
| | - Jens Bo Nielsen
- Department of Neuroscience, University of Copenhagen, Copenhagen, Denmark
- Elsass Foundation, Charlottenlund, Denmark
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Santos PCRD, Heimler B, Koren O, Flash T, Plotnik M. Dopamine improves defective cortical and muscular connectivity during bilateral control of gait in Parkinson's disease. Commun Biol 2024; 7:495. [PMID: 38658666 PMCID: PMC11043351 DOI: 10.1038/s42003-024-06195-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/17/2024] [Accepted: 04/15/2024] [Indexed: 04/26/2024] Open
Abstract
Parkinson's Disease (PD)-typical declines in gait coordination are possibly explained by weakness in bilateral cortical and muscular connectivity. Here, we seek to determine whether this weakness and consequent decline in gait coordination is affected by dopamine levels. To this end, we compare cortico-cortical, cortico-muscular, and intermuscular connectivity and gait outcomes between body sides in people with PD under ON and OFF medication states, and in older adults. In our study, participants walked back and forth along a 12 m corridor. Gait events (heel strikes and toe-offs) and electrical cortical and muscular activities were measured and used to compute cortico-cortical, cortico-muscular, and intermuscular connectivity (i.e., coherences in the alpha, beta, and gamma bands), as well as features characterizing gait performance (e.g., the step-timing coordination, length, and speed). We observe that people with PD, mainly during the OFF medication, walk with reduced step-timing coordination. Additionally, our results suggest that dopamine intake in PD increases the overall cortico-muscular connectivity during the stance and swing phases of gait. We thus conclude that dopamine corrects defective feedback caused by impaired sensory-information processing and sensory-motor integration, thus increasing cortico-muscular coherences in the alpha bands and improving gait.
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Affiliation(s)
- Paulo Cezar Rocha Dos Santos
- Department of Computer Science and Applied Mathematics, Weizmann Institute of Science, Rehovot, Israel.
- Center of Advanced Technologies in Rehabilitation, Sheba Medical Center, Ramat Gan, Israel.
- IDOR/Pioneer Science Initiative, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.
| | - Benedetta Heimler
- Center of Advanced Technologies in Rehabilitation, Sheba Medical Center, Ramat Gan, Israel
| | - Or Koren
- Center of Advanced Technologies in Rehabilitation, Sheba Medical Center, Ramat Gan, Israel
| | - Tamar Flash
- Department of Computer Science and Applied Mathematics, Weizmann Institute of Science, Rehovot, Israel
| | - Meir Plotnik
- Center of Advanced Technologies in Rehabilitation, Sheba Medical Center, Ramat Gan, Israel.
- Sagol School of Neuroscience, Tel Aviv University, Tel Aviv, Israel.
- Department of Physiology and Pharmacology, Faculty of Medicine, Tel Aviv University, Tel Aviv, Israel.
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Xiong Q, Wan J, Liu Y, Wu X, Jiang S, Xiao N, Hou W. Reduced corticospinal drive to antagonist muscles of upper and lower limbs during hands-and-knees crawling in infants with cerebral palsy: Evidence from intermuscular EMG-EMG coherence. Behav Brain Res 2024; 457:114718. [PMID: 37858871 DOI: 10.1016/j.bbr.2023.114718] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/15/2023] [Revised: 10/02/2023] [Accepted: 10/16/2023] [Indexed: 10/21/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND There is growing interest in understanding the central control of hands-and-knees crawling, especially as a significant motor developmental milestone for early assessment of motor dysfunction in infants with cerebral palsy (CP) who have not yet acquired walking ability. In particular, CP is known to be associated with walking dysfunctions caused by early damage and incomplete maturation of the corticospinal tract. However, the extent of damage to the corticospinal connections during crawling in infants with CP has not been fully clarified. Therefore, this study aimed to investigate the disparities in intermuscular EMG-EMG coherence, which serve as indicators of corticospinal drives to antagonist muscles in the upper and lower limbs during crawling, between infants with and without CP. METHODS This study involved 15 infants diagnosed with CP and 20 typically developing (TD) infants. Surface EMG recordings were obtained from two pairs of antagonist muscles in the upper limbs (triceps brachii (TB) and biceps brachii (BB)) and lower limbs (quadriceps femoris (QF) and hamstrings (HS)), while the infants performed hands-and-knees crawling at their self-selected velocity. Intermuscular EMG-EMG coherence was computed in two frequency bands, the beta band (15-30 Hz) and gamma band (30-60 Hz), which indicate corticospinal drive. Additionally, spatiotemporal parameters, including crawling velocity, cadence, duration, and the percentage of stance phase time, were calculated for comparison. Spearman rank correlations were conducted to assess the relationship between EMG-EMG coherence and crawling spatiotemporal parameters. RESULTS Infants with CP exhibited significantly reduced crawling velocity, decreased cadence, longer cycle duration, and a higher percentage of stance phase time compared to TD infants. Furthermore, CP infants demonstrated decreased coherence in the beta and gamma frequency bands (indicators of corticospinal drive) in both upper and lower limb muscles. Regarding limb-related differences in the beta and gamma coherence, significant disparities were found between upper and lower limb muscles in TD infants (p < 0.05), but not in infants with CP (p > 0.05). Additionally, significant correlations between coherence metrics and crawling spatiotemporal parameters were identified in the TD group (p < 0.05), while such correlations were not evident in the CP group. CONCLUSIONS Our findings suggest that the corticospinal drive may functionally influence the central control of antagonist muscles in the limbs during typical infant crawling. This functional role could be impaired by neurological conditions such as cerebral palsy. The neurophysiological markers of corticospinal drive, specifically intermuscular EMG-EMG coherence during crawling in infants with cerebral palsy, could potentially serve as a tool to assess developmental response to therapy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Qiliang Xiong
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Nanchang Hangkong University, Jiangxi, China; Department of Bioengineering, Chongqing University, Chongqing, China.
| | - Jinliang Wan
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Nanchang Hangkong University, Jiangxi, China
| | - Yuan Liu
- Department of Rehabilitation, Children's Hospital of Chongqing Medical University, Chongqing, China
| | - Xiaoying Wu
- Department of Bioengineering, Chongqing University, Chongqing, China
| | - Shaofeng Jiang
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Nanchang Hangkong University, Jiangxi, China
| | - Nong Xiao
- Department of Rehabilitation, Children's Hospital of Chongqing Medical University, Chongqing, China
| | - Wensheng Hou
- Department of Bioengineering, Chongqing University, Chongqing, China
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Wen L, Watanabe T, Iwamoto Y, Ishii Y, Miyoshi F, Shiraishi K, Date S, Siu KC, Kirimoto H, Takahashi M. Intramuscular and intermuscular coherence analysis while obstacle crossing during treadmill gait. Somatosens Mot Res 2023:1-11. [PMID: 38145411 DOI: 10.1080/08990220.2023.2296516] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/08/2022] [Accepted: 11/30/2023] [Indexed: 12/26/2023]
Abstract
PURPOSE This study aimed to identify the contribution of the common synaptic drives to motor units during obstacle avoidance, using coherence analysis between a-pair electromyography (EMG) signals (EMG-EMG coherence). MATERIALS AND METHODS Fourteen healthy volunteers walked on a treadmill with and without obstacle avoidance. During obstacle gait, subjects were instructed to step over an obstacle with their right leg while walking that would randomly and unpredictably appear. Surface EMG signals were recorded from the following muscles of the right leg: the proximal and distal ends of tibialis anterior (TAp and TAd), biceps femoris (BF), semitendinosus (ST), lateral gastrocnemius (LG), and medial gastrocnemius (MG). Beta-band (13-30 Hz) EMG-EMG coherence was analysed. RESULTS Beta-band EMG-EMG coherence of TAp-TAd during swing phase and BF-ST during pre and initial swing phase when stepping over an obstacle were significantly higher compared to normal gait (both p < 0.05). Beta-band EMG-EMG coherence of TAp-TAd, BF-ST, and LG-MG during stance phase were not significantly different between the two gait conditions (all p > 0.05). CONCLUSIONS The present findings suggest increased common synaptic drives to motor units in ankle dorsiflexor and knee flexor muscles during obstacle avoidance. It also may reflect an increased cortical contribution to modify the gait patterns to avoid an obstacle.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lin Wen
- Department of Biomechanics, Graduate School of Biomedical and Health Sciences, Hiroshima University, Hiroshima, Japan
| | - Tatsunori Watanabe
- Department of Sensorimotor Neuroscience, Graduate School of Biomedical and Health Sciences, Hiroshima University, Hiroshima, Japan
- Department of Health Sciences, Aomori University of Health and Welfare, Aomori, Japan
| | - Yoshitaka Iwamoto
- Department of Biomechanics, Graduate School of Biomedical and Health Sciences, Hiroshima University, Hiroshima, Japan
| | - Yosuke Ishii
- Department of Biomechanics, Graduate School of Biomedical and Health Sciences, Hiroshima University, Hiroshima, Japan
| | - Fumiya Miyoshi
- Department of Biomechanics, Graduate School of Biomedical and Health Sciences, Hiroshima University, Hiroshima, Japan
| | - Kanako Shiraishi
- Department of Biomechanics, Graduate School of Biomedical and Health Sciences, Hiroshima University, Hiroshima, Japan
| | - Shota Date
- Department of Analysis and Control of Upper Extremity Function, Graduate School of Biomedical and Health Sciences, Hiroshima University, Hiroshima, Japan
| | - Ka-Chun Siu
- Physical Therapy Education, College of Allied Health Professions, University of Nebraska Medical Center, Omaha, NE, USA
| | - Hikari Kirimoto
- Department of Sensorimotor Neuroscience, Graduate School of Biomedical and Health Sciences, Hiroshima University, Hiroshima, Japan
| | - Makoto Takahashi
- Department of Biomechanics, Graduate School of Biomedical and Health Sciences, Hiroshima University, Hiroshima, Japan
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Popp WL, Richner L, Lambercy O, Shirota C, Barry A, Gassert R, Kamper DG. Effects of wrist posture and stabilization on precision grip force production and muscle activation patterns. J Neurophysiol 2023; 130:596-607. [PMID: 37529845 DOI: 10.1152/jn.00420.2020] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/29/2020] [Revised: 07/24/2023] [Accepted: 07/24/2023] [Indexed: 08/03/2023] Open
Abstract
Most of the power for generating forces in the fingers arises from muscles located in the forearm. This configuration maximizes finger joint range of motion while minimizing finger mass and inertia. The resulting multiarticular arrangement of the tendons, however, complicates independent control of the wrist and the digits. Actuating the wrist impacts sensorimotor control of the fingers and vice versa. The goal of this study was to systematically investigate interactions between isometric wrist and digit control. Specifically, we examined how the need to maintain a specified wrist posture influences precision grip. Fifteen healthy adults produced maximum precision grip force at 11 different wrist flexion/extension angles, with the arm supported, under two conditions: 1) the participant maintained the desired wrist angle while performing the precision grip and 2) a robot maintained the specified wrist angle. Wrist flexion/extension posture significantly impacted maximum precision grip force (P < 0.001), with the greatest grip force achieved when the wrist was extended 30° from neutral. External wrist stabilization by the robot led to a 20% increase in precision grip force across wrist postures. Increased force was accompanied by increased muscle activation but with an activation pattern similar to the one used when the participant had to stabilize their wrist. Thus, simultaneous wrist and finger requirements impacted performance of an isometric finger task. External wrist stabilization can promote increased precision grip force resulting from increased muscle activation. These findings have potential clinical significance for individuals with neurologically driven finger weakness, such as stroke survivors.NEW & NOTEWORTHY We explored the interdependence between wrist and fingers by assessing the influence of wrist posture and external stabilization on precision grip force generation. We found that maximum precision grip force occurred at an extended wrist posture and was 20% greater when the wrist was Externally Stabilized. The latter resulted from amplification of muscle activation patterns from the Self-Stabilized condition rather than adoption of new patterns exploiting external wrist stabilization.
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Affiliation(s)
- Werner L Popp
- Department of Health Sciences and Technology, ETH Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland
- Spinal Cord Injury Center, Balgrist University Hospital, Zurich, Switzerland
| | - Lea Richner
- Department of Health Sciences and Technology, ETH Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland
- Spinal Cord Injury Center, Balgrist University Hospital, Zurich, Switzerland
| | - Olivier Lambercy
- Department of Health Sciences and Technology, ETH Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland
| | - Camila Shirota
- Department of Health Sciences and Technology, ETH Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland
| | | | - Roger Gassert
- Department of Health Sciences and Technology, ETH Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland
- Joint Department of Biomedical Engineering, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill/North Carolina State University, Chapel Hill, North Carolina, United States
| | - Derek G Kamper
- Joint Department of Biomedical Engineering, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill/North Carolina State University, Chapel Hill, North Carolina, United States
- Closed-Loop Engineering for Advanced Rehabilitation Research Core, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill/North Carolina State University, Raleigh, North Carolina, United States
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Gouveia D, Correia J, Cardoso A, Carvalho C, Oliveira AC, Almeida A, Gamboa Ó, Ribeiro L, Branquinho M, Sousa A, Lopes B, Sousa P, Moreira A, Coelho A, Rêma A, Alvites R, Ferreira A, Maurício AC, Martins Â. Intensive neurorehabilitation and allogeneic stem cells transplantation in canine degenerative myelopathy. Front Vet Sci 2023; 10:1192744. [PMID: 37520009 PMCID: PMC10374290 DOI: 10.3389/fvets.2023.1192744] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/23/2023] [Accepted: 06/12/2023] [Indexed: 08/01/2023] Open
Abstract
Introduction Degenerative myelopathy (DM) is a neurodegenerative spinal cord disease with upper motor neurons, with progressive and chronic clinical signs, similar to amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS). DM has a complex etiology mainly associated with SOD1 gene mutation and its toxic role, with no specific treatment. Daily intensive rehabilitation showed survival time near 8 months but most animals are euthanized 6-12 months after clinical signs onset. Methods This prospective controlled blinded cohort clinical study aims to evaluate the neural regeneration response ability of DM dogs subjected to an intensive neurorehabilitation protocol with mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) transplantation. In total, 13 non-ambulatory (OFS 6 or 8) dogs with homozygous genotype DM/DM and diagnosed by exclusion were included. All were allocated to the intensive neurorehabilitation with MSCs protocol (INSCP) group (n = 8) or to the ambulatory rehabilitation protocol (ARP) group (n = 5), which differ in regard to training intensity, modalities frequency, and MSCs transplantation. The INSCP group was hospitalized for 1 month (T0 to T1), followed by MSCs transplantation (T1) and a second month (T2), whereas the ARP group was under ambulatory treatment for the same 2 months. Results Survival mean time of total population was 375 days, with 438 days for the INSCP group and 274 for the ARP group, with a marked difference on the Kaplan-Meier survival analysis. When comparing the literature's results, there was also a clear difference in the one-sample t-test (p = 0.013) with an increase in time of approximately 70%. OFS classifications between groups at each time point were significantly different (p = 0.008) by the one-way ANOVA and the independent sample t-test. Discussion This INSCP showed to be safe, feasible, and a possibility for a long progression of DM dogs with quality of life and functional improvement. This study should be continued.
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Affiliation(s)
- Débora Gouveia
- Arrábida Veterinary Hospital, Arrábida Animal Rehabilitation Center, Setubal, Portugal
- Superior School of Health, Protection and Animal Welfare, Polytechnic Institute of Lusophony, Lisboa, Portugal
- Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Lusófona University, Lisboa, Portugal
| | - Jéssica Correia
- Arrábida Veterinary Hospital, Arrábida Animal Rehabilitation Center, Setubal, Portugal
- Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Lusófona University, Lisboa, Portugal
| | - Ana Cardoso
- Arrábida Veterinary Hospital, Arrábida Animal Rehabilitation Center, Setubal, Portugal
- Superior School of Health, Protection and Animal Welfare, Polytechnic Institute of Lusophony, Lisboa, Portugal
| | - Carla Carvalho
- Arrábida Veterinary Hospital, Arrábida Animal Rehabilitation Center, Setubal, Portugal
| | - Ana Catarina Oliveira
- Arrábida Veterinary Hospital, Arrábida Animal Rehabilitation Center, Setubal, Portugal
- Superior School of Health, Protection and Animal Welfare, Polytechnic Institute of Lusophony, Lisboa, Portugal
| | - António Almeida
- Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Lisbon, Lisboa, Portugal
| | - Óscar Gamboa
- Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Lisbon, Lisboa, Portugal
| | - Lénio Ribeiro
- Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Lusófona University, Lisboa, Portugal
| | - Mariana Branquinho
- Departamento de Clínicas Veterinárias, Instituto de Ciências Biomédicas de Abel Salaza, Universidade do Porto, Porto, Portugal
- Centro de Estudos de Ciência Animal, Instituto de Ciências, Tecnologias e Agroambiente da Universidade do Porto, Porto, Portugal
- Associate Laboratory for Animal and Veterinary Science (AL4AnimalS), Lisboa, Portugal
| | - Ana Sousa
- Departamento de Clínicas Veterinárias, Instituto de Ciências Biomédicas de Abel Salaza, Universidade do Porto, Porto, Portugal
- Centro de Estudos de Ciência Animal, Instituto de Ciências, Tecnologias e Agroambiente da Universidade do Porto, Porto, Portugal
- Associate Laboratory for Animal and Veterinary Science (AL4AnimalS), Lisboa, Portugal
| | - Bruna Lopes
- Departamento de Clínicas Veterinárias, Instituto de Ciências Biomédicas de Abel Salaza, Universidade do Porto, Porto, Portugal
- Centro de Estudos de Ciência Animal, Instituto de Ciências, Tecnologias e Agroambiente da Universidade do Porto, Porto, Portugal
- Associate Laboratory for Animal and Veterinary Science (AL4AnimalS), Lisboa, Portugal
| | - Patrícia Sousa
- Departamento de Clínicas Veterinárias, Instituto de Ciências Biomédicas de Abel Salaza, Universidade do Porto, Porto, Portugal
- Centro de Estudos de Ciência Animal, Instituto de Ciências, Tecnologias e Agroambiente da Universidade do Porto, Porto, Portugal
- Associate Laboratory for Animal and Veterinary Science (AL4AnimalS), Lisboa, Portugal
| | - Alícia Moreira
- Departamento de Clínicas Veterinárias, Instituto de Ciências Biomédicas de Abel Salaza, Universidade do Porto, Porto, Portugal
- Centro de Estudos de Ciência Animal, Instituto de Ciências, Tecnologias e Agroambiente da Universidade do Porto, Porto, Portugal
- Associate Laboratory for Animal and Veterinary Science (AL4AnimalS), Lisboa, Portugal
| | - André Coelho
- Departamento de Clínicas Veterinárias, Instituto de Ciências Biomédicas de Abel Salaza, Universidade do Porto, Porto, Portugal
- Centro de Estudos de Ciência Animal, Instituto de Ciências, Tecnologias e Agroambiente da Universidade do Porto, Porto, Portugal
- Associate Laboratory for Animal and Veterinary Science (AL4AnimalS), Lisboa, Portugal
| | - Alexandra Rêma
- Departamento de Clínicas Veterinárias, Instituto de Ciências Biomédicas de Abel Salaza, Universidade do Porto, Porto, Portugal
- Centro de Estudos de Ciência Animal, Instituto de Ciências, Tecnologias e Agroambiente da Universidade do Porto, Porto, Portugal
- Associate Laboratory for Animal and Veterinary Science (AL4AnimalS), Lisboa, Portugal
| | - Rui Alvites
- Departamento de Clínicas Veterinárias, Instituto de Ciências Biomédicas de Abel Salaza, Universidade do Porto, Porto, Portugal
- Centro de Estudos de Ciência Animal, Instituto de Ciências, Tecnologias e Agroambiente da Universidade do Porto, Porto, Portugal
- Associate Laboratory for Animal and Veterinary Science (AL4AnimalS), Lisboa, Portugal
- Instituto Universitário de Ciências da Saúde (IUCS), Cooperativa de Ensino Superior Politécnico e Universitário (CESPU), Gandra, Portugal
| | - António Ferreira
- Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Lisbon, Lisboa, Portugal
- Associate Laboratory for Animal and Veterinary Science (AL4AnimalS), Lisboa, Portugal
- CIISA - Centro Interdisciplinar-Investigáo em Saúde Animal, Faculdade de Medicina Veterinária, Av. Universi dade Técnica de Lisboa, Lisboa, Portugal
| | - Ana Colette Maurício
- Departamento de Clínicas Veterinárias, Instituto de Ciências Biomédicas de Abel Salaza, Universidade do Porto, Porto, Portugal
- Centro de Estudos de Ciência Animal, Instituto de Ciências, Tecnologias e Agroambiente da Universidade do Porto, Porto, Portugal
- Associate Laboratory for Animal and Veterinary Science (AL4AnimalS), Lisboa, Portugal
| | - Ângela Martins
- Arrábida Veterinary Hospital, Arrábida Animal Rehabilitation Center, Setubal, Portugal
- Superior School of Health, Protection and Animal Welfare, Polytechnic Institute of Lusophony, Lisboa, Portugal
- Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Lusófona University, Lisboa, Portugal
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Zipser-Mohammadzada F, Scheffers MF, Conway BA, Halliday DM, Zipser CM, Curt A, Schubert M. Intramuscular coherence enables robust assessment of modulated supra-spinal input in human gait: an inter-dependence study of visual task and walking speed. Exp Brain Res 2023; 241:1675-1689. [PMID: 37199775 DOI: 10.1007/s00221-023-06635-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/08/2023] [Accepted: 05/11/2023] [Indexed: 05/19/2023]
Abstract
Intramuscular high-frequency coherence is increased during visually guided treadmill walking as a consequence of increased supra-spinal input. The influence of walking speed on intramuscular coherence and its inter-trial reproducibility need to be established before adoption as a functional gait assessment tool in clinical settings. Here, fifteen healthy controls performed a normal and a target walking task on a treadmill at various speeds (0.3 m/s, 0.5 m/s, 0.9 m/s, and preferred) during two sessions. Intramuscular coherence was calculated between two surface EMG recordings sites of the Tibialis anterior muscle during the swing phase of walking. The results were averaged across low-frequency (5-14 Hz) and high-frequency (15-55 Hz) bands. The effect of speed, task, and time on mean coherence was assessed using three-way repeated measures ANOVA. Reliability and agreement were calculated with the intra-class correlation coefficient and Bland-Altman method, respectively. Intramuscular coherence during target walking was significantly higher than during normal walking across all walking speeds in the high-frequency band as obtained by the three-way repeated measures ANOVA. Interaction effects between task and speed were found for the low- and high-frequency bands, suggesting that task-dependent differences increase at higher walking speeds. Reliability of intramuscular coherence was moderate to excellent for most normal and target walking tasks in all frequency bands. This study confirms previous reports of increased intramuscular coherence during target walking, while providing first evidence for reproducibility and robustness of this measure as a requirement to investigate supra-spinal input.Trial registration Registry number/ClinicalTrials.gov Identifier: NCT03343132, date of registration 2017/11/17.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Marjelle Fredie Scheffers
- Department of Neurophysiology, Spinal Cord Injury Center, Balgrist University Hospital, Zurich, Switzerland
- Faculty of Medicine, Utrecht University, Utrecht, The Netherlands
| | - Bernard A Conway
- Biomedical Engineering, University of Strathclyde, Glasgow, G4 0NW, UK
| | - David M Halliday
- School of Physics, Engineering and Technology, University of York, York, YO10 5DD, UK
- York Biomedical Research Institute, University of York, York, UK
| | - Carl Moritz Zipser
- Department of Neurophysiology, Spinal Cord Injury Center, Balgrist University Hospital, Zurich, Switzerland
| | - Armin Curt
- Department of Neurophysiology, Spinal Cord Injury Center, Balgrist University Hospital, Zurich, Switzerland
| | - Martin Schubert
- Department of Neurophysiology, Spinal Cord Injury Center, Balgrist University Hospital, Zurich, Switzerland
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9
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Balbinot G, Li G, Gauthier C, Musselman KE, Kalsi-Ryan S, Zariffa J. Functional electrical stimulation therapy for upper extremity rehabilitation following spinal cord injury: a pilot study. Spinal Cord Ser Cases 2023; 9:11. [PMID: 37005407 PMCID: PMC10067812 DOI: 10.1038/s41394-023-00568-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/27/2022] [Revised: 03/14/2023] [Accepted: 03/16/2023] [Indexed: 04/04/2023] Open
Abstract
STUDY DESIGN Pilot study. OBJECTIVES To examine if functional electrical stimulation therapy (FEST) improves neuromuscular factors underlying upper limb function in individuals with SCI. SETTING A tertiary spinal cord rehabilitation center specialized in spinal cord injury care in Canada. METHODS We examined 29 muscles from 4 individuals living with chronic, cervical, and incomplete SCI. The analysis was focused on the changes in muscle activation, as well as on how the treatment could change the ability to control a given muscle or on how multiple muscles would be coordinated during volitional efforts. RESULTS There was evidence of gains in muscle strength, activation, and median frequency after the FEST. Gains in muscle activation indicated the activation of a greater number of motor units and gains in muscle median frequency the involvement of higher threshold, faster motor units. In some individuals, these changes were smaller but accompanied by increased control over muscle contraction, evident in a greater ability to sustain a volitional contraction, reduce the co-contraction of antagonist muscles, and provide cortical drive. CONCLUSIONS FEST increases muscle strength and activation. Enhanced control of muscle contraction, reduced co-contraction of antagonist muscles, and a greater presence of cortical drive were some of the findings supporting the effects of FEST at the sensory-motor integration level.
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Affiliation(s)
- Gustavo Balbinot
- KITE Research Institute, University Health Network, Toronto, ON, M5G 2A2, Canada.
| | - Guijin Li
- KITE Research Institute, University Health Network, Toronto, ON, M5G 2A2, Canada
- Institute of Biomedical Engineering, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada
| | - Cindy Gauthier
- KITE Research Institute, University Health Network, Toronto, ON, M5G 2A2, Canada
- Department of Physical Therapy, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada
| | - Kristin E Musselman
- KITE Research Institute, University Health Network, Toronto, ON, M5G 2A2, Canada
- Department of Physical Therapy, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada
- Rehabilitation Sciences Institute, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada
| | - Sukhvinder Kalsi-Ryan
- KITE Research Institute, University Health Network, Toronto, ON, M5G 2A2, Canada
- Department of Physical Therapy, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada
- Rehabilitation Sciences Institute, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada
| | - José Zariffa
- KITE Research Institute, University Health Network, Toronto, ON, M5G 2A2, Canada
- Institute of Biomedical Engineering, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada
- Rehabilitation Sciences Institute, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada
- Edward S. Rogers Sr. Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada
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10
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Gouveia D, Cardoso A, Carvalho C, Almeida A, Gamboa Ó, Ferreira A, Martins Â. Approach to Small Animal Neurorehabilitation by Locomotor Training: An Update. Animals (Basel) 2022; 12:ani12243582. [PMID: 36552502 PMCID: PMC9774773 DOI: 10.3390/ani12243582] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/20/2022] [Revised: 12/05/2022] [Accepted: 12/15/2022] [Indexed: 12/23/2022] Open
Abstract
Neurorehabilitation has a wide range of therapies to achieve neural regeneration, reorganization, and repair (e.g., axon regeneration, remyelination, and restoration of spinal circuits and networks) to achieve ambulation for dogs and cats, especially for grade 1 (modified Frankel scale) with signs of spinal shock or grade 0 (deep pain negative), similar to humans classified with ASIA A lesions. This review aims to explain what locomotor training is, its importance, its feasibility within a clinical setting, and some possible protocols for motor recovery, achieving ambulation with coordinated and modulated movements. In addition, it cites some of the primary key points that must be present in the daily lives of veterinarians or rehabilitation nurses. These can be the guidelines to improve this exciting exercise necessary to achieve ambulation with quality of life. However, more research is essential in the future years.
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Affiliation(s)
- Débora Gouveia
- Arrábida Veterinary Hospital—Arrábida Animal Rehabilitation Center, 2925-538 Setubal, Portugal
- Superior School of Health, Protection and Animal Welfare, Polytechnic Institute of Lusophony, Campo Grande, 1950-396 Lisboa, Portugal
- Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Lusófona University, Campo Grande, 1749-024 Lisboa, Portugal
- Correspondence:
| | - Ana Cardoso
- Arrábida Veterinary Hospital—Arrábida Animal Rehabilitation Center, 2925-538 Setubal, Portugal
| | - Carla Carvalho
- Arrábida Veterinary Hospital—Arrábida Animal Rehabilitation Center, 2925-538 Setubal, Portugal
| | - António Almeida
- Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Lisbon, 1300-477 Lisboa, Portugal
| | - Óscar Gamboa
- Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Lisbon, 1300-477 Lisboa, Portugal
| | - António Ferreira
- Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Lisbon, 1300-477 Lisboa, Portugal
- CIISA—Centro Interdisciplinar-Investigaçāo em Saúde Animal, Faculdade de Medicina Veterinária, Av. Universi dade Técnica de Lisboa, 1300-477 Lisboa, Portugal
| | - Ângela Martins
- Arrábida Veterinary Hospital—Arrábida Animal Rehabilitation Center, 2925-538 Setubal, Portugal
- Superior School of Health, Protection and Animal Welfare, Polytechnic Institute of Lusophony, Campo Grande, 1950-396 Lisboa, Portugal
- Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Lusófona University, Campo Grande, 1749-024 Lisboa, Portugal
- Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Lisbon, 1300-477 Lisboa, Portugal
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11
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Charalambous CC, Hadjipapas A. Is there frequency-specificity in the motor control of walking? The putative differential role of alpha and beta oscillations. Front Syst Neurosci 2022; 16:922841. [PMID: 36387306 PMCID: PMC9650482 DOI: 10.3389/fnsys.2022.922841] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/18/2022] [Accepted: 10/14/2022] [Indexed: 11/04/2023] Open
Abstract
Alpha and beta oscillations have been assessed thoroughly during walking due to their potential role as proxies of the corticoreticulospinal tract (CReST) and corticospinal tract (CST), respectively. Given that damage to a descending tract after stroke can cause walking deficits, detailed knowledge of how these oscillations mechanistically contribute to walking could be utilized in strategies for post-stroke locomotor recovery. In this review, the goal was to summarize, synthesize, and discuss the existing evidence on the potential differential role of these oscillations on the motor descending drive, the effect of transcranial alternate current stimulation (tACS) on neurotypical and post-stroke walking, and to discuss remaining gaps in knowledge, future directions, and methodological considerations. Electrophysiological studies of corticomuscular, intermuscular, and intramuscular coherence during walking clearly demonstrate that beta oscillations are predominantly present in the dorsiflexors during the swing phase and may be absent post-stroke. The role of alpha oscillations, however, has not been pinpointed as clearly. We concluded that both animal and human studies should focus on the electrophysiological characterization of alpha oscillations and their potential role to the CReST. Another approach in elucidating the role of these oscillations is to modulate them and then quantify the impact on walking behavior. This is possible through tACS, whose beneficial effect on walking behavior (including boosting of beta oscillations in intramuscular coherence) has been recently demonstrated in both neurotypical adults and stroke patients. However, these studies still do not allow for specific roles of alpha and beta oscillations to be delineated because the tACS frequency used was much lower (i.e., individualized calculated gait frequency was used). Thus, we identify a main gap in the literature, which is tACS studies actually stimulating at alpha and beta frequencies during walking. Overall, we conclude that for beta oscillations there is a clear connection to descending drive in the corticospinal tract. The precise relationship between alpha oscillations and CReST remains elusive due to the gaps in the literature identified here. However, better understanding the role of alpha (and beta) oscillations in the motor control of walking can be used to progress and develop rehabilitation strategies for promoting locomotor recovery.
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Affiliation(s)
- Charalambos C. Charalambous
- Department of Basic and Clinical Sciences, Medical School, University of Nicosia, Nicosia, Cyprus
- Center for Neuroscience and Integrative Brain Research (CENIBRE), Medical School, University of Nicosia, Nicosia, Cyprus
| | - Avgis Hadjipapas
- Department of Basic and Clinical Sciences, Medical School, University of Nicosia, Nicosia, Cyprus
- Center for Neuroscience and Integrative Brain Research (CENIBRE), Medical School, University of Nicosia, Nicosia, Cyprus
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12
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Cathomen A, Meier F, Lerch I, Killeen T, Zörner B, Curt A, Bolliger M. Corticospinal control of a challenging ankle task in incomplete spinal cord injury. J Neurotrauma 2022; 40:952-964. [PMID: 36029211 DOI: 10.1089/neu.2022.0205] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/12/2022] Open
Abstract
After incomplete spinal cord injury (iSCI), the control of lower extremity movements may be affected by impairments in descending corticospinal tract function. Previous iSCI studies demonstrated relatively well-preserved movement control during simple alternating dorsi- and plantarflexions albeit with severely reduced motor strength and range of motion. However, this task required comparably limited fine motor control, impeding the sensitivity to assess the modulatory capacity of corticospinal control. Therefore, we introduced a more challenging ankle motor task requiring complex and dynamic feedback-based movement adjustments to modulate corticospinal drive. Nineteen individuals with iSCI and 22 control subjects performed two different ankle movement tasks: i) a regular, auditory-guided ankle movement task at a constant frequency as baseline assessment, and ii) an irregular, visually-guided ankle movement task following a predefined trajectory as a more challenging motor task. Both tasks were performed separately and in a randomised order. Electromyography (EMG) and kinematic data were recorded. EMG frequency characteristics were investigated using wavelet transformations. Control participants exhibited a shift of relative EMG intensity from higher (>100Hz) to lower frequencies (20-60Hz) comparing the regular with the irregular movement task. There is evidence that EMG activity within these lower frequencies comprise information on corticospinal drive. The EMG frequency shift was less pronounced for the less impaired leg and absent for the more impaired leg of individuals with iSCI. The precision error during the irregular task was significantly higher for individuals with iSCI (more impaired leg: 12.34±11.14%; less impaired leg: 6.93±2.74%) compared to control participants (4.10±0.84%). These results, along with the walking performance, correlated well with the delta frequency shift between the regular and irregular movement task in the 38Hz band (corticospinal drive frequency) in the iSCI group, suggesting that task performance is related to the capacity to modulate corticospinal control. The irregular movement task holds promise as a tool for revealing further insights into corticospinal control of single-joint movements. It may serve as a surrogate marker for the assessment of modulatory capacity and the integrity of corticospinal control in individuals with iSCI early after injury and throughout rehabilitation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Adrian Cathomen
- Balgrist University Hospital, Spinal Cord Injury Center, Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland;
| | - Franziska Meier
- Balgrist University Hospital, Spinal Cord Injury Center, Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland;
| | - Irina Lerch
- Balgrist University Hospital, Spinal Cord Injury Center, Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland;
| | - Tim Killeen
- Balgrist University Hospital, Spinal Cord Injury Center, Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland;
| | - Björn Zörner
- Balgrist University Hospital, Spinal Cord Injury Center, Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland;
| | - Armin Curt
- Balgrist University Hospital, Spinal Cord Injury Center, Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland;
| | - Marc Bolliger
- Balgrist University Hospital, Spinal Cord Injury Center, Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland;
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13
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Zipser-Mohammadzada F, Conway BA, Halliday DM, Zipser CM, Easthope CA, Curt A, Schubert M. Intramuscular coherence during challenging walking in incomplete spinal cord injury: Reduced high-frequency coherence reflects impaired supra-spinal control. Front Hum Neurosci 2022; 16:927704. [PMID: 35992941 PMCID: PMC9387543 DOI: 10.3389/fnhum.2022.927704] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/24/2022] [Accepted: 07/15/2022] [Indexed: 11/30/2022] Open
Abstract
Individuals regaining reliable day-to-day walking function after incomplete spinal cord injury (iSCI) report persisting unsteadiness when confronted with walking challenges. However, quantifiable measures of walking capacity lack the sensitivity to reveal underlying impairments of supra-spinal locomotor control. This study investigates the relationship between intramuscular coherence and corticospinal dynamic balance control during a visually guided Target walking treadmill task. In thirteen individuals with iSCI and 24 controls, intramuscular coherence and cumulant densities were estimated from pairs of Tibialis anterior surface EMG recordings during normal treadmill walking and a Target walking task. The approximate center of mass was calculated from pelvis markers. Spearman rank correlations were performed to evaluate the relationship between intramuscular coherence, clinical parameters, and center of mass parameters. In controls, we found that the Target walking task results in increased high-frequency (21–44 Hz) intramuscular coherence, which negatively related to changes in the center of mass movement, whereas this modulation was largely reduced in individuals with iSCI. The impaired modulation of high-frequency intramuscular coherence during the Target walking task correlated with neurophysiological and functional readouts, such as motor-evoked potential amplitude and outdoor mobility score, as well as center of mass trajectory length. The Target walking effect, the difference between Target and Normal walking intramuscular coherence, was significantly higher in controls than in individuals with iSCI [F(1.0,35.0) = 13.042, p < 0.001]. Intramuscular coherence obtained during challenging walking in individuals with iSCI may provide information on corticospinal gait control. The relationships between biomechanics, clinical scores, and neurophysiology suggest that intramuscular coherence assessed during challenging tasks may be meaningful for understanding impaired supra-spinal control in individuals with iSCI.
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Affiliation(s)
- Freschta Zipser-Mohammadzada
- Spinal Cord Injury Center, Department of Neurophysiology, Balgrist University Hospital, Zurich, Switzerland
- *Correspondence: Freschta Zipser-Mohammadzada,
| | - Bernard A. Conway
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, University of Strathclyde, Glasgow, United Kingdom
| | - David M. Halliday
- Department of Electronic Engineering, University of York, York, United Kingdom
- York Biomedical Research Institute, University of York, York, United Kingdom
| | - Carl Moritz Zipser
- Spinal Cord Injury Center, Department of Neurophysiology, Balgrist University Hospital, Zurich, Switzerland
| | - Chris A. Easthope
- Spinal Cord Injury Center, Department of Neurophysiology, Balgrist University Hospital, Zurich, Switzerland
- Cereneo Foundation, Center for Interdisciplinary Research, Vitznau, Switzerland
| | - Armin Curt
- Spinal Cord Injury Center, Department of Neurophysiology, Balgrist University Hospital, Zurich, Switzerland
| | - Martin Schubert
- Spinal Cord Injury Center, Department of Neurophysiology, Balgrist University Hospital, Zurich, Switzerland
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14
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Oshima A, Nakamura Y, Kamibayashi K. Modulation of Muscle Synergies in Lower-Limb Muscles Associated With Split-Belt Locomotor Adaptation. Front Hum Neurosci 2022; 16:852530. [PMID: 35845245 PMCID: PMC9279664 DOI: 10.3389/fnhum.2022.852530] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/11/2022] [Accepted: 06/13/2022] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Humans have great locomotor adaptability to environmental demands, which has been investigated using a split-belt treadmill with belts on both the left and right sides. Thus far, neuromuscular control in split-belt locomotor adaptation has been evaluated by analyzing muscle activities at the individual muscle level. Meanwhile, in the motor control field, the muscle synergy concept has been proposed. Muscle synergies are considered the fundamental building blocks of movement and are groups of coactive muscles and time-varying activation patterns, thereby, reflecting the neurophysiological characteristics of movement. To date, it remains unclear how such muscle synergies change during the adaptation and de-adaptation processes on the split-belt treadmill. Hence, we chronologically extracted muscle synergies while walking on the split-belt treadmill and examined changes in the number, muscle weightings, and temporal activation patterns of muscle synergies. Twelve healthy young males participated, and surface electromyography (EMG) signals were recorded bilaterally from 13 lower-limb muscles. Muscle synergies were extracted by applying non-negative matrix factorization to the EMG data of each leg. We found that during split-belt walking, the number of synergies in the slow leg increased while an extra synergy appeared and disappeared in the fast leg. Additionally, the areas under the temporal activation patterns in several synergies in both legs decreased. When both belts returned to the same speed, a decrease in the number of synergies and an increase in the areas under the temporal activation patterns of several synergies were temporally shown in each leg. Subsequently, the number of synergies and the areas under the temporal activation patterns returned to those of normal walking before split-belt walking. Thus, changes in the number, muscle weightings, and temporal activation patterns of synergies were noted in the split-belt locomotor adaptation, suggesting that the adaptation and de-adaptation occurred at the muscle synergy level.
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Affiliation(s)
- Atsushi Oshima
- Graduate School of Health and Sports Science, Doshisha University, Kyoto, Japan
- Research Fellow of the Japan Society for the Promotion of Science, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Yasuo Nakamura
- Faculty of Health and Sports Science, Doshisha University, Kyoto, Japan
| | - Kiyotaka Kamibayashi
- Faculty of Health and Sports Science, Doshisha University, Kyoto, Japan
- *Correspondence: Kiyotaka Kamibayashi,
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15
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Ohtsuka H, Nakajima T, Komiyama T, Suzuki S, Irie S, Ariyasu R. Execution of natural manipulation in the air enhances the beta-rhythm intermuscular coherences of the human arm depending on muscle pairs. J Neurophysiol 2022; 127:946-957. [PMID: 35294314 DOI: 10.1152/jn.00421.2021] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/22/2022] Open
Abstract
Natural manipulation tasks in air consist of two kinematic components: a grasping component, with activation of the hand muscles, and a lifting component, with activation of the proximal muscles. However, it remains unclear whether the synchronized motor commands to the hand/proximal arm muscles are divergently controlled during the task. Therefore, we examined how intermuscular coherence was modulated depending on the muscle combinations during grip and lift (G&L) tasks. Electromyograms (EMGs) were recorded from the biceps brachii (BB), triceps brachii (TB), flexor digitorum superficialis (FDS), and extensor digitorum communis (EDC) muscles. The participants were required to maintain G&L tasks involving a small cubical box with the thumb and index and middle fingers. Consequently, we found that the beta-rhythm coherence (15-35 Hz) in BB-TB, BB-FDS, and TB-EDC pairs during G&L was significantly larger than that during the isolated task with cocontraction of the two target muscles but not BB-EDC, TB-FDS, and FDS-EDC (task and muscle pair specificities). These increases in beta-rhythm coherence were also observed in intramuscular EMG recordings. Furthermore, the results from the execution of several mimic G&L tasks revealed that the separated task-related motor signals and combinations between the motor signals/sensations of the fingertips or object load had minor contributions to the increase in the coherence. These results suggest that during G&L the central nervous system regulates synchronous drive onto motoneurons depending on the muscle pairs and that the multiple combination effect of the sensations of touch/object load and motor signals in the task promotes the synchrony of these pairs.NEW & NOTEWORTHY Natural manipulation in air consists of two kinematic components: grasping, with activation of hand muscles, and lifting, with activation of proximal muscles. We show that during the maintenance of object manipulation in air the central nervous system regulates the synchronous drive onto human motoneuron pools depending on the hand/proximal muscle pairs and that the multiple combination effect of the sensations of touch/object load and motor signals in the task promotes the synchrony of these pairs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hiroyuki Ohtsuka
- Department of Integrative Physiology, Kyorin University School of Medicine, Mitaka City, Tokyo, Japan.,Department of Physical Therapy, Showa University School of Nursing and Rehabilitation Sciences, Yokohama City, Kanagawa, Japan
| | - Tsuyoshi Nakajima
- Department of Integrative Physiology, Kyorin University School of Medicine, Mitaka City, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Tomoyoshi Komiyama
- Division of Health and Sports Sciences, Faculty of Education, Chiba University, Chiba City, Chiba, Japan.,Division of Health and Sports Education, The United Graduate School of Education, Tokyo Gakugei University, Koganei City, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Shinya Suzuki
- Department of Integrative Physiology, Kyorin University School of Medicine, Mitaka City, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Shun Irie
- Department of Integrative Physiology, Kyorin University School of Medicine, Mitaka City, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Ryohei Ariyasu
- Department of Integrative Physiology, Kyorin University School of Medicine, Mitaka City, Tokyo, Japan
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16
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Effects of Transcranial Direct Current Stimulation of Bilateral Supplementary Motor Area on the Lower Limb Motor Function in a Stroke Patient with Severe Motor Paralysis: A Case Study. Brain Sci 2022; 12:brainsci12040452. [PMID: 35447983 PMCID: PMC9029581 DOI: 10.3390/brainsci12040452] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/27/2022] [Revised: 03/23/2022] [Accepted: 03/26/2022] [Indexed: 02/04/2023] Open
Abstract
In patients with severe motor paralysis, increasing the excitability of the supplementary motor area (SMA) in the non-injured hemisphere contributes to the recovery of lower limb motor function. However, the contribution of transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS) over the SMA of the non-injured hemisphere in the recovery of lower limb motor function is unclear. This study aimed to examine the effects of tDCS on bilateral hemispheric SMA combined with assisted gait training. A post-stroke patient with severe motor paralysis participated in a retrospective AB design. Assisted gait training was performed only in period A and tDCS to the SMA of the bilateral hemisphere combined with assisted gait training (bi-tDCS) was performed in period B. Additionally, three conditions were performed for 20 min each in the intervals between the two periods: (1) assisted gait training only, (2) assisted gait training combined with tDCS to the SMA of the injured hemisphere, and (3) bi-tDCS. Measurements were muscle activity and beta-band intermuscular coherence (reflecting corticospinal tract excitability) of the vastus medialis muscle. The bi-tDCS immediately and longitudinally increased muscle activity and intermuscular coherence. We consider that bi-tDCS may be effective in recovering lower limb motor function in a patient with severe motor paralysis.
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17
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Schilaty ND, Savoldi F, Nasr Z, Weinshenker BG. Neuromotor control associates with muscle weakness observed with McArdle sign of multiple sclerosis. Ann Clin Transl Neurol 2022; 9:515-528. [PMID: 35289110 PMCID: PMC8994990 DOI: 10.1002/acn3.51526] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/07/2021] [Revised: 01/20/2022] [Accepted: 02/05/2022] [Indexed: 11/07/2022] Open
Abstract
OBJECTIVE Multiple Sclerosis (MS) is often accompanied by myelopathy, which may be associated with progressive worsening. A specific finding of MS-associated myelopathy is McArdle sign, wherein neck flexion is associated with prominent increased limb weakness relative to that detected with neck extension. In this study, we characterized neuromotor control properties of finger extensors in association with the McArdle sign. METHODS A custom-built device was utilized to monitor torque production of the wrist extensors with simultaneous recording of surface electromyography of the extensor digitorum. The electromyography was decomposed and analyzed via both linear and nominal regressions. RESULTS Linear regressions demonstrated a strong difference between groups for MS from healthy controls and other myelopathies for motor unit action potential amplitude and average firing rate (p < 0.001). Further, linear regression demonstrated good correlations of neuromotor variables to mechanical torque output (0.24 ≤ R2 ≤ 0.76). Nominal regression distinguished MS from healthy controls with an AUC of 0.87, specificity of 0.97, and sensitivity of 0.64. Nominal regression of MS from other myelopathies demonstrated an AUC of 0.88, specificity of 0.85, and sensitivity of 0.79. INTERPRETATION These data demonstrate the neuromotor control factors that largely determine muscle force production change with the observation of McArdle sign; these neuromotor control factors can differentiate MS from both healthy controls and other myelopathy conditions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nathan D Schilaty
- Department of Neurosurgery & Brain Repair, University of South Florida, Tampa, Florida, USA.,Center for Neuromusculoskeletal Research, University of South Florida, Tampa, Florida, USA
| | - Filippo Savoldi
- Department of Neurology, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, Minnesota, USA
| | - Zahra Nasr
- Department of Neurology, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, Minnesota, USA
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18
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Tisseyre J, Cremoux S, Amarantini D, Tallet J. Increased intensity of unintended mirror muscle contractions after cervical spinal cord injury is associated with changes in interhemispheric and corticomuscular coherences. Behav Brain Res 2022; 417:113563. [PMID: 34499938 DOI: 10.1016/j.bbr.2021.113563] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/22/2020] [Revised: 08/02/2021] [Accepted: 08/25/2021] [Indexed: 11/26/2022]
Abstract
Mirror contractions refer to unintended contractions of the contralateral homologous muscles during voluntary unilateral contractions or movements. Exaggerated mirror contractions have been found in several neurological diseases and indicate dysfunction or lesion of the cortico-spinal pathway. The present study investigates mirror contractions and the associated interhemispheric and corticomuscular interactions in adults with spinal cord injury (SCI) - who present a lesion of the cortico-spinal tract - compared to able-bodied participants (AB). Eight right-handed adults with chronic cervical SCI and ten age-matched right-handed able-bodied volunteers performed sets of right elbow extensions at 20% of maximal voluntary contraction. Electromyographic activity (EMG) of the right and left elbow extensors, interhemispheric coherence over cerebral sensorimotor regions evaluated by electroencephalography (EEG) and corticomuscular coherence between signals over the cerebral sensorimotor regions and each extensor were quantified. Overall, results revealed that participants with SCI exhibited (1) increased EMG activity of both active and unintended active limbs, suggesting more mirror contractions, (2) reduced corticomuscular coherence between signals over the left sensorimotor region and the right active limb and increased corticomuscular coherence between the right sensorimotor region and the left unintended active limb, (3) decreased interhemispheric coherence between signals over the two sensorimotor regions. The increased corticomuscular communication and decreased interhemispheric communication may reflect a reduced inhibition leading to increased communication with the unintended active limb, possibly resulting to exacerbated mirror contractions in SCI. Finally, mirror contractions could represent changes of neural and neuromuscular communication after SCI.
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Affiliation(s)
- Joseph Tisseyre
- Toulouse NeuroImaging Center, Université de Toulouse, Inserm, UPS, Toulouse, France.
| | - Sylvain Cremoux
- CerCo, CNRS, UMR5549, Université de Toulouse, 31052 Toulouse, France
| | - David Amarantini
- Toulouse NeuroImaging Center, Université de Toulouse, Inserm, UPS, Toulouse, France
| | - Jessica Tallet
- Toulouse NeuroImaging Center, Université de Toulouse, Inserm, UPS, Toulouse, France
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19
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Zaback M, Adkin AL, Chua R, Timothy Inglis J, Carpenter MG. Facilitation and habituation of cortical and subcortical control of standing balance following repeated exposure to a height-related postural threat. Neuroscience 2022; 487:8-25. [DOI: 10.1016/j.neuroscience.2022.01.012] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/01/2021] [Revised: 12/23/2021] [Accepted: 01/17/2022] [Indexed: 01/21/2023]
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20
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Błaszczyszyn M, Borysiuk Z, Piechota K, Kręcisz K, Zmarzły D. Wavelet coherence as a measure of trunk stabilizer muscle activation in wheelchair fencers. BMC Sports Sci Med Rehabil 2021; 13:140. [PMID: 34717749 PMCID: PMC8557511 DOI: 10.1186/s13102-021-00369-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/12/2021] [Accepted: 10/27/2021] [Indexed: 11/10/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Intermuscular synchronization constitutes one of the key aspects of effective sport performance and activities of daily living. The aim of the study was to assess the synchronization of trunk stabilizer muscles in wheelchair fencers with the use of wavelet analysis. METHODS Intermuscular synchronization and antagonistic EMG-EMG coherence were evaluated in the pairs of the right and the left latissimus dorsi/external oblique abdominal (LD/EOA) muscles. The study group consisted of 16 wheelchair fencers, members of the Polish Paralympic Team, divided into two categories of disability (A and B). Data analysis was carried out in three stages: (1) muscle activation recording using sEMG; (2) wavelet coherence analysis; and (3) coherence density analysis. RESULTS In the Paralympic wheelchair fencers, regardless of their disability category, the muscles were activated at low frequency levels: 8-20 Hz for category A fencers, and 5-15 Hz for category B fencers. CONCLUSIONS The results demonstrated a clear activity of the trunk muscles in the wheelchair fencers, including those with spinal cord injury, which can be explained as an outcome of their intense training. EMG signal processing application have great potential for performance improvement and diagnosis of wheelchair athletes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Monika Błaszczyszyn
- Faculty of Physical Education and Physiotherapy, Opole University of Technology, Prószkowska 76, 45-758, Opole, Poland.
| | - Zbigniew Borysiuk
- Faculty of Physical Education and Physiotherapy, Opole University of Technology, Prószkowska 76, 45-758, Opole, Poland
| | - Katarzyna Piechota
- Faculty of Physical Education and Physiotherapy, Opole University of Technology, Prószkowska 76, 45-758, Opole, Poland
| | - Krzysztof Kręcisz
- Faculty of Physical Education and Physiotherapy, Opole University of Technology, Prószkowska 76, 45-758, Opole, Poland
| | - Dariusz Zmarzły
- Faculty of Electrical Engineering, Automatics and Computer Science, Opole University of Technology, Prószkowska 76, 45-758, Opole, Poland
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21
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Colamarino E, de Seta V, Masciullo M, Cincotti F, Mattia D, Pichiorri F, Toppi J. Corticomuscular and Intermuscular Coupling in Simple Hand Movements to Enable a Hybrid Brain-Computer Interface. Int J Neural Syst 2021; 31:2150052. [PMID: 34590990 DOI: 10.1142/s0129065721500520] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/13/2022]
Abstract
Hybrid Brain-Computer Interfaces (BCIs) for upper limb rehabilitation after stroke should enable the reinforcement of "more normal" brain and muscular activity. Here, we propose the combination of corticomuscular coherence (CMC) and intermuscular coherence (IMC) as control features for a novel hybrid BCI for rehabilitation purposes. Multiple electroencephalographic (EEG) signals and surface electromyography (EMG) from 5 muscles per side were collected in 20 healthy participants performing finger extension (Ext) and grasping (Grasp) with both dominant and non-dominant hand. Grand average of CMC and IMC patterns showed a bilateral sensorimotor area as well as multiple muscles involvement. CMC and IMC values were used as features to classify each task versus rest and Ext versus Grasp. We demonstrated that a combination of CMC and IMC features allows for classification of both movements versus rest with better performance (Area Under the receiver operating characteristic Curve, AUC) for the Ext movement (0.97) with respect to Grasp (0.88). Classification of Ext versus Grasp also showed high performances (0.99). All in all, these preliminary findings indicate that the combination of CMC and IMC could provide for a comprehensive framework for simple hand movements to eventually be employed in a hybrid BCI system for post-stroke rehabilitation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Emma Colamarino
- Department of Computer, Control and Management Engineering, Sapienza University of Rome, Via Ariosto 25, Rome 00185, Italy.,Fondazione Santa Lucia IRCCS, Via Ardeatina 306-354, Rome 00179, Italy
| | - Valeria de Seta
- Department of Computer, Control and Management Engineering, Sapienza University of Rome, Via Ariosto 25, Rome 00185, Italy.,Fondazione Santa Lucia IRCCS, Via Ardeatina 306-354, Rome 00179, Italy
| | | | - Febo Cincotti
- Department of Computer, Control and Management Engineering, Sapienza University of Rome, Via Ariosto 25, Rome 00185, Italy.,Fondazione Santa Lucia IRCCS, Via Ardeatina 306-354, Rome 00179, Italy
| | - Donatella Mattia
- Fondazione Santa Lucia IRCCS, Via Ardeatina 306-354, Rome 00179, Italy
| | | | - Jlenia Toppi
- Department of Computer, Control and Management Engineering, Sapienza University of Rome, Via Ariosto 25, Rome 00185, Italy.,Fondazione Santa Lucia IRCCS, Via Ardeatina 306-354, Rome 00179, Italy
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22
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The Changes of Motor Control Strategies in Non-specific Chronic Low Back Pain During Spinal Manipulation and Muscle Energy Techniques: A Beta-band Intermuscular Pair-Wise Coherence Analysis. ARCHIVES OF NEUROSCIENCE 2021. [DOI: 10.5812/ans.112262] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
Abstract
Background: Until now, a variety of techniques have been introduced to address the adverse effects of NS-CLBP, including spinal manipulation technique (SMT) and muscle energy technique (MET). However, most of these techniques have focused on pain assessment and disability. In other words, the intermuscular synchronization between the co-contracting muscles was not considered, and hence, the effectiveness of these techniques on the corticospinal tract function was not studied. Objectives: This study aimed to compare the effects of SMT and MET on corticospinal tract function during four phases of standing, flexion, relaxation, and extension in flexion-extension task (F-ET) in NS-CLBP using pair-wise coherence of Beta-band intermuscular coherence (Bb-IMC). Methods: Twenty volunteer healthy male subjects and twenty-four male subjects with NS-CLBP (20 - 45 years of age) participated in this work. The patients had continuous or recurrent symptoms for three months or more without any referral pain to the lower extremities. The patients were randomly assigned to two equal intervention groups (SMT and MET), and the techniques were applied as described by Greenman. Surface electromyography (sEMGs) from lumbopelvic muscles was recorded for all participants (i.e., healthy group and the patient groups), while they performed three trials of F-ET, and the pair-wise coherence for all muscles was calculated using Bb-IMC analysis. Besides, in the patient's groups, sEMGs from the muscles were recorded before and after the interventional techniques (i.e., SMT and MET), while they performed three trials of F-ET, and the pair-wise coherence was calculated. Multivariate analysis of variance test was used to compare the healthy subjects and patient groups before the interventions in A and B muscle cross at different phases of F-ET task. Furthermore, in the NS-CLBP patients, comparisons were made before and after the interventions in each group (i.e., SMT and MET groups) as well as between the two groups in A and B muscle cross at different phases of the F-ET task. Results: In the standing phase of F-ET, there were no significant differences in the SMT and MET group before and after the intervention in PWC of A muscle cross and B muscle cross (P < 0.05). Considering the flexion phase, there were significant differences in the SMT group in all pair muscles as PWC (M1-M4), PWE (M1-M6), PWC (M4-M6) (P < 0.05), whereas there was one significantly in PWC (M4-M6) in the MET group (P < 0.05). In the relaxation phase, the SMT had significantly in PWC (M2-M5), whereas there was one significantly in PWC (M4-M6) in MET group (P < 0.05). In the extension phase, although the SMT was not significant (P < 0.05) in the MET intervention group, there were significant differences in the PWC (M2-M3) and PWC muscles (M2-M5). Conclusions: This study provided some pieces of evidence about the effects of one of the common manual therapy techniques on the primary motor cortex and corticospinal drive in the NS-CLBP patients. The results showed that, by increasing the pair-wise coherence in all phases of FE-T, SMT intervention was more effective than MET intervention. Therefore, the pair-wise coherence of Bb-IMC can be considered an approach for clinicians when designing the rehabilitation protocol to ensure optimal treatment.
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23
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Balbinot G, Li G, Wiest MJ, Pakosh M, Furlan JC, Kalsi-Ryan S, Zariffa J. Properties of the surface electromyogram following traumatic spinal cord injury: a scoping review. J Neuroeng Rehabil 2021; 18:105. [PMID: 34187509 PMCID: PMC8244234 DOI: 10.1186/s12984-021-00888-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/24/2021] [Accepted: 05/27/2021] [Indexed: 12/23/2022] Open
Abstract
Traumatic spinal cord injury (SCI) disrupts spinal and supraspinal pathways, and this process is reflected in changes in surface electromyography (sEMG). sEMG is an informative complement to current clinical testing and can capture the residual motor command in great detail-including in muscles below the level of injury with seemingly absent motor activities. In this comprehensive review, we sought to describe how the sEMG properties are changed after SCI. We conducted a systematic literature search followed by a narrative review focusing on sEMG analysis techniques and signal properties post-SCI. We found that early reports were mostly focused on the qualitative analysis of sEMG patterns and evolved to semi-quantitative scores and a more detailed amplitude-based quantification. Nonetheless, recent studies are still constrained to an amplitude-based analysis of the sEMG, and there are opportunities to more broadly characterize the time- and frequency-domain properties of the signal as well as to take fuller advantage of high-density EMG techniques. We recommend the incorporation of a broader range of signal properties into the neurophysiological assessment post-SCI and the development of a greater understanding of the relation between these sEMG properties and underlying physiology. Enhanced sEMG analysis could contribute to a more complete description of the effects of SCI on upper and lower motor neuron function and their interactions, and also assist in understanding the mechanisms of change following neuromodulation or exercise therapy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Gustavo Balbinot
- KITE-Toronto Rehabilitation Institute, University Health Network, Toronto, ON, M5G 2A2, Canada.
| | - Guijin Li
- KITE-Toronto Rehabilitation Institute, University Health Network, Toronto, ON, M5G 2A2, Canada
- Institute of Biomedical Engineering, University of Toronto, Toronto, Canada
| | - Matheus Joner Wiest
- KITE-Toronto Rehabilitation Institute, University Health Network, Toronto, ON, M5G 2A2, Canada
| | - Maureen Pakosh
- Library & Information Services, Toronto Rehabilitation Institute, University Health Network, Toronto, Canada
| | - Julio Cesar Furlan
- KITE-Toronto Rehabilitation Institute, University Health Network, Toronto, ON, M5G 2A2, Canada
- Rehabilitation Sciences Institute, University of Toronto, Toronto, Canada
- Department of Medicine, Division of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, University of Toronto, Toronto, Canada
- Division of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, Toronto Rehabilitation Institute, University Health Network, Toronto, Canada
- Institute of Medical Sciences, University of Toronto, Toronto, Canada
| | - Sukhvinder Kalsi-Ryan
- KITE-Toronto Rehabilitation Institute, University Health Network, Toronto, ON, M5G 2A2, Canada
- Rehabilitation Sciences Institute, University of Toronto, Toronto, Canada
- Department of Physical Therapy, University of Toronto, Toronto, Canada
| | - Jose Zariffa
- KITE-Toronto Rehabilitation Institute, University Health Network, Toronto, ON, M5G 2A2, Canada
- Institute of Biomedical Engineering, University of Toronto, Toronto, Canada
- Rehabilitation Sciences Institute, University of Toronto, Toronto, Canada
- Edward S. Rogers Sr. Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering, University of Toronto, Toronto, Canada
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24
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Bakker LBM, Nandi T, Lamoth CJC, Hortobágyi T. Task specificity and neural adaptations after balance learning in young adults. Hum Mov Sci 2021; 78:102833. [PMID: 34175684 DOI: 10.1016/j.humov.2021.102833] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/18/2020] [Revised: 05/11/2021] [Accepted: 06/17/2021] [Indexed: 10/21/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Lisanne B M Bakker
- University of Groningen, University Medical Center Groningen, the Netherlands,.
| | - Tulika Nandi
- Nuffield Department of Clinical Neurosciences, University of Oxford, United Kingdom
| | - Claudine J C Lamoth
- University of Groningen, University Medical Center Groningen, the Netherlands
| | - Tibor Hortobágyi
- University of Groningen, University Medical Center Groningen, the Netherlands,; Institute of Sport Sciences and Physical Education, Faculty of Sciences, University of Pécs, Pécs, Hungary; Somogy County Kaposi Mór Teaching Hospital, Kaposvár, Hungary
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25
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Kinematic changes in goal-directed movements in a fear-conditioning paradigm. Sci Rep 2021; 11:11162. [PMID: 34045515 PMCID: PMC8159940 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-021-90518-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/09/2020] [Accepted: 05/10/2021] [Indexed: 11/08/2022] Open
Abstract
In individuals with a musculoskeletal disorder, goal-directed reaching movements of the hand are distorted. Here, we investigated a pain-related fear-conditioning effect on motor control. Twenty healthy participants (11 women and 9 men, 21.7 ± 2.7 years) performed a hand-reaching movement task. In the acquisition phase, a painful electrocutaneous stimulus was applied on the reaching hand simultaneous with the completion of reaching. In the subsequent extinction phase, the task context was the same but the painful stimulus was omitted. We divided the kinematic data of the hand-reaching movements into acceleration and deceleration periods based on the movement-velocity characteristics, and the duration of each period indicated the degree of impairment in the feedforward and feedback motor controls. We assessed the wavelet coherence between electromyograms of the triceps and biceps brachii muscles. In the acquisition phase, the durations of painful movements were significantly longer in both the acceleration and deceleration periods. In the extinction phase, painful movements were longer only in the acceleration period and higher pain expectation and fear were maintained. Similarly, the wavelet coherence of muscles in both periods were decreased in both the acquisition and extinction phases. These results indicate that negative emotional modulations might explain the altered motor functions observed in pain patients.
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26
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Walker S. Evidence of resistance training-induced neural adaptation in older adults. Exp Gerontol 2021; 151:111408. [PMID: 34022275 DOI: 10.1016/j.exger.2021.111408] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/14/2021] [Revised: 05/04/2021] [Accepted: 05/17/2021] [Indexed: 11/25/2022]
Abstract
The deleterious effects of aging on force production are observable from the age of 40 upwards, depending on the measure. Neural mechanisms contributing to maximum force production and rate of force development have been suggested as descending drive from supraspinal centers, spinal motoneuron excitability, and corticospinal inhibition of descending drive; all of which influence motor unit recruitment and/or firing rate. Resistance-trained Master athletes offer a good source of information regarding the inevitable effects of aging despite the countermeasure of systematic resistance-training. However, most evidence of neural adaptation is derived from longitudinal intervention studies in previously untrained (i.e. resistance-training naïve) older adults. There is good evidence for the effect of resistance-training on the end-point of neural activation, i.e. motor unit behavior, but little to no data on the generation of descending drive from e.g. transcranial magnetic stimulation or cortical imaging studies in older adults. This, along with tracking master athletes over several years, would provide valuable information and could be the focus of future research.
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Affiliation(s)
- Simon Walker
- NeuroMuscular Research Center, Faculty of Sport and Health Sciences, University of Jyväskylä, Finland.
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27
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Oshima A, Wakahara T, Nakamura Y, Tsujiuchi N, Kamibayashi K. Time-series changes in intramuscular coherence associated with split-belt treadmill adaptation in humans. Exp Brain Res 2021; 239:2127-2139. [PMID: 33961075 DOI: 10.1007/s00221-021-06127-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/10/2020] [Accepted: 04/27/2021] [Indexed: 11/24/2022]
Abstract
Humans can flexibly modify their walking patterns. A split-belt treadmill has been widely used to study locomotor adaptation. Although previous studies have examined in detail the time-series changes in the spatiotemporal characteristics of walking during and after split-belt walking, it is not clear how intramuscular coherence changes during and after split-belt walking. We thus investigated the time-series changes of intramuscular coherence in the ankle dorsiflexor muscle associated with split-belt locomotor adaptation by coherence analysis using paired electromyography (EMG) signals. Twelve healthy males walked on a split-belt treadmill. Surface EMG signals were recorded from two parts of the tibialis anterior (TA) muscle in both legs to calculate intramuscular coherence. Each area of intramuscular coherence in the beta and gamma bands in the slow leg gradually decreased during split-belt walking. Significant differences in the area were observed from 7 min compared to the first minute after the start of split-belt walking. Meanwhile, the area of coherence in both beta and gamma bands in the fast leg for the first minute of normal walking following split-belt walking was significantly increased compared with normal walking before split-belt walking, and then immediately returned to the normal walking level. These results suggest that cortical involvement in TA muscle activity gradually weakens when adapting from a normal walking pattern to a new walking pattern. On the other hand, when re-adapting from the newly adapted walking pattern to the normal walking pattern, cortical involvement might strengthen temporally and then weaken quickly.
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Affiliation(s)
- Atsushi Oshima
- Graduate School of Health and Sports Science, Doshisha University, Kyoto, Japan
| | - Taku Wakahara
- Faculty of Health and Sports Science, Doshisha University, 1-3 Tatara Miyakodani, Kyotanabe, Kyoto, 610-0394, Japan.,Human Performance Laboratory, Waseda University, Saitama, Japan
| | - Yasuo Nakamura
- Faculty of Health and Sports Science, Doshisha University, 1-3 Tatara Miyakodani, Kyotanabe, Kyoto, 610-0394, Japan
| | - Nobutaka Tsujiuchi
- Department of Mechanical and Systems Engineering, Faculty of Science and Engineering, Doshisha University, Kyoto, Japan
| | - Kiyotaka Kamibayashi
- Faculty of Health and Sports Science, Doshisha University, 1-3 Tatara Miyakodani, Kyotanabe, Kyoto, 610-0394, Japan.
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28
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Norton JA. Intermuscular Coherence in the Presence of Electrical Stimulation. Front Syst Neurosci 2021; 15:647430. [PMID: 34017239 PMCID: PMC8129195 DOI: 10.3389/fnsys.2021.647430] [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] [Received: 12/29/2020] [Accepted: 04/14/2021] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
The nervous system uses oscillations to convey information efficiently. Inter-muscular coherence in the 15-35 Hz range is thought to represent common cortical drive to muscles, but is also in the frequency band in which electrical stimulation is applied to restore movement following neurological disease or injury. We wished to determine if, when stimulation is applied at the peak frequency of the coherence spectra it was still possible to determine voluntary effort. Using healthy human subjects we stimulated muscles in the arms and legs, separate experiments, while recording EMG activity from pairs of muscles including the stimulated muscles. Offline coherence analysis was performed. When stimulation is greater than motor threshold, and applied at the peak of the coherence spectra a new peak appears in the spectra, presumably representing a new frequency of oscillation within the nervous system. This does not appear at lower stimulation levels, or with lower frequencies. The nervous system is capable of switching oscillatory frequencies to account for noise in the environment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jonathan A Norton
- Division of Neurosurgery, Department of Surgery, University of Saskatchewan, Saskatoon, SK, Canada
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29
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Changes in Intermuscular Coherence as a Function of Age and Phase of Speech Production During an Overt Reading Task. Motor Control 2021; 25:295-314. [PMID: 33690169 DOI: 10.1123/mc.2020-0003] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/15/2020] [Revised: 12/22/2020] [Accepted: 12/22/2020] [Indexed: 11/18/2022]
Abstract
PURPOSE The authors evaluated changes in intermuscular coherence (IMC) of orofacial and speech breathing muscles across phase of speech production in healthy younger and older adults. METHOD Sixty adults (30 younger = M: 26.97 year; 30 older = M: 66.37 year) read aloud a list of 40 words. IMC was evaluated across phase: preparation (300 ms before speech onset), initiation (300 ms after onset), and total execution (entire word). RESULTS Orofacial IMC was lowest in the initiation, higher in preparation, and highest for the total execution phase. Chest wall IMC was lowest for the preparation and initiation and highest for the total execution phase. Despite age-related differences in accuracy, neuromuscular modulation for phase was similar between groups. CONCLUSION These results expand our knowledge of speech motor control by demonstrating that IMC is sensitive to phase of speech planning and production.
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30
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Calabrò RS, Billeri L, Ciappina F, Balletta T, Porcari B, Cannavò A, Pignolo L, Manuli A, Naro A. Toward improving functional recovery in spinal cord injury using robotics: a pilot study focusing on ankle rehabilitation. Expert Rev Med Devices 2021; 19:83-95. [PMID: 33616471 DOI: 10.1080/17434440.2021.1894125] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/21/2022]
Abstract
Background: Conventional physical therapy interventions are strongly recommended to improve ambulation potential and upright mobility in persons with incomplete spinal cord injury (iSCI). Ankle rehabilitation plays a significant role, as it aims to stem drop foot consequences.Research question: This pilot study aimed to assess the neurophysiological underpinnings of robot-aided ankle rehabilitation (using a platform robot) compared to conventional physiotherapy and its efficacy in improving gait performance and balance in persons with iSCI.Methods: Ten individuals with subacute/chronic iSCI (six males and four females, 39 ± 13 years, time since injury 8 ± 4 months, ASIA impairment scale grade C-D) were provided with one-month intensive training for robot-aided ankle rehabilitation (24 sessions, 1 h daily, six times a week). Clinical (10-Meter Walk Test (10MWT), 6-Minute Walk Test (6MWT), and Timed Up and Go test (TUG)), and electrophysiological aftereffects (surface-EMG from tibialis anterior and medial gastrocnemius muscles to estimate muscle activation patterns; and corticomuscular coherence-CMC-to assess functional synchronization between sensorimotor cortex and muscles, i.e. the functional integrity of corticospinal output) were assessed at baseline (PRE) and after the trial completion (POST). The experimental group (EG) data were compared with those coming from a retrospective control group (CG; n = 10) matched for clinical-demographic characteristics, who previously underwent conventional ankle rehabilitation.Results: the EG achieved a greater improvement in balance and gait as compared to the CG (TUG EG from 70 ± 18 to 45 ± 15 s, p = 0.002; CG from 68 ± 21 to 48 ± 18 s, p = 0.01; group-comparison p = 0.001; 10MWT EG from 0.43 ± 0.11 to 0.51 ± 0.09 m/s, p = 0.006; CG from 0.4 ± 0.13 to 0.45 ± 0.12, p = 0.01; group-comparison p = 0.006; 6 MWT EG from 231 ± 13 to 274 ± 15 m, p < 0.001; CG from 236 ± 13 to 262 ± 15 m, p = 0.003; group-comparison p = 0.01). Furthermore, the EG showed a retraining of muscle activation (an increase within proper movements, with a reduction of co-contractions) and CMC (beta frequency increase within proper movements, i.e. in a framework of preserved motor coordination). The improvements in CMC, gait, balance, and muscle activation were not correlated with each other.Conclusions: Robot-aided ankle rehabilitation improved gait performance by selectively ameliorating CMC, muscle activation patterns, and, lastly, gait balance and speed. Despite CMC, gait, balance, and muscle activation were not correlated, this pilot study suggests that robot-aided ankle rehabilitation may favor a better communication between above-SCI and below-SCI structures. This communication improvement may depend on a more synchronized corticospinal output (as per CMC increase) and a better responsiveness of below-SCI motorneurons to corticospinal output (as per specific and ankle movement focused muscle activation increases at the surface EMG), thus favoring greater recruitment of spinal motor units and, ultimately, improving muscle activation pattern and strength.Significance: Adopting robot-aided ankle rehabilitation protocols for persons with iSCI in the subacute/chronic phase may allow achieving a clinically significant improvement in gait performance.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Luana Billeri
- IRCCS Centro Neurolesi Bonino Pulejo, Messina, Italy
| | | | - Tina Balletta
- IRCCS Centro Neurolesi Bonino Pulejo, Messina, Italy
| | - Bruno Porcari
- IRCCS Centro Neurolesi Bonino Pulejo, Messina, Italy
| | | | | | | | - Antonino Naro
- IRCCS Centro Neurolesi Bonino Pulejo, Messina, Italy
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31
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Edgson MR, Tucker BV, Archibald ED, A Boliek C. Neuromuscular and biomechanical adjustments of the speech mechanism during modulation of vocal loudness in children with cerebral palsy and dysarthria. Neurocase 2021; 27:30-38. [PMID: 33347384 DOI: 10.1080/13554794.2020.1862240] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/22/2022]
Abstract
ABSTRACChildren with cerebral palsy (CP) are characterized as difficult to understand because of poor articulation and breathy voice quality. This case series describes the subsystems of the speech mechanism (i.e., respiratory, laryngeal, oroarticulatory) in four children with CP and four matched typically developing children (TDC) during the modulation of vocal loudness. TDC used biomechanically efficient strategies among speech subsystems to increase vocal loudness. Children with CP made fewer breathing adjustments but recruited greater chest wall muscle activity and neuromuscular drive for louder productions. These results inform future clinical research and identify speech treatment targets for children with motor speech disorders.
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Affiliation(s)
- Meghan R Edgson
- Department of Linguistics, University of Alberta, Edmonton, Canada.,Department of Communication Sciences and Disorders, University of Alberta, Edmonton, Canada
| | - Benjamin V Tucker
- Department of Linguistics, University of Alberta, Edmonton, Canada.,Department of Communication Sciences and Disorders, University of Alberta, Edmonton, Canada.,Neuroscience and Mental Health Institute, University of Alberta, Edmonton, Canada
| | - Erin D Archibald
- Department of Communication Sciences and Disorders, University of Alberta, Edmonton, Canada
| | - Carol A Boliek
- Department of Communication Sciences and Disorders, University of Alberta, Edmonton, Canada.,Neuroscience and Mental Health Institute, University of Alberta, Edmonton, Canada
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32
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Gennaro F, de Bruin ED. A pilot study assessing reliability and age-related differences in corticomuscular and intramuscular coherence in ankle dorsiflexors during walking. Physiol Rep 2021; 8:e14378. [PMID: 32109345 PMCID: PMC7048377 DOI: 10.14814/phy2.14378] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/09/2019] [Revised: 01/29/2020] [Accepted: 02/01/2020] [Indexed: 12/11/2022] Open
Abstract
Corticomuscular (CMC) and intramuscular (intraMC) coherence represent measures of corticospinal interaction. Both CMC and intraMC can be assessed during human locomotion tasks, for example, while walking. Corticospinal control of gait can deteriorate during the aging process and CMC and intraMC may represent an important monitoring means. However, it is unclear whether such assessments represent a reliable tool when performed during walking in an ecologically valid scenario and whether age‐related differences may occur. Wireless surface electroencephalography and electromyography were employed in a pilot study with young and old adults during overground walking in two separate sessions. CMC and intraMC analyses were performed in the gathered beta and lower gamma frequencies (i.e., 13–40 Hz). Significant log‐transformed coherence area was tested for intersessions test–retest reliability by determining intraclass correlation coefficient (ICC), yielding to low reliability in CMC in both younger and older adults. intraMC exclusively showed low reliability in the older adults, whereas intraMC in the younger adults revealed similar values as previously reported: test–retest reliability [ICC (95% CI): 0.44 (−0.23, 0.87); SEM: 0.46; MDC: 1.28; MDC%: 103; Hedge's g (95% CI): 0.54 (−0.13, 1.57)]. Significant differences between the age groups were observed in intraMC by either comparing the two groups with the first test [Hedge's g (95% CI): 1.55 (0.85, 2.15); p‐value: .006] or with the retest data [Hedge's g (95% CI): 2.24 (0.73, 3.70); p‐value: .005]. Notwithstanding the small sample size investigated, intraMC seems a moderately reliable assessment in younger adults. The further development and use of this measure in practical settings to infer corticospinal interaction in human locomotion in clinical practice is warranted and should help to refine the analysis. This necessitates involving larger sample sizes as well as including a wider number of lower limb muscles. Moreover, further research seems warranted by the observed differences in modulation mechanisms of corticospinal control of gait as ascertained by intraMC between the age groups.
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Affiliation(s)
- Federico Gennaro
- Department of Health Sciences and Technology, Institute of Human Movement Sciences and Sport, ETH Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland
| | - Eling D de Bruin
- Department of Health Sciences and Technology, Institute of Human Movement Sciences and Sport, ETH Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland.,Division of Physiotherapy, Department of Neurobiology, Care Sciences and Society, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden
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Meyer C, Filli L, Stalder SA, Awai Easthope C, Killeen T, von Tscharner V, Curt A, Zörner B, Bolliger M. Targeted Walking in Incomplete Spinal Cord Injury: Role of Corticospinal Control. J Neurotrauma 2020; 37:2302-2314. [PMID: 32552335 DOI: 10.1089/neu.2020.7030] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/11/2022] Open
Abstract
Locomotor recovery after incomplete spinal cord injury (iSCI) is influenced by spinal and supraspinal networks. Conventional clinical gait analysis fails to differentiate between these components. There is evidence that corticospinal control is enhanced during targeted walking, where each foot must be continuously placed on visual targets in randomized order. This study investigates the potential of targeted walking in the functional assessment of corticospinal integrity. Twenty-one controls and 16 individuals with chronic iSCI performed normal and targeted walking on a treadmill while electromyograms (EMGs) and kinematics were recorded. Precision (% of accurate foot placements) in targeted walking was significantly lower in individuals with iSCI (82.9 ± 14.7%, controls: 94.9 ± 4.0%). Although the overall kinematic pattern was comparable between walking conditions, controls showed significantly higher semitendinosus (ST) activity before heel-strike during targeted walking. This was accompanied by a shift of relative EMG intensity from 90-120 Hz to lower frequencies of 20-60 Hz, previously associated with corticospinal control of muscle activity. Targeted walking in individuals with iSCI evoked smaller EMG changes, suggesting that the switch to more corticospinal control is impaired. Accordingly, mildly impaired iSCI individuals revealed higher adaptations to the targeted walking task than more-impaired individuals. Recording of EMGs during targeted walking holds potential as a research tool to reveal further insights into the neuromuscular control of locomotion. It also complements findings of pre-clinical studies and is a promising novel surrogate marker of integrity of corticospinal control in individuals with iSCI and other neurological impairments. Future studies should investigate its potential for diagnosis or tracking recovery during rehabilitation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Christian Meyer
- Spinal Cord Injury Center, Balgrist University Hospital, Zurich, Switzerland
| | - Linard Filli
- Spinal Cord Injury Center, Balgrist University Hospital, Zurich, Switzerland.,Department of Neurology, University Hospital Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland
| | - Stephanie A Stalder
- Spinal Cord Injury Center, Balgrist University Hospital, Zurich, Switzerland
| | | | - Tim Killeen
- Spinal Cord Injury Center, Balgrist University Hospital, Zurich, Switzerland
| | | | - Armin Curt
- Spinal Cord Injury Center, Balgrist University Hospital, Zurich, Switzerland
| | - Björn Zörner
- Spinal Cord Injury Center, Balgrist University Hospital, Zurich, Switzerland
| | - Marc Bolliger
- Spinal Cord Injury Center, Balgrist University Hospital, Zurich, Switzerland
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Watanabe T, Nojima I, Mima T, Sugiura H, Kirimoto H. Magnification of visual feedback modulates corticomuscular and intermuscular coherences differently in young and elderly adults. Neuroimage 2020; 220:117089. [DOI: 10.1016/j.neuroimage.2020.117089] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/14/2020] [Revised: 06/05/2020] [Accepted: 06/21/2020] [Indexed: 10/24/2022] Open
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Dos Santos PCR, Lamoth CJC, Barbieri FA, Zijdewind I, Gobbi LTB, Hortobágyi T. Age-specific modulation of intermuscular beta coherence during gait before and after experimentally induced fatigue. Sci Rep 2020; 10:15854. [PMID: 32985547 PMCID: PMC7522269 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-020-72839-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/14/2020] [Accepted: 09/07/2020] [Indexed: 12/19/2022] Open
Abstract
We examined the effects of age on intermuscular beta-band (15-35 Hz) coherence during treadmill walking before and after experimentally induced fatigue. Older (n = 12) and younger (n = 12) adults walked on a treadmill at 1.2 m/s for 3 min before and after repetitive sit-to-stand, rSTS, to induce muscle fatigability. We measured stride outcomes and coherence from 100 steps in the dominant leg for the synergistic (biceps femoris (BF)-semitendinosus, rectus femoris (RF)-vastus lateralis (VL), gastrocnemius lateralis (GL)-Soleus (SL), tibialis anterior (TA)-peroneus longus (PL)) and for the antagonistic (RF-BF and TA-GL) muscle pairs at late swing and early stance. Older vs. younger adults had 43-62% lower GL-SL, RF-VL coherence in swing and TA-PL and RF-VL coherence in stance. After rSTS, RF-BF coherence in late swing decreased by ~ 20% and TA-PL increased by 16% independent of age (p = 0.02). Also, GL-SL coherence decreased by ~ 23% and increased by ~ 23% in younger and older, respectively. Age affects the oscillatory coupling between synergistic muscle pairs, delivered presumably via corticospinal tracts, during treadmill walking. Muscle fatigability elicits age-specific changes in the common fluctuations in muscle activity, which could be interpreted as a compensation for muscle fatigability to maintain gait performance.
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Affiliation(s)
- Paulo Cezar Rocha Dos Santos
- Department of Human Movement Sciences, University Medical Center Groningen, University of Groningen, Groningen, The Netherlands.
- Posture and Gait Studies Laboratory (LEPLO), Institute of Biosciences, Graduate Program in Movement Sciences, São Paulo State University (UNESP), Rio Claro, Brazil.
- Department of Human Movement Sciences, University of Groningen, University Medical Center Groningen, A. Deusinglaan 1, 9713 AV, Groningen, The Netherlands.
| | - Claudine J C Lamoth
- Department of Human Movement Sciences, University Medical Center Groningen, University of Groningen, Groningen, The Netherlands
| | - Fabio Augusto Barbieri
- Department of Physical Education, Human Movement Research Laboratory (MOVI-LAB), Graduate Program in Movement Sciences, São Paulo State University (UNESP), Bauru, Brazil
| | - Inge Zijdewind
- Department of Biomedical Sciences of Cells and Systems, University of Groningen, University Medical Center Groningen, Groningen, The Netherlands
| | - Lilian Teresa Bucken Gobbi
- Posture and Gait Studies Laboratory (LEPLO), Institute of Biosciences, Graduate Program in Movement Sciences, São Paulo State University (UNESP), Rio Claro, Brazil
| | - Tibor Hortobágyi
- Department of Human Movement Sciences, University Medical Center Groningen, University of Groningen, Groningen, The Netherlands
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Marin-Pardo O, Laine CM, Rennie M, Ito KL, Finley J, Liew SL. A Virtual Reality Muscle-Computer Interface for Neurorehabilitation in Chronic Stroke: A Pilot Study. SENSORS 2020; 20:s20133754. [PMID: 32635550 PMCID: PMC7374440 DOI: 10.3390/s20133754] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/28/2020] [Revised: 07/01/2020] [Accepted: 07/01/2020] [Indexed: 12/11/2022]
Abstract
Severe impairment of limb movement after stroke can be challenging to address in the chronic stage of stroke (e.g., greater than 6 months post stroke). Recent evidence suggests that physical therapy can still promote meaningful recovery after this stage, but the required high amount of therapy is difficult to deliver within the scope of standard clinical practice. Digital gaming technologies are now being combined with brain–computer interfaces to motivate engaging and frequent exercise and promote neural recovery. However, the complexity and expense of acquiring brain signals has held back widespread utilization of these rehabilitation systems. Furthermore, for people that have residual muscle activity, electromyography (EMG) might be a simpler and equally effective alternative. In this pilot study, we evaluate the feasibility and efficacy of an EMG-based variant of our REINVENT virtual reality (VR) neurofeedback rehabilitation system to increase volitional muscle activity while reducing unintended co-contractions. We recruited four participants in the chronic stage of stroke recovery, all with severely restricted active wrist movement. They completed seven 1-hour training sessions during which our head-mounted VR system reinforced activation of the wrist extensor muscles without flexor activation. Before and after training, participants underwent a battery of clinical and neuromuscular assessments. We found that training improved scores on standardized clinical assessments, equivalent to those previously reported for brain–computer interfaces. Additionally, training may have induced changes in corticospinal communication, as indexed by an increase in 12–30 Hz corticomuscular coherence and by an improved ability to maintain a constant level of wrist muscle activity. Our data support the feasibility of using muscle–computer interfaces in severe chronic stroke, as well as their potential to promote functional recovery and trigger neural plasticity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Octavio Marin-Pardo
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA 90089, USA; (O.M.-P.); (J.F.)
| | - Christopher M. Laine
- Chan Division of Occupational Science and Occupational Therapy, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA 90089, USA; (C.M.L.); (M.R.); (K.L.I.)
| | - Miranda Rennie
- Chan Division of Occupational Science and Occupational Therapy, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA 90089, USA; (C.M.L.); (M.R.); (K.L.I.)
| | - Kaori L. Ito
- Chan Division of Occupational Science and Occupational Therapy, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA 90089, USA; (C.M.L.); (M.R.); (K.L.I.)
| | - James Finley
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA 90089, USA; (O.M.-P.); (J.F.)
- Division of Biokinesiology and Physical Therapy, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA 90089, USA
| | - Sook-Lei Liew
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA 90089, USA; (O.M.-P.); (J.F.)
- Chan Division of Occupational Science and Occupational Therapy, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA 90089, USA; (C.M.L.); (M.R.); (K.L.I.)
- Division of Biokinesiology and Physical Therapy, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA 90089, USA
- Correspondence:
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37
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Nojima I, Suwa Y, Sugiura H, Noguchi T, Tanabe S, Mima T, Watanabe T. Smaller muscle mass is associated with increase in EMG-EMG coherence of the leg muscle during unipedal stance in elderly adults. Hum Mov Sci 2020; 71:102614. [PMID: 32452431 DOI: 10.1016/j.humov.2020.102614] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/28/2019] [Revised: 03/16/2020] [Accepted: 03/16/2020] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
Abstract
Age-induced decline in the ability to perform daily activities is associated with a deterioration of physical parameters. Changes occur in neuromuscular system with age; however, the relationship between these changes and physical parameters has not been fully elucidated. Therefore, in this study, we aimed to determine the relationship between neuromuscular system evaluated using a coherence analysis of the leg muscles and physical parameters in community-dwelling healthy elderly adults. The participants were required to stand still in bipedal and unipedal stances on a force plate. Then, electromyography (EMG) was recorded from the tibialis anterior (TA) and medial and lateral gastrocnemius (MG/LG) muscles, and intermuscular coherence was calculated between the following pairs: TA and MG (TA-MG), TA and LG (TA-LG), and MG and LG (MG-LG). Furthermore, gait speed, unipedal stance time, and muscle mass were measured. EMG-EMG coherence for the MG-LG pair was significantly greater in the unipedal stance task than in the bipedal one (p = .001). Multiple linear regression analysis revealed that the muscle mass of the leg was negatively correlated with the change in the β-band coherence for the MG-LG pair from bipedal to unipedal stance (R2 = 0.067, standard β = -0.345, p = .044). As the β-band coherence could reflect the corticospinal activity, the increased β-band coherence may be a compensation for the smaller muscle mass, or alternatively may be a sign of changes in the nervous system resulting in the loss of muscle mass.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ippei Nojima
- Department of Physical Therapy, School of Health Sciences, Shinshu University, Matsumoto, Nagano, Japan.
| | - Yuki Suwa
- Department of Physical Therapy, Nagoya University Graduate School of Medicine, Aichi, Japan
| | - Hideshi Sugiura
- Department of Physical Therapy, Nagoya University Graduate School of Medicine, Aichi, Japan
| | - Taiji Noguchi
- National Center for Geriatrics and Gerontology, Aichi, Japan
| | - Shigeo Tanabe
- Faculty of Rehabilitation, School of Health Sciences, Fujita Health University, Toyoake, Aichi, Japan
| | - Tatsuya Mima
- Graduate School of Core Ethics and Frontier Sciences, Ritsumeikan University, Kyoto, Japan
| | - Tatsunori Watanabe
- Department of Sensorimotor Neuroscience, Graduate School of Biomedical and Health Sciences, Hiroshima University, Hiroshima, Japan
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38
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Walker S, Piitulainen H, Manlangit T, Avela J, Baker SN. Older adults show elevated intermuscular coherence in eyes‐open standing but only young adults increase coherence in response to closing the eyes. Exp Physiol 2020; 105:1000-1011. [DOI: 10.1113/ep088468] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/20/2020] [Accepted: 04/01/2020] [Indexed: 11/08/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- S. Walker
- NeuroMuscular Research Center Faculty of Sport and Health Sciences University of Jyväskylä Jyväskylä FI‐40014 Finland
| | - H. Piitulainen
- NeuroMuscular Research Center Faculty of Sport and Health Sciences University of Jyväskylä Jyväskylä FI‐40014 Finland
- Department of Neuroscience and Biomedical Engineering School of Science Aalto University Espoo Finland
| | - T. Manlangit
- NeuroMuscular Research Center Faculty of Sport and Health Sciences University of Jyväskylä Jyväskylä FI‐40014 Finland
| | - J. Avela
- NeuroMuscular Research Center Faculty of Sport and Health Sciences University of Jyväskylä Jyväskylä FI‐40014 Finland
| | - S. N. Baker
- Institute of Neuroscience, Medical School Newcastle University Newcastle upon Tyne UK
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39
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Hope JM, Koter RZ, Estes SP, Field-Fote EC. Disrupted Ankle Control and Spasticity in Persons With Spinal Cord Injury: The Association Between Neurophysiologic Measures and Function. A Scoping Review. Front Neurol 2020; 11:166. [PMID: 32218765 PMCID: PMC7078326 DOI: 10.3389/fneur.2020.00166] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/25/2019] [Accepted: 02/21/2020] [Indexed: 12/03/2022] Open
Abstract
Control of muscles about the ankle joint is an important component of locomotion and balance that is negatively impacted by spinal cord injury (SCI). Volitional control of the ankle dorsiflexors (DF) is impaired by damage to pathways descending from supraspinal centers. Concurrently, spasticity arising from disrupted organization of spinal reflex circuits, further erodes control. The association between neurophysiological changes (corticospinal and spinal) with volitional ankle control (VAC) and spasticity remains unclear. The goal of this scoping review was to synthesize what is known about how changes in corticospinal transmission and spinal reflex excitability contribute to disrupted ankle control after SCI. We followed published guidelines for conducting a scoping review, appraising studies that contained a measure of corticospinal transmission and/or spinal reflex excitability paired with a measure of VAC and/or spasticity. We examined studies for evidence of a relationship between neurophysiological measures (either corticospinal tract transmission or spinal reflex excitability) with VAC and/or spasticity. Of 1,538 records identified, 17 studies were included in the review. Ten of 17 studies investigated spinal reflex excitability, while 7/17 assessed corticospinal tract transmission. Four of the 10 spinal reflex studies examined VAC, while 9/10 examined ankle spasticity. The corticospinal tract transmission studies examined only VAC. While current evidence suggests there is a relationship between neurophysiological measures and ankle function after SCI, more studies are needed. Understanding the relationship between neurophysiology and ankle function is important for advancing therapeutic outcomes after SCI. Future studies to capture an array of corticospinal, spinal, and functional measures are warranted.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jasmine M Hope
- Shepherd Center, Crawford Research Institute, Atlanta, GA, United States.,Graduate Division of Biological and Biomedical Sciences, Laney Graduate School, Emory University, Atlanta, GA, United States
| | - Ryan Z Koter
- Shepherd Center, Crawford Research Institute, Atlanta, GA, United States
| | - Stephen P Estes
- Shepherd Center, Crawford Research Institute, Atlanta, GA, United States
| | - Edelle C Field-Fote
- Shepherd Center, Crawford Research Institute, Atlanta, GA, United States.,Graduate Division of Biological and Biomedical Sciences, Laney Graduate School, Emory University, Atlanta, GA, United States.,Division of Physical Therapy, School of Medicine, Emory University, Atlanta, GA, United States.,Georgia Institute of Technology, School of Biological Sciences, Program in Applied Physiology, Atlanta, GA, United States
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40
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Gennaro F, Maino P, Kaelin-Lang A, De Bock K, de Bruin ED. Corticospinal Control of Human Locomotion as a New Determinant of Age-Related Sarcopenia: An Exploratory Study. J Clin Med 2020; 9:E720. [PMID: 32155951 PMCID: PMC7141202 DOI: 10.3390/jcm9030720] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/21/2020] [Revised: 02/25/2020] [Accepted: 03/02/2020] [Indexed: 12/11/2022] Open
Abstract
Sarcopenia is a muscle disease listed within the ICD-10 classification. Several operational definitions have been created for sarcopenia screening; however, an international consensus is lacking. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention have recently recognized that sarcopenia detection requires improved diagnosis and screening measures. Mounting evidence hints towards changes in the corticospinal communication system where corticomuscular coherence (CMC) reflects an effective mechanism of corticospinal interaction. CMC can be assessed during locomotion by means of simultaneously measuring Electroencephalography (EEG) and Electromyography (EMG). The aim of this study was to perform sarcopenia screening in community-dwelling older adults and explore the possibility of using CMC assessed during gait to discriminate between sarcopenic and non-sarcopenic older adults. Receiver Operating Characteristic (ROC) curves showed high sensitivity, precision and accuracy of CMC assessed from EEG Cz sensor and EMG sensors located over Musculus Vastus Medialis [Cz-VM; AUC (95.0%CI): 0.98 (0.92-1.04), sensitivity: 1.00, 1-specificity: 0.89, p < 0.001] and with Musculus Biceps Femoris [Cz-BF; AUC (95.0%CI): 0.86 (0.68-1.03), sensitivity: 1.00, 1-specificity: 0.70, p < 0.001]. These muscles showed significant differences with large magnitude of effect between sarcopenic and non-sarcopenic older adults [Hedge's g (95.0%CI): 2.2 (1.3-3.1), p = 0.005 and Hedge's g (95.0%CI): 1.5 (0.7-2.2), p = 0.010; respectively]. The novelty of this exploratory investigation is the hint toward a novel possible determinant of age-related sarcopenia, derived from corticospinal control of locomotion and shown by the observed large differences in CMC when sarcopenic and non-sarcopenic older adults are compared. This, in turn, might represent in future a potential treatment target to counteract sarcopenia as well as a parameter to monitor the progression of the disease and/or the potential recovery following other treatment interventions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Federico Gennaro
- Department of Health Sciences and Technology, Institute of Human Movement Sciences and Sport, ETH Zurich, 8093 Zurich, Switzerland; (K.D.B.); (E.D.d.B.)
| | - Paolo Maino
- Pain Management Center, Neurocenter of Southern Switzerland, Regional Hospital of Lugano, 6962 Lugano, Switzerland;
| | - Alain Kaelin-Lang
- Neurocenter of Southern Switzerland, Regional Hospital of Lugano, 6900 Lugano, Switzerland;
- Faculty of Biomedical Sciences, Università della Svizzera Italiana, 6900 Lugano, Switzerland
- Medical faculty, University of Bern, 3008 Bern, Switzerland
| | - Katrien De Bock
- Department of Health Sciences and Technology, Institute of Human Movement Sciences and Sport, ETH Zurich, 8093 Zurich, Switzerland; (K.D.B.); (E.D.d.B.)
| | - Eling D. de Bruin
- Department of Health Sciences and Technology, Institute of Human Movement Sciences and Sport, ETH Zurich, 8093 Zurich, Switzerland; (K.D.B.); (E.D.d.B.)
- Department of Neurobiology, Division of Physiotherapy, Care Sciences and Society, Karolinska Institutet, 171 77 Stockholm, Sweden
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McManus L, Botelho DP, Flood MW, Lowery MM. The Influence of Force Level and Motor Unit Coherence on Nonlinear Surface EMG Features Examined Using Model Simulation. ANNUAL INTERNATIONAL CONFERENCE OF THE IEEE ENGINEERING IN MEDICINE AND BIOLOGY SOCIETY. IEEE ENGINEERING IN MEDICINE AND BIOLOGY SOCIETY. ANNUAL INTERNATIONAL CONFERENCE 2020; 2019:6616-6619. [PMID: 31947358 DOI: 10.1109/embc.2019.8857299] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/10/2022]
Abstract
Nonlinear features extracted from surface EMG signals have been previously used to infer information on coherent or synchronous activity in the underlying motor unit discharges. However, it has not yet been assessed how these features are affected by the density of the surface EMG signal, and whether changes in the level of muscle activation can influence the effective detection of correlated motor unit firing. To examine this, a motoneuron pool model receiving a beta-band modulated cortical input was used to generate correlated motor unit firing trains. These firing trains were convolved with motor unit action potentials generated from an anatomically accurate electrophysiological model of the first dorsal interosseous muscle. The sample entropy (SampEn) and percentage determinism (%DET) of recurrence quantification analysis were calculated from the composite surface EMG signals, for signals comprised of both correlated and uncorrelated motor unit firing trains. The results show that although both SampEn and %DET are influenced by motor unit coherence, they are differentially affected by muscle activation and motor unit distribution. The results also suggest that sample entropy may provide a more accurate assessment of the underlying motor unit coherence than percentage determinism, as it is less sensitive to factors unrelated to motor unit synchrony.
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42
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Lorentzen J, Willerslev-Olsen M, Hüche Larsen H, Farmer SF, Nielsen JB. Maturation of feedforward toe walking motor program is impaired in children with cerebral palsy. Brain 2020; 142:526-541. [PMID: 30726881 DOI: 10.1093/brain/awz002] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/14/2018] [Revised: 11/02/2018] [Accepted: 11/26/2018] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Voluntary toe walking in adults is characterized by feedforward control of ankle muscles in order to ensure optimal stability of the ankle joint at ground impact. Toe walking is frequently observed in children with cerebral palsy, but the mechanisms involved have not been clarified. Here, we investigated maturation of voluntary toe walking in typically-developing children and typically-developed adults and compared it to involuntary toe walking in children with cerebral palsy. Twenty-eight children with cerebral palsy (age 3-14 years), 24 typically-developing children (age 2-14 years) and 15 adults (mean age 30.7 years) participated in the study. EMG activity was measured from the tibialis anterior and soleus muscles together with knee and ankle joint position during treadmill walking. In typically-developed adults, low step-to-step variability of the drop of the heel after ground impact was correlated with low tibialis anterior and high soleus EMG with no significant coupling between the antagonist muscle EMGs. Typically-developing children showed a significant age-related decline in EMG amplitude reaching an adult level at 10-12 years of age. The youngest typically-developing children showed a broad peak EMG-EMG synchronization (>100 ms) associated with large 5-15 Hz coherence between antagonist muscle activities. EMG coherence declined with age and at the age of 10-12 years no correlation was observed similar to adults. This reduction in coherence was closely related to improved step-to-step stability of the ankle joint position. Children with cerebral palsy generally showed lower EMG levels than typically-developing children and larger step-to-step variability in ankle joint position. In contrast to typically-developing children, children with cerebral palsy showed no age-related decline in tibialis anterior EMG amplitude. Motor unit synchronization and 5-15 Hz coherence between antagonist EMGs was observed more frequently in children with cerebral palsy when compared to typically-developing children and in contrast to typically-developing participants there was no age-related decline. We conclude that typically-developing children develop mature feedforward control of ankle muscle activity as they age, such that at age 10-12 years there is little agonist-antagonist muscle co-contraction around the time of foot-ground contact during toe walking. Children with cerebral palsy, in contrast, continue to co-contract agonist and antagonist ankle muscles when toe walking. We speculate that children with cerebral palsy maintain a co-contraction activation pattern when toe walking due to weak muscles and insufficient motor and sensory signalling necessary for optimization of feedforward motor programs. These findings are important for understanding of the pathophysiology and treatment of toe walking.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jakob Lorentzen
- Department of Neuroscience, University of Copenhagen, Copenhagen, Denmark.,Elsass Institute, Charlottenlund, Denmark
| | - Maria Willerslev-Olsen
- Department of Neuroscience, University of Copenhagen, Copenhagen, Denmark.,Elsass Institute, Charlottenlund, Denmark
| | | | - Simon Francis Farmer
- Department of Clinical and Movement Neuroscience, Institute of Neurology, University College London, London, UK.,Department of Clinical Neurology, National Hospital for Neurology and Neurosurgery, UK
| | - Jens Bo Nielsen
- Department of Neuroscience, University of Copenhagen, Copenhagen, Denmark.,Elsass Institute, Charlottenlund, Denmark
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Layne CS, Young DR, Lee BC, Glaze DG, Schwabe A, Suter B. Kinematics associated with treadmill walking in Rett syndrome. Disabil Rehabil 2019; 43:1585-1593. [PMID: 31613656 DOI: 10.1080/09638288.2019.1674389] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/25/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE Individuals with Rett syndrome suffer from severely impaired cognitive and motor performance. Current movement-related therapeutic programs often include traditional physical therapy activities and assisted treadmill walking routines for those individuals who are ambulatory. However, there are no quantitative reports of kinematic gait parameters obtained during treadmill walking. The purpose of this research was to characterize the kinematic patterns of the lower limbs during treadmill walking as speed was slowly increased. METHODS Seventeen independently ambulatory females diagnosed with a methyl-CpG-binding protein 2 gene mutation walked on a motorized treadmill while joint kinematics were obtained by a camera-based motion capture system and analysis software. RESULTS Stride times progressively decreased as treadmill speeds increased. There were significant main effects of speed on sagittal knee and hip ranges of motion and hip velocity. There were large joint asymmetries and variance values relative to other ambulatory patient populations, although variance values decreased as walking speed increased. CONCLUSIONS The results indicate that individuals with Rett syndrome can adapt their kinematic gait patterns in response to increasing treadmill speed, but only within a narrow range of speeds. We suggest that treadmill training for ambulatory individuals with Rett syndrome may promote improved walking kinematics and possibly provide overall health benefits.Implications for rehabilitationWalking is an activity that can counter the negative impacts of the sedentary lifestyle of many individuals with disabilities, including those individuals with Rett syndrome.Documentation of the lower limb kinematic patterns displayed during walking by ambulatory females with Rett syndrome can be used by clinicians to evaluate their patients' gait performance in response to therapeutic and pharmacological interventions designed to promote walking.The ability to adapt to increases in treadmill speed suggests that a training program of treadmill walking may be effective in promoting improved gait performance in individuals with Rett syndrome.
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Affiliation(s)
- Charles S Layne
- Department of Health and Human Performance, University of Houston, Houston, TX, USA.,Center for Neuromotor and Biomechanics Research, University of Houston, Houston, TX, USA.,Center for Neuro-Engineering and Cognitive Science, University of Houston, Houston, TX, USA
| | - David R Young
- Department of Health and Human Performance, University of Houston, Houston, TX, USA.,Center for Neuromotor and Biomechanics Research, University of Houston, Houston, TX, USA
| | - Beom-Chan Lee
- Department of Health and Human Performance, University of Houston, Houston, TX, USA.,Center for Neuromotor and Biomechanics Research, University of Houston, Houston, TX, USA
| | - Daniel G Glaze
- Blue Bird Circle Rett Center, Texas Children's Hospital, Houston, TX, USA.,Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX, USA
| | - Aloysia Schwabe
- Blue Bird Circle Rett Center, Texas Children's Hospital, Houston, TX, USA.,Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX, USA
| | - Bernhard Suter
- Blue Bird Circle Rett Center, Texas Children's Hospital, Houston, TX, USA.,Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX, USA
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de Bruin ED, Patt N, Ringli L, Gennaro F. Playing Exergames Facilitates Central Drive to the Ankle Dorsiflexors During Gait in Older Adults; a Quasi-Experimental Investigation. Front Aging Neurosci 2019; 11:263. [PMID: 31616287 PMCID: PMC6763617 DOI: 10.3389/fnagi.2019.00263] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/29/2019] [Accepted: 09/05/2019] [Indexed: 11/24/2022] Open
Abstract
Purpose Gait training might be of particular importance to reduce fall risk in older adults. In the present study we explore the hypothesis that video game-based training will increase tibialis anterior (TA) muscle EMG-EMG coherence and relates to functional measures of lower limb control. Methods We focus on video game-based training performed in standing position, where the subjects have to lift their toes to place their feet on different target zones in order to successfully play the game. This type of training is hypothesized leading to progressive changes in the central motor drive to TA motor neurons and, consequently, improved control of ankle dorsiflexion during gait. Results Twenty older adults, 79 ± 8 years old, 13 females/7 males, participated. Results showed a significant difference against 0 in the experimental ΔPOST condition in dual-task walking and beta Frequency Of Interest (p = 0.002). Walking under dual task condition showed significant change over time in minimal Toe Clearance for both the left [χ2(2) = 7.46, p = 0.024, n = 20] and right [χ2(2) = 8.87, p = 0.012, n = 20] leg. No change in lower extremity function was detectable. Conclusion Overall we conclude that the initiation of an exergame-based training in upright standing position improves neural drive to the lower extremities in older adults, effects on minimal Toe Clearance and seems an acceptable form of physical exercise for this group.
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Affiliation(s)
- Eling D de Bruin
- Institute of Human Movement Sciences and Sport, Department of Health Sciences and Technology, ETH Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland.,Division of Physiotherapy, Department of Neurobiology, Care Sciences and Society, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Nadine Patt
- Institute of Human Movement Sciences and Sport, Department of Health Sciences and Technology, ETH Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland
| | - Lisa Ringli
- SRH Hochschule für Gesundheit, Gera, Germany
| | - Federico Gennaro
- Institute of Human Movement Sciences and Sport, Department of Health Sciences and Technology, ETH Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland
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45
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Dideriksen JL, Farina D. Amplitude cancellation influences the association between frequency components in the neural drive to muscle and the rectified EMG signal. PLoS Comput Biol 2019; 15:e1006985. [PMID: 31050667 PMCID: PMC6519845 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pcbi.1006985] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/23/2018] [Revised: 05/15/2019] [Accepted: 03/27/2019] [Indexed: 12/11/2022] Open
Abstract
The rectified surface EMG signal is commonly used as an estimator of the neural drive to muscles and therefore to infer sources of synaptic input to motor neurons. Loss of EMG amplitude due to the overlap of motor unit action potentials (amplitude cancellation), however, may distort the spectrum of the rectified EMG and thereby its correlation with the neural drive. In this study, we investigated the impact of amplitude cancelation on this correlation using analytical derivations and a computational model of motor neuron activity, force, and the EMG signal. First, we demonstrated analytically that an ideal rectified EMG signal without amplitude cancellation (EMGnc) is superior to the actual rectified EMG signal as estimator of the neural drive to muscle. This observation was confirmed by the simulations, as the average coefficient of determination (r2) between the neural drive in the 1–30 Hz band and EMGnc (0.59±0.08) was matched by the correlation between the rectified EMG and the neural drive only when the level of amplitude cancellation was low (<40%) at low contraction levels (<5% of maximum voluntary contraction force; MVC). This correlation, however, decreased linearly with amplitude cancellation (r = -0.83) to values of r2 <0.2 at amplitude cancellation levels >60% (contraction levels >15% MVC). Moreover, the simulations showed that a stronger (i.e. more variable) neural drive implied a stronger correlation between the rectified EMG and the neural drive and that amplitude cancellation distorted this correlation mainly for low-frequency components (<5 Hz) of the neural drive. In conclusion, the results indicate that amplitude cancellation distorts the spectrum of the rectified EMG signal. This implies that valid use of the rectified EMG as an estimator of the neural drive requires low contraction levels and/or strong common synaptic input to the motor neurons. The rectified surface EMG signal is commonly used to analyze the neural activation of muscles. However, since this signal is most often exposed to so-called amplitude cancellation (loss of EMG amplitude due to overlap of positive and negative phases of different motor unit action potentials), the frequency content of the rectified EMG may not fully reflect that of the neural drive to the muscle. In this study we prove this notion analytically and demonstrate, using simulations, that the rectified EMG signal accurately reflects the neural drive to the muscle only in a limited set of conditions. Specifically, these conditions include low contraction levels and/or high variability of the neural drive. In other conditions, the rectified EMG signal from a muscle is a poor predictor of its neural input. This finding has potentially large implications for the way neural drive to muscles and neural connectivity (e.g. across muscles or between the brain and a muscle) should be analyzed.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Dario Farina
- Department of Bioengineering, Imperial College London, London, United Kingdom
- * E-mail:
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46
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Standing task difficulty related increase in agonist-agonist and agonist-antagonist common inputs are driven by corticospinal and subcortical inputs respectively. Sci Rep 2019; 9:2439. [PMID: 30792452 PMCID: PMC6385195 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-019-39197-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/25/2018] [Accepted: 01/18/2019] [Indexed: 11/26/2022] Open
Abstract
In standing, coordinated activation of lower extremity muscles can be simplified by common neural inputs to muscles comprising a functional synergy. We examined the effect of task difficulty on common inputs to agonist-agonist (AG-AG) pairs supporting direction specific reciprocal muscle control and agonist-antagonist (AG-ANT) pairs supporting stiffness control. Since excessive stiffness is energetically costly and limits the flexibility of responses to perturbations, compared to AG-ANT, we expected greater AG-AG common inputs and a larger increase with increasing task difficulty. We used coherence analysis to examine common inputs in three frequency ranges which reflect subcortical/spinal (0–5 and 6–15 Hz) and corticospinal inputs (6–15 and 16–40 Hz). Coherence was indeed higher in AG-AG compared to AG-ANT muscles in all three frequency bands, indicating a predilection for functional synergies supporting reciprocal rather than stiffness control. Coherence increased with increasing task difficulty, only in AG-ANT muscles in the low frequency band (0–5 Hz), reflecting subcortical inputs and only in AG-AG group in the high frequency band (16–40 Hz), reflecting corticospinal inputs. Therefore, common neural inputs to both AG-AG and AG-ANT muscles increase with difficulty but are likely driven by different sources of input to spinal alpha motor neurons.
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47
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Filli L, Meyer C, Killeen T, Lörincz L, Göpfert B, Linnebank M, von Tscharner V, Curt A, Bolliger M, Zörner B. Probing Corticospinal Control During Different Locomotor Tasks Using Detailed Time-Frequency Analysis of Electromyograms. Front Neurol 2019; 10:17. [PMID: 30761064 PMCID: PMC6361808 DOI: 10.3389/fneur.2019.00017] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/11/2018] [Accepted: 01/07/2019] [Indexed: 12/11/2022] Open
Abstract
Locomotion relies on the fine-tuned coordination of different muscles which are controlled by particular neural circuits. Depending on the attendant conditions, walking patterns must be modified to optimally meet the demands of the task. Assessing neuromuscular control during dynamic conditions is methodologically highly challenging and prone to artifacts. Here we aim at assessing corticospinal involvement during different locomotor tasks using non-invasive surface electromyography. Activity in tibialis anterior (TA) and gastrocnemius medialis (GM) muscles was monitored by electromyograms (EMGs) in 27 healthy volunteers (11 female) during regular walking, walking while engaged in simultaneous cognitive dual tasks, walking with partial visual restriction, and skilled, targeted locomotion. Whereas EMG intensity of the TA and GM was considerably altered while walking with partial visual restriction and during targeted locomotion, dual-task walking induced only minor changes in total EMG intensity compared to regular walking. Targeted walking resulted in enhanced EMG intensity of GM in the frequency range associated with Piper rhythm synchronies. Likewise, targeted walking induced enhanced EMG intensity of TA at the Piper rhythm frequency around heelstrike, but not during the swing phase. Our findings indicate task- and phase-dependent modulations of neuromuscular control in distal leg muscles during various locomotor conditions in healthy subjects. Enhanced EMG intensity in the Piper rhythm frequency during targeted walking points toward enforced corticospinal drive during challenging locomotor tasks. These findings indicate that comprehensive time-frequency EMG analysis is able to gauge cortical involvement during different movement programs in a non-invasive manner and might be used as complementary diagnostic tool to assess baseline integrity of the corticospinal tract and to monitor changes in corticospinal drive as induced by neurorehabilitation interventions or during disease progression.
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Affiliation(s)
- Linard Filli
- Department of Neurology, University Hospital and University of Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland.,Spinal Cord Injury Center, Balgrist University Hospital, Zurich, Switzerland
| | - Christian Meyer
- Spinal Cord Injury Center, Balgrist University Hospital, Zurich, Switzerland
| | - Tim Killeen
- Spinal Cord Injury Center, Balgrist University Hospital, Zurich, Switzerland
| | - Lilla Lörincz
- Department of Neurology, University Hospital and University of Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland
| | - Beat Göpfert
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Center for Biomechanics and Biocalorimetry, University of Basel, Basel, Switzerland
| | - Michael Linnebank
- Department of Neurology, University Hospital and University of Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland.,Department of Neurology, Helios-Klinik Hagen-Ambrock, Hagen, Germany
| | | | - Armin Curt
- Spinal Cord Injury Center, Balgrist University Hospital, Zurich, Switzerland
| | - Marc Bolliger
- Spinal Cord Injury Center, Balgrist University Hospital, Zurich, Switzerland
| | - Björn Zörner
- Department of Neurology, University Hospital and University of Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland.,Spinal Cord Injury Center, Balgrist University Hospital, Zurich, Switzerland
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Differential Cortical Control of Chest Wall Muscles During Pressure- and Volume-Related Expiratory Tasks and the Effects of Acute Expiratory Threshold Loading. Motor Control 2019; 23:13-33. [PMID: 29902955 DOI: 10.1123/mc.2016-0055] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/30/2016] [Revised: 01/25/2018] [Accepted: 02/23/2018] [Indexed: 11/18/2022]
Abstract
We examined whether or not coherence between chest wall intercostal and oblique muscles changed as a function of lung volume excursion, alveolar pressure, and muscular demand. We also assessed the effects of acute expiratory threshold loading (ETL) on chest wall muscular control. A total of 15 healthy adults (7 males; average age = 28 years) completed maximum performance and ETL tasks. Chest wall surface electromyographic and kinematic recordings were made. Participants also performed a session of acute ETL. We showed that corticomuscular control of the chest wall varied as a function of lung volume excursion and muscular effort. Acute ETL had some effect on respiratory kinematics but not coherence.
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Effect of Task Failure on Intermuscular Coherence Measures in Synergistic Muscles. Appl Bionics Biomech 2018; 2018:4759232. [PMID: 29967654 PMCID: PMC6008706 DOI: 10.1155/2018/4759232] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/19/2018] [Accepted: 02/21/2018] [Indexed: 12/01/2022] Open
Abstract
The term “task failure” describes the point when a person is not able to maintain the level of force required by a task. As task failure approaches, the corticospinal command to the muscles increases to maintain the required level of force in the face of a decreased mechanical efficacy. Nevertheless, most motor tasks require the synergistic recruitment of several muscles. How this recruitment is affected by approaching task failure is still not clear. The increase in the corticospinal drive could be due to an increase in synergistic recruitment or to overlapping commands sent to the muscles individually. Herein, we investigated these possibilities by combining intermuscular coherence and synergy analysis on signals recorded from three muscles of the quadriceps during dynamic leg extension tasks. We employed muscle synergy analysis to investigate changes in the coactivation of the muscles. Three different measures of coherence were used. Pooled coherence was used to estimate the command synchronous to all three muscles, pairwise coherence the command shared across muscle pairs and residual coherence the command peculiar to each couple of muscles. Our analysis highlights an overall decrease in synergistic command at task failure and an intensification of the contribution of the nonsynergistic shared command.
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50
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Watanabe T, Saito K, Ishida K, Tanabe S, Nojima I. Age-Related Declines in the Ability to Modulate Common Input to Bilateral and Unilateral Plantar Flexors During Forward Postural Lean. Front Hum Neurosci 2018; 12:254. [PMID: 29988551 PMCID: PMC6026674 DOI: 10.3389/fnhum.2018.00254] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/21/2018] [Accepted: 06/04/2018] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Aging can impair an ability to lean the body forward to the edge of the base of support. Here, we investigated, using a coherence analysis, common inputs to bilateral and unilateral plantar flexor muscles to test a hypothesis that the age-related impairment would be related to strong synchronous bilateral activation and reduced cortical control of these muscles. Healthy young (n = 14) and elderly adults (n = 19), who were all right-foot dominant, performed quiet standing task and tasks that required the subjects to lean their body forward to 35 and 75% of the maximum lean distance. The electromyogram was recorded from the bilateral medial gastrocnemius (MG) and soleus (SL) muscles. We analyzed delta-band coherence, that reflects comodulation of muscle activity, between the bilateral homologous muscles (MG-MG and SL-SL pairs). The origin of this bilateral comodulation is suggested to be the subcortical system. Also, we examined beta-band coherence, that is related to the corticospinal drive, between the unilateral muscles (MG-SL pair) in the right leg. Results indicated that the bilateral delta-band coherence for the MG-MG pair was significantly smaller in the 75% forward lean than quiet standing and 35% forward lean tasks for the young adults (quiet: p = 0.036; 35%: p = 0.0011). The bilateral delta-band coherence for the SL-SL pair was significantly smaller in the 75% forward lean than 35% forward lean task for the young adults (p = 0.027). Furthermore, the unilateral beta-band coherence was larger in the forward lean than quiet standing task for the young adults (35%: p < 0.001; 75%: p = 0.029). Contrarily, the elderly adults did not demonstrate such changes. These findings suggest the importance of decreasing the synchronous bilateral activation and increasing the unilateral cortical control of the plantar flexor muscles for the successful forward postural lean performance, and that aging impairs this modulatory ability.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tatsunori Watanabe
- Department of Physical Therapy, Graduate School of Medicine, Nagoya University, Nagoya, Japan.,Japan Society for the Promotion of Science, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Kotaro Saito
- Department of Physical Therapy, Graduate School of Medicine, Nagoya University, Nagoya, Japan
| | - Kazuto Ishida
- Department of Physical Therapy, Graduate School of Medicine, Nagoya University, Nagoya, Japan
| | - Shigeo Tanabe
- Faculty of Rehabilitation, School of Health Sciences, Fujita Health University, Toyoake, Japan
| | - Ippei Nojima
- Department of Physical Therapy, Graduate School of Medicine, Nagoya University, Nagoya, Japan
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