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Choi JB, Cho KI. Effects of virtual reality-based robot therapy combined with task-oriented therapy on upper limb function and cerebral cortex activation in patients with stroke. Medicine (Baltimore) 2024; 103:e38723. [PMID: 38968539 PMCID: PMC11224869 DOI: 10.1097/md.0000000000038723] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/25/2023] [Accepted: 06/06/2024] [Indexed: 07/07/2024] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND This study aimed to investigate the effects of virtual reality (VR)-based robot therapy combined with task-oriented therapy on cerebral cortex activation and upper limb function in patients with stroke. METHODS This study included 46 patients with hemiplegia within 1 year of stroke onset. Patients were divided into an experimental group (n = 23) and a control group (n = 23) using a computer randomization program. The experimental group received VR-based robot and task-oriented therapies, whereas the control group received only task-oriented therapy. All participants received interventions for 40 minutes per session, 5 times a week, for 8 weeks. For the pre- and post-evaluation of all participants, the Fugl-Meyer Assessment for the upper extremity, manual function test, motor activity log, and Jebsen-Taylor Hand Function Test were used to evaluate changes in upper limb function and motor-evoked potential amplitudes were measured to compare cerebral cortex activation. RESULTS In comparison to the control group, experimental group demonstrated an improvement in the function of the upper limb (P < .01) and activation of the cerebral cortex (P < .01). CONCLUSION The combined intervention of VR-based robot and task-oriented therapies is valuable for improving upper limb function and cerebral cortex activation in patients with stroke.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jong-Bae Choi
- Department of Occupational Therapy, Chosun University, Gwangju, Republic of Korea
| | - Kyung-In Cho
- Department of Occupational Therapy, Dongnam Health University, Suwon-si, Gyeonggi-do, Republic of Korea
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Nam C, Zhang B, Chow T, Ye F, Huang Y, Guo Z, Li W, Rong W, Hu X, Poon W. Home-based self-help telerehabilitation of the upper limb assisted by an electromyography-driven wrist/hand exoneuromusculoskeleton after stroke. J Neuroeng Rehabil 2021; 18:137. [PMID: 34526058 PMCID: PMC8442816 DOI: 10.1186/s12984-021-00930-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/16/2021] [Accepted: 08/31/2021] [Indexed: 11/10/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Most stroke survivors have sustained upper limb impairment in their distal joints. An electromyography (EMG)-driven wrist/hand exoneuromusculoskeleton (WH-ENMS) was developed previously. The present study investigated the feasibility of a home-based self-help telerehabilitation program assisted by the aforementioned EMG-driven WH-ENMS and its rehabilitation effects after stroke. METHODS Persons with chronic stroke (n = 11) were recruited in a single-group trial. The training progress, including the training frequency and duration, was telemonitored. The clinical outcomes were evaluated using the Fugl-Meyer Assessment (FMA), Action Research Arm Test (ARAT), Wolf Motor Function Test (WMFT), Motor Functional Independence Measure (FIM), and Modified Ashworth Scale (MAS). Improvement in muscle coordination was investigated in terms of the EMG activation level and the Co-contraction Index (CI) of the target muscles, including the abductor pollicis brevis (APB), flexor carpi radialis-flexor digitorum (FCR-FD), extensor carpi ulnaris-extensor digitorum (ECU-ED), biceps brachii (BIC), and triceps brachii (TRI). The movement smoothness and compensatory trunk movement were evaluated in terms of the following two kinematic parameters: number of movement units (NMUs) and maximal trunk displacement (MTD). The above evaluations were conducted before and after the training. RESULTS All of the participants completed the home-based program with an intensity of 63.0 ± 1.90 (mean ± SD) min/session and 3.73 ± 0.75 (mean ± SD) sessions/week. After the training, motor improvements in the entire upper limb were found, as indicated by the significant improvements (P < 0.05) in the FMA, ARAT, WMFT, and MAS; significant decreases (P < 0.05) in the EMG activation levels of the APB and FCR-FD; significant decreases (P < 0.05) in the CI of the ECU-ED/FCR-FD, ECU-ED/BIC, FCR-FD/APB, FCR-FD/BIC, FCR-FD/TRI, APB/BIC and BIC/TRI muscle pairs; and significant reductions (P < 0.05) in the NMUs and MTD. CONCLUSIONS The results suggested that the home-based self-help telerehabilitation program assisted by EMG-driven WH-ENMS is feasible and effective for improving the motor function of the paretic upper limb after stroke. Trial registration ClinicalTrials.gov. NCT03752775; Date of registration: November 20, 2018.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chingyi Nam
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, The Hong Kong Polytechnic University, Hong Kong, China
| | - Bingbing Zhang
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, The Hong Kong Polytechnic University, Hong Kong, China
| | - Tszying Chow
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, The Hong Kong Polytechnic University, Hong Kong, China
| | - Fuqiang Ye
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, The Hong Kong Polytechnic University, Hong Kong, China
| | - Yanhuan Huang
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, The Hong Kong Polytechnic University, Hong Kong, China
| | - Ziqi Guo
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, The Hong Kong Polytechnic University, Hong Kong, China
| | - Waiming Li
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, The Hong Kong Polytechnic University, Hong Kong, China
| | - Wei Rong
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, The Hong Kong Polytechnic University, Hong Kong, China
| | - Xiaoling Hu
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, The Hong Kong Polytechnic University, Hong Kong, China. .,The Hong Kong Polytechnic University Shenzhen Research Institute, Shenzhen, 518034, China.
| | - Waisang Poon
- Department of Surgery, Prince of Wales Hospital, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong, China
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Ye F, Yang B, Nam C, Xie Y, Chen F, Hu X. A Data-Driven Investigation on Surface Electromyography Based Clinical Assessment in Chronic Stroke. Front Neurorobot 2021; 15:648855. [PMID: 34335219 PMCID: PMC8320436 DOI: 10.3389/fnbot.2021.648855] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/02/2021] [Accepted: 06/14/2021] [Indexed: 12/23/2022] Open
Abstract
Background: Surface electromyography (sEMG) based robot-assisted rehabilitation systems have been adopted for chronic stroke survivors to regain upper limb motor function. However, the evaluation of rehabilitation effects during robot-assisted intervention relies on traditional manual assessments. This study aimed to develop a novel sEMG data-driven model for automated assessment. Method: A data-driven model based on a three-layer backpropagation neural network (BPNN) was constructed to map sEMG data to two widely used clinical scales, i.e., the Fugl-Meyer Assessment (FMA) and the Modified Ashworth Scale (MAS). Twenty-nine stroke participants were recruited in a 20-session sEMG-driven robot-assisted upper limb rehabilitation, which consisted of hand reaching and withdrawing tasks. The sEMG signals from four muscles in the paretic upper limbs, i.e., biceps brachii (BIC), triceps brachii (TRI), flexor digitorum (FD), and extensor digitorum (ED), were recorded before and after the intervention. Meanwhile, the corresponding clinical scales of FMA and MAS were measured manually by a blinded assessor. The sEMG features including Mean Absolute Value (MAV), Zero Crossing (ZC), Slope Sign Change (SSC), Root Mean Square (RMS), and Wavelength (WL) were adopted as the inputs to the data-driven model. The mapped clinical scores from the data-driven model were compared with the manual scores by Pearson correlation. Results: The BPNN, with 15 nodes in the hidden layer and sEMG features, i.e., MAV, ZC, SSC, and RMS, as the inputs to the model, was established to achieve the best mapping performance with significant correlations (r > 0.9, P < 0.001), according to the FMA. Significant correlations were also obtained between the mapped and manual FMA subscores, i.e., FMA-wrist/hand and FMA-shoulder/elbow, before and after the intervention (r > 0.9, P < 0.001). Significant correlations (P < 0.001) between the mapped and manual scores of MASs were achieved, with the correlation coefficients r = 0.91 at the fingers, 0.88 at the wrist, and 0.91 at the elbow after the intervention. Conclusion: An sEMG data-driven BPNN model was successfully developed. It could evaluate upper limb motor functions in chronic stroke and have potential application in automated assessment in post-stroke rehabilitation, once validated with large sample sizes. Clinical Trial Registration: www.ClinicalTrials.gov, identifier: NCT02117089.
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Affiliation(s)
- Fuqiang Ye
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, The Hong Kong Polytechnic University, Hong Kong, China
- Department of Electrical and Electronic Engineering, Southern University of Science and Technology, Shenzhen, China
| | - Bibo Yang
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, The Hong Kong Polytechnic University, Hong Kong, China
| | - Chingyi Nam
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, The Hong Kong Polytechnic University, Hong Kong, China
| | - Yunong Xie
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, The Hong Kong Polytechnic University, Hong Kong, China
| | - Fei Chen
- Department of Electrical and Electronic Engineering, Southern University of Science and Technology, Shenzhen, China
| | - Xiaoling Hu
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, The Hong Kong Polytechnic University, Hong Kong, China
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Baldan F, Turolla A, Rimini D, Pregnolato G, Maistrello L, Agostini M, Jakob I. Robot-assisted rehabilitation of hand function after stroke: Development of prediction models for reference to therapy. J Electromyogr Kinesiol 2021; 57:102534. [PMID: 33618325 DOI: 10.1016/j.jelekin.2021.102534] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/06/2020] [Revised: 02/05/2021] [Accepted: 02/11/2021] [Indexed: 11/26/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Recovery of hand function after stroke represents the hardest target for clinicians. Robot-assisted therapy has been proved to be effective for hand recovery. Nevertheless, studies aimed to refer patients to the best therapy are missing. METHODS With the aim to identify which clinical features are predictive for referring to robot-assisted hand therapy, 174 stroke patients were assessed with: Fugl-Meyer Assessment (FMA), Functional Independence Measure (FIM), Reaching Performance Scale (RPS), Box and Block Test (BBT), Modified Ashworth Scale (MAS), Nine Hole Pegboard Test (NHPT). Moreover, patients ability to control the robot with residual force and surface EMG (sEMG) independently, was checked. ROC curves were calculated to determine which of the measures were the predictors of the event. RESULTS sEMG control (AUC = 0.925) was significantly determined by FMA upper extremity (FMUE) (>24/66) and sensation (>23/24) sections, MAS at Flexor Carpi (<3/4) and total MAS (>4/20). Force control (AUC = 0.928) was correlated only with FMUE (>24/66). CONCLUSIONS FMUE and MAS were the best predictors of preserved ability to control the device by two different modalities. This finding opens the possibility to plan specific therapies aimed at maximizing the highest functional outcome achievable after stroke.
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Affiliation(s)
- Francesca Baldan
- Laboratory of Rehabilitation Technologies, IRCCS San Camillo Hospital, Venice, Italy.
| | - Andrea Turolla
- Laboratory of Rehabilitation Technologies, IRCCS San Camillo Hospital, Venice, Italy
| | - Daniele Rimini
- Medical Physics Department, Salford Royal NHS Foundation Trust, Salford, UK
| | - Giorgia Pregnolato
- Laboratory of Rehabilitation Technologies, IRCCS San Camillo Hospital, Venice, Italy
| | - Lorenza Maistrello
- Laboratory of Rehabilitation Technologies, IRCCS San Camillo Hospital, Venice, Italy
| | - Michela Agostini
- Laboratory of Rehabilitation Technologies, IRCCS San Camillo Hospital, Venice, Italy
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Nam C, Rong W, Li W, Cheung C, Ngai W, Cheung T, Pang M, Li L, Hu J, Wai H, Hu X. An Exoneuromusculoskeleton for Self-Help Upper Limb Rehabilitation After Stroke. Soft Robot 2020; 9:14-35. [PMID: 33271057 PMCID: PMC8885439 DOI: 10.1089/soro.2020.0090] [Citation(s) in RCA: 23] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/16/2023] Open
Abstract
This article presents a novel electromyography (EMG)-driven exoneuromusculoskeleton that integrates the neuromuscular electrical stimulation (NMES), soft pneumatic muscle, and exoskeleton techniques, for self-help upper limb training after stroke. The developed system can assist the elbow, wrist, and fingers to perform sequential arm reaching and withdrawing tasks under voluntary effort control through EMG, with a lightweight, compact, and low-power requirement design. The pressure/torque transmission properties of the designed musculoskeletons were quantified, and the assistive capability of the developed system was evaluated on patients with chronic stroke (n = 10). The designed musculoskeletons exerted sufficient mechanical torque to support joint extension for stroke survivors. Compared with the limb performance when no assistance was provided, the limb performance (measured as the range of motion in joint extension) significantly improved when mechanical torque and NMES were provided (p < 0.05). A pilot trial was conducted on patients with chronic stroke (n = 15) to investigate the feasibility of using the developed system in self-help training and the rehabilitation effects of the system. All the participants completed the self-help device-assisted training with minimal professional assistance. After a 20-session training, significant improvements were noted in the voluntary motor function and release of muscle spasticity at the elbow, wrist, and fingers, as indicated by the clinical scores (p < 0.05). The EMG parameters (p < 0.05) indicated that the muscular coordination of the entire upper limb improved significantly after training. The results suggested that the developed system can effectively support self-help upper limb rehabilitation after stroke. ClinicalTrials.gov Register Number NCT03752775.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chingyi Nam
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, The Hong Kong Polytechnic University, Hong Kong, China
| | - Wei Rong
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, The Hong Kong Polytechnic University, Hong Kong, China
| | - Waiming Li
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, The Hong Kong Polytechnic University, Hong Kong, China
| | - Chingyee Cheung
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, The Hong Kong Polytechnic University, Hong Kong, China
| | - Wingkit Ngai
- Industrial Centre, The Hong Kong Polytechnic University, Hong Kong, China
| | - Tszching Cheung
- Industrial Centre, The Hong Kong Polytechnic University, Hong Kong, China
| | - Mankit Pang
- Industrial Centre, The Hong Kong Polytechnic University, Hong Kong, China
| | - Li Li
- Institute of Textiles and Clothing, The Hong Kong Polytechnic University, Hong Kong, China
| | - Junyan Hu
- Institute of Textiles and Clothing, The Hong Kong Polytechnic University, Hong Kong, China
| | - Honwah Wai
- Industrial Centre, The Hong Kong Polytechnic University, Hong Kong, China
| | - Xiaoling Hu
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, The Hong Kong Polytechnic University, Hong Kong, China
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Fitzsimons K, Kalinowska A, Dewald JP, Murphey TD. Task-based hybrid shared control for training through forceful interaction. Int J Rob Res 2020. [DOI: 10.1177/0278364920933654] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/17/2022]
Abstract
Despite the fact that robotic platforms can provide both consistent practice and objective assessments of users over the course of their training, there are relatively few instances where physical human–robot interaction has been significantly more effective than unassisted practice or human-mediated training. This article describes a hybrid shared control robot, which enhances task learning through kinesthetic feedback. The assistance assesses user actions using a task-specific evaluation criterion and selectively accepts or rejects them at each time instant. Through two human subject studies (total [Formula: see text]), we show that this hybrid approach of switching between full transparency and full rejection of user inputs leads to increased skill acquisition and short-term retention compared with unassisted practice. Moreover, we show that the shared control paradigm exhibits features previously shown to promote successful training. It avoids user passivity by only rejecting user actions and allowing failure at the task. It improves performance during assistance, providing meaningful task-specific feedback. It is sensitive to initial skill of the user and behaves as an “assist-as-needed” control scheme, adapting its engagement in real time based on the performance and needs of the user. Unlike other successful algorithms, it does not require explicit modulation of the level of impedance or error amplification during training and it is permissive to a range of strategies because of its evaluation criterion. We demonstrate that the proposed hybrid shared control paradigm with a task-based minimal intervention criterion significantly enhances task-specific training.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kathleen Fitzsimons
- Department of Mechanical Engineering, Northwestern University, Evanston, IL, USA
| | | | - Julius P Dewald
- Physical Therapy and Human Movement Sciences, Northwestern University, Chicago, IL, USA
| | - Todd D Murphey
- Department of Mechanical Engineering, Northwestern University, Evanston, IL, USA
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7
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A comparison of the rehabilitation effectiveness of neuromuscular electrical stimulation robotic hand training and pure robotic hand training after stroke: A randomized controlled trial. Biomed Signal Process Control 2020. [DOI: 10.1016/j.bspc.2019.101723] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/19/2022]
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8
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Ambrosini E, Zajc J, Ferrante S, Ferrigno G, Dalla Gasperina S, Bulgheroni M, Baccinelli W, Schauer T, Wiesener C, Russold M, Gfoehler M, Puchinger M, Weber M, Becker S, Krakow K, Immick N, Augsten A, Rossini M, Proserpio D, Gasperini G, Molteni F, Pedrocchi A. A Hybrid Robotic System for Arm Training of Stroke Survivors: Concept and First Evaluation. IEEE Trans Biomed Eng 2019; 66:3290-3300. [DOI: 10.1109/tbme.2019.2900525] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/07/2022]
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Qian Q, Nam C, Guo Z, Huang Y, Hu X, Ng SC, Zheng Y, Poon W. Distal versus proximal - an investigation on different supportive strategies by robots for upper limb rehabilitation after stroke: a randomized controlled trial. J Neuroeng Rehabil 2019; 16:64. [PMID: 31159822 PMCID: PMC6545723 DOI: 10.1186/s12984-019-0537-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 29] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/21/2018] [Accepted: 05/16/2019] [Indexed: 11/21/2022] Open
Abstract
Background Different mechanical supporting strategies to the joints in the upper extremity (UE) may lead to varied rehabilitative effects after stroke. This study compared the rehabilitation effectiveness achieved by electromyography (EMG)-driven neuromuscular electrical stimulation (NMES)-robotic systems when supporting to the distal fingers and to the proximal (wrist-elbow) joints. Methods Thirty subjects with chronic stroke were randomly assigned to receive motor trainings with NMES-robotic support to the finger joints (hand group, n = 15) and with support to the wrist-elbow joints (sleeve group, n = 15). The training effects were evaluated by the clinical scores of Fugl-Meyer Assessment (FMA), Action Research Arm Test (ARAT), and Modified Ashworth Scale (MAS) before and after the trainings, as well as 3 months later. The cross-session EMG monitoring of EMG activation level and co-contraction index (CI) were also applied to investigate the recovery progress of muscle activations and muscle coordination patterns through the training sessions. Results Significant improvements (P < 0.05) in FMA full score, FMA shoulder/elbow (FMA-SE) and ARAT scores were found in both groups, whereas significant improvements (P < 0.05) in FMA wrist/hand (FMA-WH) and MAS scores were only observed in the hand group. Significant decrease of EMG activation levels (P < 0.05) of UE flexors was observed in both groups. Significant decrease in CI values (P < 0.05) was observed in both groups in the muscle pairs of biceps brachii and triceps brachii (BIC&TRI) and the wrist-finger flexors (flexor carpi radialis-flexor digitorum) and TRI (FCR-FD&TRI). The EMG activation levels and CIs of the hand group exhibited faster reductions across the training sessions than the sleeve group (P < 0.05). Conclusions Robotic supports to either the distal fingers or the proximal elbow-wrist could achieve motor improvements in UE. The robotic support directly to the distal fingers was more effective than to the proximal parts in improving finger motor functions and in releasing muscle spasticity in the whole UE. Clinical trial registration ClinicalTrials.gov, identifier NCT02117089; date of registration: April 10, 2014. https://clinicaltrials.gov/ct2/show/NCT02117089
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Affiliation(s)
- Qiuyang Qian
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, the Hong Kong Polytechnic University, Kowloon, Hong Kong
| | - Chingyi Nam
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, the Hong Kong Polytechnic University, Kowloon, Hong Kong
| | - Ziqi Guo
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, the Hong Kong Polytechnic University, Kowloon, Hong Kong
| | - Yanhuan Huang
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, the Hong Kong Polytechnic University, Kowloon, Hong Kong
| | - Xiaoling Hu
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, the Hong Kong Polytechnic University, Kowloon, Hong Kong.
| | - Stephanie C Ng
- Department of Surgery, Prince of Wales Hospital, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Shatin, Hong Kong
| | - Yongping Zheng
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, the Hong Kong Polytechnic University, Kowloon, Hong Kong
| | - Waisang Poon
- Department of Surgery, Prince of Wales Hospital, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Shatin, Hong Kong
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10
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Low FZ, Lim JH, Kapur J, Yeow RCH. Effect of a Soft Robotic Sock Device on Lower Extremity Rehabilitation Following Stroke: A Preliminary Clinical Study With Focus on Deep Vein Thrombosis Prevention. IEEE JOURNAL OF TRANSLATIONAL ENGINEERING IN HEALTH AND MEDICINE-JTEHM 2019; 7:4100106. [PMID: 31065466 PMCID: PMC6500781 DOI: 10.1109/jtehm.2019.2894753] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/07/2018] [Revised: 10/13/2018] [Accepted: 12/06/2018] [Indexed: 11/06/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVE Immobility of the lower extremity due to medical conditions such as stroke can lead to medical complications such as deep vein thrombosis or ankle contracture, and thereafter prolonged recovery process of the patients. In this preliminary clinical study, we aimed to examine the effect of a novel soft robotic sock device, capable of providing assisted ankle exercise, in improving blood flow in the lower limb to prevent the complication of strokes such as deep vein thrombosis and joint contracture. METHODS Stroke patients were recruited (n = 17) to compare patients using the conventional pneumatic compression device with our robotic sock device on separate days. The primary outcome was to compare the venous flow profile of the superficial femoral vein in terms of the time average mean velocity and volumetric flow. The secondary outcome was to identify the ankle joint range of motion with the assistance of the device. RESULTS We noted improvements in the venous profile at the early phase of the device use, though its efficacy seemed to drop with time, as compared to the IPC device, where there was a significant improvement in the venous profile. The ankle joint dorsiflexion-plantarflexion range of motion assisted by the device was 11.5±6.3°. Conclusion and clinical impact: The current version of our sock device appears to be capable of improving venous blood flow in the early phase of device use and assisting with ankle joint exercise. The insights from this preliminary clinical study will serve as the basis for further improvement of the device and subsequent conduct of a longitudinal clinical trial. FUNDING National Health Innovation Centre Singapore (NHIC) grant, R-172-000-391-511, MOE AcRF Tier 1 R-397-000-301-114.
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Affiliation(s)
- Fan-Zhe Low
- Department of Biomedical EngineeringNational University of SingaporeSingapore119077
| | - Jeong Hoon Lim
- Department of MedicineNational University of SingaporeSingapore119077
| | - Jeevesh Kapur
- Department of MedicineNational University of SingaporeSingapore119077
| | - Raye Chen-Hua Yeow
- Department of Biomedical EngineeringNational University of SingaporeSingapore119077.,Singapore Institute for Neurotechnology, National University of SingaporeSingapore119077.,Advanced Robotics CenterNational University of SingaporeSingapore119077
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11
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Abdollahi F, Corrigan M, Lazzaro EDC, Kenyon RV, Patton JL. Error-augmented bimanual therapy for stroke survivors. NeuroRehabilitation 2018; 43:51-61. [PMID: 30040762 DOI: 10.3233/nre-182413] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/15/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Stroke recovery studies have shown the efficacy of bimanual training on upper limb functional recovery and others have shown the efficacy of feedback technology that augments error. OBJECTIVE In a double-blinded randomized controlled study (N = 26), we evaluated the short-term effects of bilateral arm training to foster functional recovery of a hemiparetic arm, with half of our subjects unknowingly also receiving error augmentation (where errors were visually and haptically enhanced by a robot). METHODS Twenty-six individuals with chronic stroke were randomly assigned to practice an equivalent amount of bimanual reaching either with or without error augmentation. Participants were instructed to coordinate both arms while reaching to two targets (one for each arm) in three 45-minute treatments per week for two weeks, with a follow-up visit after one week without treatment. RESULTS Subjects' 2-week gains in Fugl-Meyer score averaged 2.92, and we also observed improvements Wolf Motor Functional Ability Scale average 0.21, and Motor Activity Log of 0.58 for quantity and 0.63 for quality of life scores. The extra benefit of error augmentation over the three weeks became apparent in Fugl-Meyer score only after removing an outlier from consideration. CONCLUSIONS This modest advantage of error augmentation was detectable over a short interval encouraging further research in interactive self-rehabilitation systems that can enhance error motor recovery.
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Affiliation(s)
- Farnaz Abdollahi
- University of Illinois at Chicago, Chicago, IL, USA.,Sensory Motor Performance Program, Rehabilitation Institute of Chicago, Chicago, IL, USA
| | - Molly Corrigan
- Sensory Motor Performance Program, Rehabilitation Institute of Chicago, Chicago, IL, USA
| | - Emily D C Lazzaro
- Sensory Motor Performance Program, Rehabilitation Institute of Chicago, Chicago, IL, USA
| | - Robert V Kenyon
- University of Illinois at Chicago, Chicago, IL, USA.,Sensory Motor Performance Program, Rehabilitation Institute of Chicago, Chicago, IL, USA
| | - James L Patton
- University of Illinois at Chicago, Chicago, IL, USA.,Sensory Motor Performance Program, Rehabilitation Institute of Chicago, Chicago, IL, USA
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12
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Huang Y, Lai WP, Qian Q, Hu X, Tam EWC, Zheng Y. Translation of robot-assisted rehabilitation to clinical service: a comparison of the rehabilitation effectiveness of EMG-driven robot hand assisted upper limb training in practical clinical service and in clinical trial with laboratory configuration for chronic stroke. Biomed Eng Online 2018; 17:91. [PMID: 29941043 PMCID: PMC6019523 DOI: 10.1186/s12938-018-0516-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [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: 02/27/2018] [Accepted: 06/12/2018] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Rehabilitation robots can provide intensive physical training after stroke. However, variations of the rehabilitation effects in translation from well-controlled research studies to clinical services have not been well evaluated yet. This study aims to compare the rehabilitation effects of the upper limb training by an electromyography (EMG)-driven robotic hand achieved in a well-controlled research environment and in a practical clinical service. METHODS It was a non-randomized controlled trial, and thirty-two participants with chronic stroke were recruited either in the clinical service (n = 16, clinic group), or in the research setting (n = 16, lab group). Each participant received 20-session EMG-driven robotic hand assisted upper limb training. The training frequency (4 sessions/week) and the pace in a session were fixed for the lab group, while they were flexible (1-3 sessions/week) and adaptive for the clinic group. The training effects were evaluated before and after the treatment with clinical scores of the Fugl-Meyer Assessment (FMA), Action Research Arm Test (ARAT), Functional Independence Measure (FIM), and Modified Ashworth Scale (MAS). RESULTS Significant improvements in the FMA full score, shoulder/elbow and wrist/hand (P < 0.001), ARAT (P < 0.001), and MAS elbow (P < 0.05) were observed after the training for both groups. Significant improvements in the FIM (P < 0.05), MAS wrist (P < 0.001) and MAS hand (P < 0.05) were only obtained after the training in the clinic group. Compared with the lab group, higher FIM improvement in the clinic group was observed (P < 0.05). CONCLUSIONS The functional improvements after the robotic hand training in the clinical service were comparable to the effectiveness achieved in the research setting, through flexible training schedules even with a lower training frequency every week. Higher independence in the daily living and a more effective release in muscle tones were achieved in the clinic group than the lab group.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yanhuan Huang
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Interdisciplinary Division of Biomedical Engineering, The Hong Kong Polytechnic University, Hong Kong, China
| | - Will Poyan Lai
- Jockey Club Rehabilitation Engineering Clinic, Department of Biomedical Engineering, The Hong Kong Polytechnic University, Hong Kong, China
| | - Qiuyang Qian
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Interdisciplinary Division of Biomedical Engineering, The Hong Kong Polytechnic University, Hong Kong, China
| | - Xiaoling Hu
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Interdisciplinary Division of Biomedical Engineering, The Hong Kong Polytechnic University, Hong Kong, China
| | - Eric W. C. Tam
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Interdisciplinary Division of Biomedical Engineering, The Hong Kong Polytechnic University, Hong Kong, China
- Jockey Club Rehabilitation Engineering Clinic, Department of Biomedical Engineering, The Hong Kong Polytechnic University, Hong Kong, China
| | - Yongping Zheng
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Interdisciplinary Division of Biomedical Engineering, The Hong Kong Polytechnic University, Hong Kong, China
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Majeed YA, Abdollahi F, Awadalla S, Patton J. Multivariate outcomes in a three week bimanual self-telerehabilitation with error augmentation post-stroke. ANNUAL INTERNATIONAL CONFERENCE OF THE IEEE ENGINEERING IN MEDICINE AND BIOLOGY SOCIETY. IEEE ENGINEERING IN MEDICINE AND BIOLOGY SOCIETY. ANNUAL INTERNATIONAL CONFERENCE 2018; 2015:1425-31. [PMID: 26736537 DOI: 10.1109/embc.2015.7318637] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/10/2022]
Abstract
We present the outcomes of a study on stroke patients in a 3-week intervention of bimanual self-telerehabilitation. This training is similar to an upper-extremity treadmill in that patients can make use of their healthy arm to provide a cue for the more impaired arm. We further inspected a cohort that covertly received error augmentation training while they practiced. Finally, we focused here on the many quantitative measures available from the robotic device, testing if these measures collectively can predict outcome on the final day. We found in a cross-validation study that predictions are possible, yielding median r-squared values over 99%. Several particular measures were found to dominate their contribution to the prediction of recoverability. These results show that interactive self-rehabilitation may be a viable method for motor restoration, and the quantitative metrics available can be used to predict the eventual state of recovery.
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Pneumatic Multi-Pocket Elastomer Actuators for Metacarpophalangeal Joint Flexion and Abduction-Adduction. ACTUATORS 2017. [DOI: 10.3390/act6030027] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
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Rowe JB, Chan V, Ingemanson ML, Cramer SC, Wolbrecht ET, Reinkensmeyer DJ. Robotic Assistance for Training Finger Movement Using a Hebbian Model: A Randomized Controlled Trial. Neurorehabil Neural Repair 2017; 31:769-780. [PMID: 28803535 PMCID: PMC5894506 DOI: 10.1177/1545968317721975] [Citation(s) in RCA: 48] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/15/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Robots that physically assist movement are increasingly used in rehabilitation therapy after stroke, yet some studies suggest robotic assistance discourages effort and reduces motor learning. OBJECTIVE To determine the therapeutic effects of high and low levels of robotic assistance during finger training. METHODS We designed a protocol that varied the amount of robotic assistance while controlling the number, amplitude, and exerted effort of training movements. Participants (n = 30) with a chronic stroke and moderate hemiparesis (average Box and Blocks Test 32 ± 18 and upper extremity Fugl-Meyer score 46 ± 12) actively moved their index and middle fingers to targets to play a musical game similar to GuitarHero 3 h/wk for 3 weeks. The participants were randomized to receive high assistance (causing 82% success at hitting targets) or low assistance (55% success). Participants performed ~8000 movements during 9 training sessions. RESULTS Both groups improved significantly at the 1-month follow-up on functional and impairment-based motor outcomes, on depression scores, and on self-efficacy of hand function, with no difference between groups in the primary endpoint (change in Box and Blocks). High assistance boosted motivation, as well as secondary motor outcomes (Fugl-Meyer and Lateral Pinch Strength)-particularly for individuals with more severe finger motor deficits. Individuals with impaired finger proprioception at baseline benefited less from the training. CONCLUSIONS Robot-assisted training can promote key psychological outcomes known to modulate motor learning and retention. Furthermore, the therapeutic effectiveness of robotic assistance appears to derive at least in part from proprioceptive stimulation, consistent with a Hebbian plasticity model.
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Affiliation(s)
- Justin B Rowe
- 1 University of California at Irvine, Irvine, CA, USA
| | - Vicky Chan
- 1 University of California at Irvine, Irvine, CA, USA
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Teaching Adult Rats Spinalized as Neonates to Walk Using Trunk Robotic Rehabilitation: Elements of Success, Failure, and Dependence. J Neurosci 2017; 36:8341-55. [PMID: 27511008 DOI: 10.1523/jneurosci.2435-14.2016] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/06/2014] [Accepted: 06/10/2016] [Indexed: 01/22/2023] Open
Abstract
UNLABELLED Robot therapy promotes functional recovery after spinal cord injury (SCI) in animal and clinical studies. Trunk actions are important in adult rats spinalized as neonates (NTX rats) that walk autonomously. Quadrupedal robot rehabilitation was tested using an implanted orthosis at the pelvis. Trunk cortical reorganization follows such rehabilitation. Here, we test the functional outcomes of such training. Robot impedance control at the pelvis allowed hindlimb, trunk, and forelimb mechanical interactions. Rats gradually increased weight support. Rats showed significant improvement in hindlimb stepping ability, quadrupedal weight support, and all measures examined. Function in NTX rats both before and after training showed bimodal distributions, with "poor" and "high weight support" groupings. A total of 35% of rats initially classified as "poor" were able to increase their weight-supported step measures to a level considered "high weight support" after robot training, thus moving between weight support groups. Recovered function in these rats persisted on treadmill with the robot both actuated and nonactuated, but returned to pretraining levels if they were completely disconnected from the robot. Locomotor recovery in robot rehabilitation of NTX rats thus likely included context dependence and/or incorporation of models of robot mechanics that became essential parts of their learned strategy. Such learned dependence is likely a hurdle to autonomy to be overcome for many robot locomotor therapies. Notwithstanding these limitations, trunk-based quadrupedal robot rehabilitation helped the rats to visit mechanical states they would never have achieved alone, to learn novel coordinations, and to achieve major improvements in locomotor function. SIGNIFICANCE STATEMENT Neonatal spinal transected rats without any weight support can be taught weight support as adults by using robot rehabilitation at trunk. No adult control rats with neonatal spinal transections spontaneously achieve similar changes. The robot rehabilitation system can be inactivated and the skills that were learned persist. Responding rats cannot be detached from the robot altogether, a dependence develops in the skill learned. From data and analysis here, the likelihood of such rats to respond to the robot therapy can also now be predicted. These results are all novel. Understanding trunk roles in voluntary and spinal reflex integration after spinal cord injury and in recovery of function are broadly significant for basic and clinical understanding of motor function.
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Liu Y, Li C, Ji L, Bi S, Zhang X, Huo J, Ji R. Development and Implementation of an End-Effector Upper Limb Rehabilitation Robot for Hemiplegic Patients with Line and Circle Tracking Training. JOURNAL OF HEALTHCARE ENGINEERING 2017; 2017:4931217. [PMID: 29065614 PMCID: PMC5494777 DOI: 10.1155/2017/4931217] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/03/2017] [Accepted: 04/23/2017] [Indexed: 12/02/2022]
Abstract
Numerous robots have been widely used to deliver rehabilitative training for hemiplegic patients to improve their functional ability. Because of the complexity and diversity of upper limb motion, customization of training patterns is one key factor during upper limb rehabilitation training. Most of the current rehabilitation robots cannot intelligently provide adaptive training parameters, and they have not been widely used in clinical rehabilitation. This article proposes a new end-effector upper limb rehabilitation robot, which is a two-link robotic arm with two active degrees of freedom. This work investigated the kinematics and dynamics of the robot system, the control system, and the realization of different rehabilitation therapies. We also explored the influence of constraint in rehabilitation therapies on interaction force and muscle activation. The deviation of the trajectory of the end effector and the required trajectory was less than 1 mm during the tasks, which demonstrated the movement accuracy of the robot. Besides, results also demonstrated the constraint exerted by the robot provided benefits for hemiplegic patients by changing muscle activation in the way similar to the movement pattern of the healthy subjects, which indicated that the robot can improve the patient's functional ability by training the normal movement pattern.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yali Liu
- Division of Intelligent and Biomechanical System, State Key Laboratory of Tribology, Tsinghua University, Haidian, Beijing, China
| | - Chong Li
- Division of Intelligent and Biomechanical System, State Key Laboratory of Tribology, Tsinghua University, Haidian, Beijing, China
| | - Linhong Ji
- Division of Intelligent and Biomechanical System, State Key Laboratory of Tribology, Tsinghua University, Haidian, Beijing, China
| | - Sheng Bi
- Rehabilitation Medical Center, Affiliated Hospital of National Research Center for Rehabilitation Technical Aids, Haidian, Beijing, China
| | - Xuemin Zhang
- Rehabilitation Medical Center, Affiliated Hospital of National Research Center for Rehabilitation Technical Aids, Haidian, Beijing, China
| | - Jianfei Huo
- Rehabilitation Medical Center, Affiliated Hospital of National Research Center for Rehabilitation Technical Aids, Haidian, Beijing, China
| | - Run Ji
- Human Biomechanics Laboratory, National Research Center for Rehabilitation Technical Aids, Beijing, China
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Effects of 4-Week Intensive Active-Resistive Training with an EMG-Based Exoskeleton Robot on Muscle Strength in Older People: A Pilot Study. BIOMED RESEARCH INTERNATIONAL 2016; 2016:1256958. [PMID: 27006942 PMCID: PMC4781936 DOI: 10.1155/2016/1256958] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/01/2015] [Revised: 01/18/2016] [Accepted: 01/26/2016] [Indexed: 11/17/2022]
Abstract
This study aims to investigate the idea that an active-resistive training with an EMG-based exoskeleton robot could be beneficial to muscle strength and antagonist muscle cocontraction control after 4-week intensive elbow flexion/extension training. Three older people over 65 years participated the training for an hour per session and completed total 20 sessions during four weeks. Outcome measures were chosen as the maximum joint torque and cocontraction ratio between the biceps/triceps brachii muscles at pre-/post-training. The Wilcoxon signed-ranks test was performed to evaluate paired difference for the outcome measures. As a result, there was no significant difference in the maximum flexion or extension torque at pre- and post-training. However, the cocontraction ratio of the triceps brachii muscle as the antagonist was significantly decreased by 9.8% after the 4-week intensive training. The active-resistive training with the exoskeleton robot in the older people yielded a promising result, showing significant changes in the antagonist muscle cocontraction.
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Norman S, Dennison M, Wolbrecht E, Cramer S, Srinivasan R, Reinkensmeyer D. Movement Anticipation and EEG: Implications for BCI-Contingent Robot Therapy. IEEE Trans Neural Syst Rehabil Eng 2016; 24:911-919. [PMID: 26891487 DOI: 10.1109/tnsre.2016.2528167] [Citation(s) in RCA: 27] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/31/2022]
Abstract
Brain-computer interfacing is a technology that has the potential to improve patient engagement in robot-assisted rehabilitation therapy. For example, movement intention reduces mu (8-13 Hz) oscillation amplitude over the sensorimotor cortex, a phenomenon referred to as event-related desynchronization (ERD). In an ERD-contingent assistance paradigm, initial BCI-enhanced robotic therapy studies have used ERD to provide robotic assistance for movement. Here we investigated how ERD changed as a function of audio-visual stimuli, overt movement from the participant, and robotic assistance. Twelve unimpaired subjects played a computer game designed for rehabilitation therapy with their fingers using the FINGER robotic exoskeleton. In the game, the participant and robot matched movement timing to audio-visual stimuli in the form of notes approaching a target on the screen set to the consistent beat of popular music. The audio-visual stimulation of the game alone did not cause ERD, before or after training. In contrast, overt movement by the subject caused ERD, whether or not the robot assisted the finger movement. Notably, ERD was also present when the subjects remained passive and the robot moved their fingers to play the game. This ERD occurred in anticipation of the passive finger movement with similar onset timing as for the overt movement conditions. These results demonstrate that ERD can be contingent on expectation of robotic assistance; that is, the brain generates an anticipatory ERD in expectation of a robot-imposed but predictable movement. This is a caveat that should be considered in designing BCIs for enhancing patient effort in robotically-assisted therapy.
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Schuck SO, Whetstone A, Hill V, Levine P, Page SJ. Game-Based, Portable, Upper Extremity Rehabilitation in Chronic Stroke. Top Stroke Rehabil 2015; 18:720-7. [DOI: 10.1310/tsr1806-720] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/25/2022]
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Robotic technologies and rehabilitation: new tools for stroke patients' therapy. BIOMED RESEARCH INTERNATIONAL 2013; 2013:153872. [PMID: 24350244 PMCID: PMC3852950 DOI: 10.1155/2013/153872] [Citation(s) in RCA: 66] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/26/2013] [Accepted: 09/18/2013] [Indexed: 11/23/2022]
Abstract
Introduction. The role of robotics in poststroke patients' rehabilitation has been investigated intensively. This paper presents the state-of-the-art and the possible future role of robotics in poststroke rehabilitation, for both upper and lower limbs. Materials and Methods. We performed a comprehensive search of PubMed, Cochrane, and PeDRO databases using as keywords “robot AND stroke AND rehabilitation.” Results and Discussion. In upper limb robotic rehabilitation, training seems to improve arm function in activities of daily living. In addition, electromechanical gait training after stroke seems to be effective. It is still unclear whether robot-assisted arm training may improve muscle strength, and which electromechanical gait-training device may be the most effective for walking training implementation. Conclusions. In the field of robotic technologies for stroke patients' rehabilitation we identified currently relevant growing points and areas timely for developing research. Among the growing points there is the development of new easily transportable, wearable devices that could improve rehabilitation also after discharge, in an outpatient or home-based setting. For developing research, efforts are being made to establish the ideal type of treatment, the length and amount of training protocol, and the patient's characteristics to be successfully enrolled to this treatment.
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Lazaridou A, Astrakas L, Mintzopoulos D, Khanicheh A, Singhal AB, Moskowitz MA, Rosen B, Tzika AA. Diffusion tensor and volumetric magnetic resonance imaging using an MR-compatible hand-induced robotic device suggests training-induced neuroplasticity in patients with chronic stroke. Int J Mol Med 2013; 32:995-1000. [PMID: 23982596 PMCID: PMC3820572 DOI: 10.3892/ijmm.2013.1476] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/25/2013] [Accepted: 06/18/2013] [Indexed: 11/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Stroke is the third leading cause of mortality and a frequent cause of long-term adult impairment. Improved strategies to enhance motor function in individuals with chronic disability from stroke are thus required. Post-stroke therapy may improve rehabilitation and reduce long-term disability; however, objective methods for evaluating the specific impact of rehabilitation are rare. Brain imaging studies on patients with chronic stroke have shown evidence for reorganization of areas showing functional plasticity after a stroke. In this study, we hypothesized that brain mapping using a novel magnetic resonance (MR)-compatible hand device in conjunction with state-of-the-art magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) can serve as a novel biomarker for brain plasticity induced by rehabilitative motor training in patients with chronic stroke. This hypothesis is based on the premises that robotic devices, by stimulating brain plasticity, can assist in restoring movement compromised by stroke-induced pathological changes in the brain and that these changes can then be monitored by advanced MRI. We serially examined 15 healthy controls and 4 patients with chronic stroke. We employed a combination of diffusion tensor imaging (DTI) and volumetric MRI using a 3-tesla (3T) MRI system using a 12-channel Siemens Tim coil and a novel MR-compatible hand-induced robotic device. DTI data revealed that the number of fibers and the average tract length significantly increased after 8 weeks of hand training by 110% and 64%, respectively (p<0.001). New corticospinal tract (CST) fibers projecting progressively closer to the motor cortex appeared during training. Volumetric data analysis showed a statistically significant increase in the cortical thickness of the ventral postcentral gyrus areas of patients after training relative to pre-training cortical thickness (p<0.001). We suggest that rehabilitation is possible for a longer period of time after stroke than previously thought, showing that structural plasticity is possible even after 6 months due to retained neuroplasticity. Our study is an example of personalized medicine using advanced neuroimaging methods in conjunction with robotics in the molecular medicine era.
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Affiliation(s)
- Asimina Lazaridou
- NMR Surgical Laboratory, Department of Surgery, Massachusetts General Hospital and Shriners Burn Institute, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
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Abdollahi F, Case Lazarro ED, Listenberger M, Kenyon RV, Kovic M, Bogey RA, Hedeker D, Jovanovic BD, Patton JL. Error augmentation enhancing arm recovery in individuals with chronic stroke: a randomized crossover design. Neurorehabil Neural Repair 2013; 28:120-8. [PMID: 23929692 DOI: 10.1177/1545968313498649] [Citation(s) in RCA: 73] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/21/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Neurorehabilitation studies suggest that manipulation of error signals during practice can stimulate improvement in coordination after stroke. OBJECTIVE To test visual display and robotic technology that delivers augmented error signals during training, in participants with stroke. METHODS A total of 26 participants with chronic hemiparesis were trained with haptic (via robot-rendered forces) and graphic (via a virtual environment) distortions to amplify upper-extremity (UE) tracking error. In a randomized crossover design, the intervention was compared with an equivalent amount of practice without error augmentation (EA). Interventions involved three 45-minute sessions per week for 2 weeks, then 1 week of no treatment, and then 2 additional weeks of the alternate treatment. A therapist provided a visual cursor using a tracking device, and participants were instructed to match it with their hand. Haptic and visual EA was used with blinding of participant, therapist, technician-operator, and evaluator. Clinical measures of impairment were obtained at the beginning and end of each 2-week treatment phase as well as at 1 week and at 45 days after the last treatment. RESULTS Outcomes showed a small, but significant benefit to EA training over simple repetitive practice, with a mean 2-week improvement in Fugl-Meyer UE motor score of 2.08 and Wolf Motor Function Test of timed tasks of 1.48 s. CONCLUSIONS This interactive technology may improve UE motor recovery of stroke-related hemiparesis.
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Lazaridou A, Astrakas L, Mintzopoulos D, Khanchiceh A, Singhal A, Moskowitz M, Rosen B, Tzika A. fMRI as a molecular imaging procedure for the functional reorganization of motor systems in chronic stroke. Mol Med Rep 2013; 8:775-9. [PMID: 23900349 PMCID: PMC3782530 DOI: 10.3892/mmr.2013.1603] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/24/2013] [Accepted: 03/20/2013] [Indexed: 01/12/2023] Open
Abstract
Previous brain imaging studies suggest that stroke alters functional connectivity in motor execution networks. Moreover, current understanding of brain plasticity has led to new approaches in stroke rehabilitation. Recent studies showed a significant role of effective coupling of neuronal activity in the SMA (supplementary motor area) and M1 (primary motor cortex) network for motor outcome in patients after stroke. After a subcortical stroke, functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) during movement reveals cortical reorganization that is associated with the recovery of function. The aim of the present study was to explore connectivity alterations within the motor-related areas combining motor fMRI with a novel MR-compatible hand-induced robotic device (MR_CHIROD) training. Patients completed training at home and underwent serial MR evaluation at baseline and after 8 weeks of training. Training at home consisted of squeezing a gel exercise ball with the paretic hand at ~75% of maximum strength for 1 h/day, 3 days/week. The fMRI analysis revealed alterations in M1, SMA, PMC (premotor cortex) and Cer (cerebellum) in both stroke patients and healthy controls after the training. Findings of the present study suggest that enhancement of SMA activity could benefit M1 dysfunction in stroke survivors. These results also indicate that connectivity alterations between motor areas might assist the counterbalance of a functionally abnormal M1 in chronic stroke survivors and possibly other patients with motor dysfunction.
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Affiliation(s)
- Asimina Lazaridou
- NMR Surgical Laboratory, Massachusetts General Hospital and Shriners Burn Institute, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
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Feng WW, Bowden MG, Kautz S. Review of transcranial direct current stimulation in poststroke recovery. Top Stroke Rehabil 2013; 20:68-77. [PMID: 23340073 DOI: 10.1310/tsr2001-68] [Citation(s) in RCA: 31] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/12/2022]
Abstract
Motor impairment, dysphagia, aphasia, and visual impairment are common disabling residual deficits experienced by stroke survivors. Recently, many novel rehabilitative modalities have been investigated for their potential to ameliorate such deficits and to improve functional outcomes. Noninvasive brain stimulation techniques, such as transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS), have emerged as a promising tool to facilitate stroke recovery. tDCS can alter cortical excitability to induce brain plasticity by modulating the lesioned, contralesional, or bilateral hemispheres with various stimulation modalities. Along with peripheral therapies, tDCS can lead to subsequent sustained behavioral and clinical gains in patients with stroke. In this review, we summarize characteristics of tDCS (method of stimulation, safety profile, and mechanism) and its application in the treatment of various stroke-related deficits, and we highlight future directions for tDCS in this capacity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Wuwei Wayne Feng
- Department of Neuroscience, Medical University of South Carolina, Charleston, SC, USA
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Mukherjee M, Koutakis P, Siu KC, Fayad PB, Stergiou N. Stroke Survivors Control the Temporal Structure of Variability During Reaching in Dynamic Environments. Ann Biomed Eng 2012; 41:366-76. [DOI: 10.1007/s10439-012-0670-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/05/2012] [Accepted: 09/29/2012] [Indexed: 02/07/2023]
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Caplan LR, Arenillas J, Cramer SC, Joutel A, Lo EH, Meschia J, Savitz S, Tournier-Lasserve E. Stroke-related translational research. ACTA ACUST UNITED AC 2011; 68:1110-23. [PMID: 21555605 DOI: 10.1001/archneurol.2011.99] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/13/2023]
Abstract
Stroke-related translational research is multifaceted. Herein, we highlight genome-wide association studies and genetic studies of cerebral autosomal dominant arteriopathy with subcortical infarcts and leukoencephalopathy, COL4A1 mutations, and cerebral cavernous malformations; advances in molecular biology and biomarkers; newer brain imaging research; and recovery from stroke emphasizing cell-based and other rehabilitative modalities.
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Affiliation(s)
- Louis R Caplan
- Department of Neurology, Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, Boston, MA 02215, USA.
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Page SJ, Dunning K, Hermann V, Leonard A, Levine P. Longer versus shorter mental practice sessions for affected upper extremity movement after stroke: a randomized controlled trial. Clin Rehabil 2011; 25:627-37. [PMID: 21427151 DOI: 10.1177/0269215510395793] [Citation(s) in RCA: 62] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/17/2022]
Abstract
OBJECTIVE To evaluate and compare efficacy of 20-, 40-, and 60-minute mental practice sessions on affected upper extremity impairment and functional limitation. DESIGN Randomized controlled study with multiple baseline design. SUBJECTS Twenty-nine subjects with chronic stroke and exhibiting stable, mild hemiparesis. INTERVENTIONS Subjects were given 30-minute rehabilitative sessions 3 days/week for 10 weeks, emphasizing affected upper extremity use during valued activities. Directly after these sessions, randomly selected subjects were given audiotaped mental practice for 20, 40, or 60 minutes. Subjects assigned to a control group received the same therapy as the mental practice groups, and an audiotaped sham intervention directly after therapy sessions. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES Fugl-Meyer (FM) motor assessment and Action Research Arm Test (ARAT). RESULTS No pre-existing differences were found between groups on any demographic variable or movement scale. On the FM, mental practice duration significantly predicted pretesting to post change (P = 0.05), with increasing duration related to larger FM score increases (5.4 point score increase for the 60-minute duration group). On the ARAT, a non-significant trend was seen (P = 0.78), favoring the 20-minute dosing condition (4.5 point increase). Importantly, regardless of dosing condition, subjects administered mental practice exhibited markedly larger score changes on both the FM and ARAT than subjects not receiving mental practice. CONCLUSIONS Sixty minutes of mental practice appears to most significantly reduce affected arm impairment. However, no clear change pattern was seen in affected arm functional limitation according to mental practice duration. Results suggest that a stroke rehabilitative regimen augmented by mental practice renders a greater functional impact than therapy only.
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Affiliation(s)
- Stephen J Page
- Departments of Rehabilitation Sciences, Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, Neurosciences, and Neurology, University of Cincinnati Academic Medical Center (UCAMC), Cincinnati, OH, USA.
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Abdollahi F, Rozario SV, Kenyon RV, Patton JL, Case E, Kovic M, Listenberger M. Arm control recovery enhanced by error augmentation. IEEE Int Conf Rehabil Robot 2011; 2011:5975504. [PMID: 22275700 PMCID: PMC8822537 DOI: 10.1109/icorr.2011.5975504] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/31/2023]
Abstract
Here we present results where nineteen stroke survivors with chronic hemiparesis simultaneously employed the trio of patient, therapist, and machine. Massed practice combined with error augmentation, where haptic (robotic forces) and graphic (visual display) distortions are used to enhance the feedback of error, was compared to massed practice alone. The 6-week randomized crossover design involved approximately 60 minutes of daily treatment three times per week for two weeks, followed by one week of rest, and then repeated using the alternate treatment protocol. A therapist provided a visual target using a tracking device that moved a cursor in front of the patient, who was instructed to maintain the cursor on the target. The patient, therapist, technician-operator, and rater were blinded to treatment type. Several clinical measures gauged outcomes at the beginning and end of each 2-week period and one week post training. Results showed incremental benefit across most but not all days, abrupt gains in performance, and a benefit to error augmentation training in final evaluations. This application of interactive technology may be a compelling new method for enhancing a therapist's productivity in stroke-rehabilitation.
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Hu X, Zheng H, Yan T, Pan S, Fang J, Jiang R, Ma S. Physical exercise induces expression of CD31 and facilitates neural function recovery in rats with focal cerebral infarction. Neurol Res 2010; 32:397-402. [PMID: 20483007 DOI: 10.1179/016164110x12670144526309] [Citation(s) in RCA: 37] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/31/2022]
Abstract
OBJECTIVES The present study was aimed at examining the role of physical exercise in the improvement of damaged neural function and the induction of angiogenesis. METHODS An infarction model was induced by ligating the left middle cerebral artery occlusion (MCAO) in a total of 66 adult Sprague-Dawley rats that were further randomly divided into three groups: the physical exercise group (n=30), which was given running wheel exercise every day after MCAO, the control group (n=30) and sham-operated group (n=6), which were fed in standard cages without any special training exercise. The rats were killed on the third, seventh and fourteenth days and the neurological severity scores were examined for evaluating the neural function. And the neogenetic microvessels around the peri-infarction region were checked with the specific marker CD31. RESULTS Although neogenetic microvessels in the peri-infarction region were observed in both control group and physical exercise group, which showed the highest signal on the seventh day after ischemia, the number of CD31 positive cells significantly increased in physical exercise group in comparison with those in control group on the seventh and fourteenth days after ischemia (p<0.01). Moreover, the neurological severity scores in the physical exercise group showed more quick declination as compared to those in control group from the seventh day after ischemic. CONCLUSION Our results suggested that physical exercise plays an important role in the recovery of damaged neural function and induction of angiogenesis after cerebral infarction in rats.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xiquan Hu
- Department of Rehabilitation Medicine, Second Affiliated Hospital, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou 510120, China
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Wolpert DM, Flanagan JR. Q&A: Robotics as a tool to understand the brain. BMC Biol 2010; 8:92. [PMID: 20659354 PMCID: PMC2909176 DOI: 10.1186/1741-7007-8-92] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/08/2010] [Accepted: 06/28/2010] [Indexed: 11/11/2022] Open
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A concept for extending the applicability of constraint-induced movement therapy through motor cortex activity feedback using a neural prosthesis. COMPUTATIONAL INTELLIGENCE AND NEUROSCIENCE 2010:51363. [PMID: 18350129 PMCID: PMC2266825 DOI: 10.1155/2007/51363] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/17/2007] [Revised: 05/11/2007] [Accepted: 07/14/2007] [Indexed: 11/26/2022]
Abstract
This paper describes a concept for the extension of constraint-induced movement therapy (CIMT) through the use of feedback of primary motor cortex activity. CIMT requires residual movement to act as a source of feedback to the patient, thus preventing its application to those with no perceptible movement. It is proposed in this paper that it is possible to provide feedback of the motor cortex effort to the patient by measurement with near infrared spectroscopy (NIRS). Significant changes in such effort may be used to drive rehabilitative robotic actuators, for example. This may provide a possible avenue for extending CIMT to patients hitherto excluded as a result of severity of condition. In support of such a paradigm, this paper details the current status of CIMT and related attempts to extend rehabilitation therapy through the application of technology. An introduction to the relevant haemodynamics is given including a description of the basic technology behind a suitable NIRS system. An illustration of the proposed therapy is described using a simple NIRS system driving a robotic arm during simple upper-limb unilateral isometric contraction exercises with healthy subjects.
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Quality-of-life change associated with robotic-assisted therapy to improve hand motor function in patients with subacute stroke: a randomized clinical trial. Phys Ther 2010; 90:493-504. [PMID: 20185616 PMCID: PMC2848350 DOI: 10.2522/ptj.20090160] [Citation(s) in RCA: 87] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/14/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND At 6 months poststroke, most patients cannot incorporate their affected hand into daily activities, which in turn is likely to reduce their perceived quality of life. OBJECTIVE This preliminary study explored change in patient-reported, health-related quality of life associated with robotic-assisted therapy combined with reduced therapist-supervised training. DESIGN AND SETTING A single-blind, multi-site, randomized clinical trial was conducted. PARTICIPANTS Seventeen individuals who were 3 to 9 months poststroke participated. INTERVENTION Sixty hours of therapist-supervised repetitive task practice (RTP) was compared with 30 hours of RTP combined with 30 hours of robotic-assisted therapy. MEASUREMENTS Participants completed the Stroke Impact Scale (SIS) at baseline, immediately postintervention, and 2 months postintervention. Change in SIS score domains was assessed in a mixed model analysis. RESULTS The combined therapy group had a greater increase in rating of mood from preintervention to postintervention, and the RTP-only group had a greater increase in rating of social participation from preintervention to follow-up. Both groups had statistically significant improvement in activities of daily living and instrumental activities of daily living scores from preintervention to postintervention. Both groups reported significant improvement in hand function postintervention and at follow-up, and the magnitude of these changes suggested clinical significance. The combined therapy group had significant improvements in stroke recovery rating postintervention and at follow-up, which appeared clinically significant; this also was true for stroke recovery rating from preintervention to follow-up in the RTP-only group. LIMITATIONS OUTCOMES: of 30 hours of RTP in the absence of robotic-assisted therapy remain unknown. CONCLUSION Robotic-assisted therapy may be an effective alternative or adjunct to the delivery of intensive task practice interventions to enhance hand function recovery in patients with stroke.
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Rozario SV, Housman S, Kovic M, Kenyon RV, Patton JL. Therapist-mediated post-stroke rehabilitation using haptic/graphic error augmentation. ANNUAL INTERNATIONAL CONFERENCE OF THE IEEE ENGINEERING IN MEDICINE AND BIOLOGY SOCIETY. IEEE ENGINEERING IN MEDICINE AND BIOLOGY SOCIETY. ANNUAL INTERNATIONAL CONFERENCE 2009; 2009:1151-6. [PMID: 19964499 DOI: 10.1109/iembs.2009.5333875] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/09/2022]
Abstract
Recent research has suggested that enhanced retraining for stroke patients using haptics (robotic forces) and graphics (visual display) to generate a practice environment that can artificially enhance error rather than reducing it, can stimulate new learning and foster accelerated recovery. We present an evaluation of early results of this novel post-stroke robotic-aided therapy trial that incorporates these ideas in a large VR system and simultaneously employs the patient, the therapist, and the technology to accomplish effective therapy.
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Edwards DJ, Krebs HI, Rykman A, Zipse J, Thickbroom GW, Mastaglia FL, Pascual-Leone A, Volpe BT. Raised corticomotor excitability of M1 forearm area following anodal tDCS is sustained during robotic wrist therapy in chronic stroke. Restor Neurol Neurosci 2009; 27:199-207. [PMID: 19531875 DOI: 10.3233/rnn-2009-0470] [Citation(s) in RCA: 66] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/15/2022]
Abstract
PURPOSE Anodal transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS) can transiently increase corticomotor excitability of intrinsic hand muscles and improve upper limb function in patients with chronic stroke. As a preliminary study, we tested whether increased corticomotor excitability would be similarly observed in muscles acting about the wrist, and remain present during robotic training involving active wrist movements, in six chronic stroke patients with residual motor deficit. METHODS Transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS) generated motor evoked potentials (MEP) in the flexor carpi radialis (FCR) and provided a measure of corticomotor excitability and short-interval cortical inhibition (SICI) before and immediately after a period of tDCS (1 mA, 20 min, anode and TMS applied to the lesioned hemisphere), and robotic wrist training (1hr). RESULTS Following tDCS, the same TMS current strength evoked an increased MEP amplitude (mean 168 +/- 22%SEM; p < 0.05), that remained increased after robot training (166 +/- 23%; p < 0.05). Conditioned MEPs were of significantly lower amplitude relative to unconditioned MEPs prior to tDCS (62 +/- 6%, p < 0.05), but not after tDCS (89 +/- 14%, p = 0.40), or robot training (91 +/- 8%, p = 0.28), suggesting that the increased corticomotor excitability is associated with reduced intracortical inhibition. CONCLUSION The persistence of these effects after robotic motor training, indicates that a motor learning and retraining program can co-exist with tDCS-induced changes in cortical motor excitability, and supports the concept of combining brain stimulation with physical therapy to promote recovery after brain injury.
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Affiliation(s)
- D J Edwards
- Burke Institute of Medical Research, 785 Mamaroneck Av, White Plains New York, 10605, USA.
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Page SJ, Szaflarski JP, Eliassen JC, Pan H, Cramer SC. Cortical plasticity following motor skill learning during mental practice in stroke. Neurorehabil Neural Repair 2009; 23:382-8. [PMID: 19155350 DOI: 10.1177/1545968308326427] [Citation(s) in RCA: 147] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND and purpose. Mental practice (MP), which involves cognitive rehearsal of physical movements, is a noninvasive, inexpensive method of enabling repetitive, task-specific practice (RTP). Recent, randomized controlled data suggest that MP, when combined with an RTP therapy program, increases affected arm use and function significantly more than RTP only. As a next step, this 10-subject case series examined the possibility that cortical plasticity is a mechanism underlying the treatment effect of MP when combined with RTP. METHOD Ten chronic stroke patients (mean = 36.7 months) exhibiting stable, moderate motor deficits received 30-minute therapy sessions for their affected arms, occurring 3 days/week for 10 weeks, and emphasizing valued activities of daily living (ADLs). Directly after therapy, subjects received 30-minute MP sessions, which required MP of the ADLs performed during therapy. Behavioral outcomes were blindly evaluated using the Action Research Arm Test (ARAT) and the Fugl-Meyer Assessment (FM). Functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) was administered before and after intervention to assess cortical changes. RESULTS Before intervention, subjects exhibited stable motor deficits. After intervention, subjects exhibited ARAT and FM score increases (+5.3 and +4.2, respectively) and clinically significant gains in ADLs. Postintervention fMRI revealed significant increases in activation to wrist flexion and extension of the affected hand in the premotor area and primary motor cortex ipsilateral and contralateral to the affected hand, as well as in superior parietal cortex ipsilateral to the affected hand. Decreased activation was noted in parietal cortex of the hemisphere ipsilateral to the affected hand. These changes correlated with anatomical regions in which behavioral changes were observed in the ARAT and FM. CONCLUSIONS MP is an easy to use, cost-effective strategy that was again shown to improve affected arm outcomes after stroke. This is the first study to demonstrate alteration in the cortical map in response to MP training.
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Affiliation(s)
- Stephen J Page
- Department of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, University of Cincinnati Academic Medical Center, Cincinnati, Ohio 45267-0394, USA.
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Liu W, Mukherjee M, Tsaur Y, Kim SH, Liu H, Natarajan P, Agah A. Development and feasibility study of a sensory-enhanced robot-aided motor training in stroke rehabilitation. ANNUAL INTERNATIONAL CONFERENCE OF THE IEEE ENGINEERING IN MEDICINE AND BIOLOGY SOCIETY. IEEE ENGINEERING IN MEDICINE AND BIOLOGY SOCIETY. ANNUAL INTERNATIONAL CONFERENCE 2009; 2009:5965-5968. [PMID: 19964884 DOI: 10.1109/iembs.2009.5334526] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/28/2023]
Abstract
Functional impairment of the upper limb is a major challenge faced by many stroke survivors. The present study aimed at developing a novel sensory-enhanced robot-aided motor training program and testing its feasibility in stroke rehabilitation. A specially designed robot handle was developed as an attachment to the Inmotion2 robotic system. This handle provided sensory stimulation through pins connected to small servo motors inside the handle. Vibration of the pins was activated during motor training once pressure on the handle reached a certain threshold indicating an active motion of the study subject. Nine chronic stroke survivors were randomly assigned to either a sensory-enhanced robot-aided motor training group (SERMT) or robot-aided motor training only group (RMT). All participants underwent a 6-week motor training program, performing target reaching movements with the specialized handle with or without vibration stimulation during training. Motor Status (MS) scores were measured for functional outcome prior to and after training. The results showed significant improvement in the total MS scores after training in both experimental groups. However, MS sub-scores for the shoulder/elbow and the wrist/hand increased significantly only in the SERMT group (p<0.05). Future studies are required to confirm these preliminary findings.
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Affiliation(s)
- W Liu
- Department of Physical Therapy & Rehabilitation Science, University of Kansas Medical Center, Kansas City, KS 66160, USA.
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Chae J, Sheffler L, Knutson J. Neuromuscular electrical stimulation for motor restoration in hemiplegia. Top Stroke Rehabil 2008; 15:412-26. [PMID: 19008202 DOI: 10.1310/tsr1505-412] [Citation(s) in RCA: 92] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/11/2022]
Abstract
Clinical applications of neuromuscular electrical stimulation (NMES) in stroke rehabilitation provide both therapeutic and functional benefits. Therapeutic applications include upper and lower limb motor relearning and reduction of poststroke shoulder pain. There is growing evidence that NMES, especially those approaches that incorporate task-specific strategies, is effective in facilitating upper and lower limb motor relearning. There is also strong evidence that NMES reduces poststroke shoulder subluxation and pain. Functional applications include upper and lower limb neuroprostheses. Lower limb neuroprostheses in the form of peroneal nerve stimulators is effective in enhancing the gait speed of stroke survivors with foot-drop. The development of hand neuroprostheses is in its infancy and must await additional fundamental and technical advances before reaching clinical viability. The limitations of available systems and future developments are discussed.
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Affiliation(s)
- John Chae
- Department of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, Case Western Reserve University, Cleveland, Ohio, USA
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Wolbrecht ET, Chan V, Reinkensmeyer DJ, Bobrow JE. Optimizing compliant, model-based robotic assistance to promote neurorehabilitation. IEEE Trans Neural Syst Rehabil Eng 2008; 16:286-97. [PMID: 18586608 DOI: 10.1109/tnsre.2008.918389] [Citation(s) in RCA: 179] [Impact Index Per Article: 11.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/07/2022]
Abstract
Based on evidence from recent experiments in motor learning and neurorehabilitation, we hypothesize that three desirable features for a controller for robot-aided movement training following stroke are high mechanical compliance, the ability to assist patients in completing desired movements, and the ability to provide only the minimum assistance necessary. This paper presents a novel controller that successfully exhibits these characteristics. The controller uses a standard model-based, adaptive control approach in order to learn the patient's abilities and assist in completing movements while remaining compliant. Assistance-as-needed is achieved by adding a novel force reducing term to the adaptive control law, which decays the force output from the robot when errors in task execution are small. Several tests are presented using the upper extremity robotic therapy device named Pneu-WREX to evaluate the performance of the adaptive, "assist-as-needed" controller with people who have suffered a stroke. The results of these experiments illustrate the "slacking" behavior of human motor control: given the opportunity, the human patient will reduce his or her output, letting the robotic device do the work for it. The experiments also demonstrate how including the "assist-as-needed" modification in the controller increases participation from the motor system.
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Affiliation(s)
- Eric T Wolbrecht
- Mechanical Engineering Department, University of Idaho, Moscow, ID 83844, USA.
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Abstract
Spontaneous behavioral recovery is usually limited after stroke, making stroke a leading source of disability. A number of therapies in development aim to improve patient outcomes not by acutely salvaging threatened tissue, but instead by promoting repair and restoration of function in the subacute or chronic phase after stroke. Examples include small molecules, growth factors, cell-based therapies, electromagnetic stimulation, device-based strategies, and task-oriented and repetitive training-based interventions. Stage of development across therapies varies widely, from preclinical to late-phase clinical trials. The optimal methods to prescribe such therapies require further studies, for example, to best identify appropriate patients or to guide features of dosing. Likely, anatomic, functional, and behavioral measures of brain state, as well as measures of injury, will each be useful in this regard. Considerations for clinical trials of restorative therapies are provided, emphasizing both similarities and points of divergence with acute stroke clinical trial design.
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Affiliation(s)
- Steven C Cramer
- Department of Neurology, University of California, Irvine, CA 92868-4280, USA.
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Hara Y. Neurorehabilitation with new functional electrical stimulation for hemiparetic upper extremity in stroke patients. J NIPPON MED SCH 2008; 75:4-14. [PMID: 18360073 DOI: 10.1272/jnms.75.4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 36] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/19/2022]
Abstract
In recent years, our understanding of motor learning, neuroplasticity, and functional recovery after the occurrence of brain lesion has grown significantly. New findings in basic neuroscience have stimulated research in motor rehabilitation. Repeated motor practice and motor activity in a real-world environment have been identified in several prospective studies as favorable for motor recovery in stroke patients. Electrical stimulation can be applied in a variety of ways to the hemiparetic upper extremity following stroke. In this paper, an overview of current research into clinical and therapeutic applications of functional electrical stimulation (FES) is presented. In particular, electromyography (EMG)-initiated electrical muscle stimulation--but not electrical muscle stimulation alone--improves the motor function of the hemiparetic arm and hand. Triggered electrical stimulation is reported to be more effective than untriggered electrical stimulation in facilitating upper extremity motor recovery following stroke. Power-assisted FES induces greater muscle contraction by electrical stimulation in proportion to the voluntary integrated EMG signal picked up, which is regulated by a closed-loop control system. Power-assisted FES and motor point block for antagonist muscles have been applied with good results as a new hybrid FES therapy in an outpatient rehabilitation clinic for patients with stroke. Furthermore, a daily home program therapy with power-assisted FES using new equipment has been able to effectively improve wrist and finger extension and shoulder flexion. Proprioceptive sensory feedback might play an important role in power-assisted FES therapy. Although many physiotherapeutic modalities have been established, conclusive proof of their benefit and physiological models of their effects on neuronal structures and processes are still missing. A multichannel near-infrared spectroscopy study to noninvasively and dynamically measure hemoglobin levels in the brain during functional activity has shown that cerebral blood flow in the sensory-motor cortex on the injured side is higher during a power-assisted FES session than during simple active movement or simple electrical stimulation. Nevertheless, evidence-based strategies for motor rehabilitation are more easily available, particularly for patients with hemiparesis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yukihiro Hara
- The Department of Rehabilitation Medicine, Nippon Medical School Chiba Hokusoh Hospital, Inba-gun, Chiba, Japan.
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Cheatwood JL, Emerick AJ, Kartje GL. Neuronal plasticity and functional recovery after ischemic stroke. Top Stroke Rehabil 2008; 15:42-50. [PMID: 18250073 DOI: 10.1310/tsr1501-42] [Citation(s) in RCA: 40] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/01/2023]
Abstract
Ischemic stroke affects many new patients each year. The sequelae of brain ischemia can include lasting sensorimotor and cognitive deficits, which negatively impact quality of life. Currently, treatment options for improving poststroke deficits are limited, and the development of new clinical alternatives to improve functional recovery after stroke is actively under investigation. Anti-Nogo-A immunotherapy to reduce the central nervous system inhibitory environment, cell transplantation strategies, pharmacological agents, and movement-based therapies represent emerging treatments of poststroke deficits through enhancement of neuroanatomical plasticity.
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Wisneski KJ, Johnson MJ. Quantifying kinematics of purposeful movements to real, imagined, or absent functional objects: implications for modelling trajectories for robot-assisted ADL tasks. J Neuroeng Rehabil 2007; 4:7. [PMID: 17381842 PMCID: PMC1847448 DOI: 10.1186/1743-0003-4-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 44] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/14/2006] [Accepted: 03/23/2007] [Indexed: 12/04/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Robotic therapy is at the forefront of stroke rehabilitation. The Activities of Daily Living Exercise Robot (ADLER) was developed to improve carryover of gains after training by combining the benefits of Activities of Daily Living (ADL) training (motivation and functional task practice with real objects), with the benefits of robot mediated therapy (repeatability and reliability). In combining these two therapy techniques, we seek to develop a new model for trajectory generation that will support functional movements to real objects during robot training. We studied natural movements to real objects and report on how initial reaching movements are affected by real objects and how these movements deviate from the straight line paths predicted by the minimum jerk model, typically used to generate trajectories in robot training environments. We highlight key issues that to be considered in modelling natural trajectories. METHODS Movement data was collected as eight normal subjects completed ADLs such as drinking and eating. Three conditions were considered: object absent, imagined, and present. This data was compared to predicted trajectories generated from implementing the minimum jerk model. The deviations in both the plane of the table (XY) and the sagittal plane of torso (XZ) were examined for both reaches to a cup and to a spoon. Velocity profiles and curvature were also quantified for all trajectories. RESULTS We hypothesized that movements performed with functional task constraints and objects would deviate from the minimum jerk trajectory model more than those performed under imaginary or object absent conditions. Trajectory deviations from the predicted minimum jerk model for these reaches were shown to depend on three variables: object presence, object orientation, and plane of movement. When subjects completed the cup reach their movements were more curved than for the spoon reach. The object present condition for the cup reach showed more curvature than in the object imagined and absent conditions. Curvature in the XZ plane of movement was greater than curvature in the XY plane for all movements. CONCLUSION The implemented minimum jerk trajectory model was not adequate for generating functional trajectories for these ADLs. The deviations caused by object affordance and functional task constraints must be accounted for in order to allow subjects to perform functional task training in robotic therapy environments. The major differences that we have highlighted include trajectory dependence on: object presence, object orientation, and the plane of movement. With the ability to practice ADLs on the ADLER environment we hope to provide patients with a therapy paradigm that will produce optimal results and recovery.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kimberly J Wisneski
- Marquette University, Dept. of Biomedical Engineering, Olin Engineering Center, Milwaukee, WI USA
- Clement J. Zablocki VA, Dept. of Physical Medicine & Rehabilitation, 5000 National Ave, Milwaukee, WI, USA
- The Rehabilitation Robotics Research and Design Lab, 5000 National Ave, Milwaukee, WI, USA
| | - Michelle J Johnson
- Marquette University, Dept. of Biomedical Engineering, Olin Engineering Center, Milwaukee, WI USA
- Medical College of Wisconsin, Dept. of Physical Medicine & Rehabilitation, 9200 W. Wisconsin Ave, Milwaukee, WI 53226, USA
- Clement J. Zablocki VA, Dept. of Physical Medicine & Rehabilitation, 5000 National Ave, Milwaukee, WI, USA
- The Rehabilitation Robotics Research and Design Lab, 5000 National Ave, Milwaukee, WI, USA
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Johnson MJ. Recent trends in robot-assisted therapy environments to improve real-life functional performance after stroke. J Neuroeng Rehabil 2006; 3:29. [PMID: 17176474 PMCID: PMC1764881 DOI: 10.1186/1743-0003-3-29] [Citation(s) in RCA: 87] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/28/2006] [Accepted: 12/18/2006] [Indexed: 11/30/2022] Open
Abstract
Upper and lower limb robotic tools for neuro-rehabilitation are effective in reducing motor impairment but they are limited in their ability to improve real world function. There is a need to improve functional outcomes after robot-assisted therapy. Improvements in the effectiveness of these environments may be achieved by incorporating into their design and control strategies important elements key to inducing motor learning and cerebral plasticity such as mass-practice, feedback, task-engagement, and complex problem solving. This special issue presents nine articles. Novel strategies covered in this issue encourage more natural movements through the use of virtual reality and real objects and faster motor learning through the use of error feedback to guide acquisition of natural movements that are salient to real activities. In addition, several articles describe novel systems and techniques that use of custom and commercial games combined with new low-cost robot systems and a humanoid robot to embody the " supervisory presence" of the therapy as possible solutions to exercise compliance in under-supervised environments such as the home.
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Affiliation(s)
- Michelle J Johnson
- Medical College of Wisconsin, Dept. of Physical Medicine & Rehabilitation, 9200 W. Wisconsin Ave, Milwaukee, WI 53226, USA
- Marquette University, Dept. of Biomedical Engineering, Olin Engineering Center, Milwaukee, WI USA
- Clement J. Zablocki VA, Dept. of Physical Medicine & Rehabilitation, Milwaukee, WI, USA
- The Rehabilitation Robotics Research and Design Lab, Clement J. Zablocki VA, 5000 National Ave, Milwaukee, WI, USA
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Hodics T, Cohen LG, Cramer SC. Functional Imaging of Intervention Effects in Stroke Motor Rehabilitation. Arch Phys Med Rehabil 2006; 87:S36-42. [PMID: 17140878 DOI: 10.1016/j.apmr.2006.09.005] [Citation(s) in RCA: 54] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/09/2006] [Revised: 08/10/2006] [Accepted: 09/14/2006] [Indexed: 10/23/2022]
Abstract
OBJECTIVE To assess intervention-specific effects on cortical reorganization after stroke as shown by available functional neuroimaging studies. DATA SOURCES We searched Medline for clinical trials that contained the terms stroke, reorganization, and recovery, as well as either positron-emission tomography and PET, near-infrared spectroscopy and NIRS, single-photon emission tomography and SPECT, or functional magnetic resonance imaging and functional MRI; we reviewed primary and secondary references. STUDY SELECTION Articles that reported neuroimaging findings as a result of a specific treatment involving more than 1 subject were included. DATA EXTRACTION We included clinical trials that contained the terms stroke, reorganization, and recovery, as well as functional neuroimaging data findings as a result of a specific treatment involving more than 1 subject. DATA SYNTHESIS Included studies differed clearly from one another with regard to patient characteristics, intervention protocol, and outcome measures. Most studies used functional magnetic resonance imaging and a motor paradigm. Studies were limited in size. CONCLUSIONS Despite the methodologic differences, several common features can be identified based on the reviewed studies. Clinical improvements occurred even late after injury, after subjects were deemed to have reached a recovery plateau. This clinical improvement was accompanied by cortical reorganization that depended on the type of intervention as well as other factors. This review also suggests direction for future research studies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Timea Hodics
- Department of Neurology, Georgetown University Hospital, Washington, DC 20007, USA.
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Abstract
Stroke is a common disorder that produces a major burden to society, largely through long-lasting motor disability in survivors. Recent studies have broadened our understanding of the processes underlying recovery of motor function after stroke. Bilateral motor regions of the brain experience substantial reorganization after stroke, including changes in the strength of interhemispheric inhibitory interactions. Our understanding of the extent to which different forms of reorganization contribute to behavioral gains in the rehabilitative process, although still limited, has led to the formulation of novel interventional strategies to regain motor function. Transcranial magnetic (TMS) and DC (tDCS) electrical stimulation are noninvasive brain stimulation techniques that modulate cortical excitability in both healthy individuals and stroke patients. These techniques can enhance the effect of training on performance of various motor tasks, including those that mimic activities of daily living. This review looks at the effects of TMS and tDCS on motor cortical function and motor performance in healthy volunteers and in patients with stroke. Both techniques can either enhance or suppress cortical excitability, and may move to the clinical arena as strategies to enhance the beneficial effects of customarily used neurorehabilitative treatments after stroke.
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Affiliation(s)
- Brian R. Webster
- Human Cortical Physiology Section and Stroke Neurorehabilitation Clinic, National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke, National Institutes of Health, 20892 Bethesda, Maryland
| | - Pablo A. Celnik
- Human Cortical Physiology Section and Stroke Neurorehabilitation Clinic, National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke, National Institutes of Health, 20892 Bethesda, Maryland
| | - Leonardo G. Cohen
- Human Cortical Physiology Section and Stroke Neurorehabilitation Clinic, National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke, National Institutes of Health, 20892 Bethesda, Maryland
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