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Charalambous CC, Bowden MG, Liang JN, Kautz SA, Hadjipapas A. Alpha and beta/low-gamma frequency bands may have distinct neural origin and function during post-stroke walking. Exp Brain Res 2024:10.1007/s00221-024-06906-8. [PMID: 39107522 DOI: 10.1007/s00221-024-06906-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/17/2024] [Accepted: 07/31/2024] [Indexed: 08/11/2024]
Abstract
Plantarflexors provide propulsion during walking and receive input from both corticospinal and corticoreticulospinal tracts, which exhibit some frequency-specificity that allows potential differentiation of each tract's descending drive. Given that stroke may differentially affect each tract and impair the function of plantarflexors during walking; here, we examined this frequency-specificity and its relation to walking-specific measures during post-stroke walking. Fourteen individuals with chronic stroke walked on an instrumented treadmill at self-selected and fast walking speed (SSWS and FWS, respectively) while surface electromyography (sEMG) from soleus (SOL), lateral gastrocnemius (LG), and medial gastrocnemius (MG) and ground reaction forces (GRF) were collected. We calculated the intermuscular coherences (IMC; alpha, beta, and low-gamma bands between SOL-LG, SOL-MG, LG-MG) and propulsive impulse using sEMG and GRF, respectively. We examined the interlimb and intralimb IMC comparisons and their relationships with propulsive impulse and walking speed. Interlimb IMC comparisons revealed that beta LG-MG (SSWS) and low-gamma SOL-LG (FWS) IMCs were degraded on the paretic side. Intralimb IMC comparisons revealed that only alpha IMCs (both speeds) exhibited a statistically significant difference to random coherence. Further, alpha LG-MG IMC was positively correlated with propulsive impulse in the paretic limb (SSWS). Alpha and beta/low-gamma bands may have a differential functional role, which may be related to the frequency-specificity of the underlying descending drives. The persistence of alpha band in plantarflexors and its strong positive relationship with propulsive impulse suggests relative alteration of corticoreticulospinal tract after stroke. These findings imply the presence of frequency-specific descending drives to walking-specific muscles in chronic stroke.
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Affiliation(s)
- Charalambos C Charalambous
- Department of Neurology, Duke University School of Medicine, 40 Medicine Circle Box 3824, Durham, NC, 27710, USA.
- Department of Basic and Clinical Sciences, University of Nicosia Medical School, 21 Ilia Papakyriakou, Block C, Rm 202, 1700, Nicosia, Cyprus.
- Center for Neuroscience and Integrative Brain Research (CENIBRE), University of Nicosia Medical School, 21 Ilia Papakyriakou, Block C, Rm 202, 1700, Nicosia, Cyprus.
- Department of Health Sciences and Research, Medical University of South Carolina, 77 President Street MSC 700, Charleston, SC, 29425, USA.
| | - Mark G Bowden
- Brooks Rehabilitation Clinical Research Center, 3901 S. University Blvd, Suite 101, Jacksonville, FL, 32216, USA
| | - Jing Nong Liang
- Department of Physical Therapy, University of Nevada, 4505 S Maryland Pkwy, Box 453029, Las Vegas, NV, 89154-3029, USA
| | - Steven A Kautz
- Department of Health Sciences and Research, Medical University of South Carolina, 77 President Street MSC 700, Charleston, SC, 29425, USA
- Department of Rehabilitation Sciences, Medical University of South Carolina, Charleston, SC, USA
- Ralph H. Johnson VA Medical Center, 109 Bee St, Charleston, SC, 29401, USA
| | - Avgis Hadjipapas
- Department of Basic and Clinical Sciences, University of Nicosia Medical School, 21 Ilia Papakyriakou, Block C, Rm 202, 1700, Nicosia, Cyprus
- Center for Neuroscience and Integrative Brain Research (CENIBRE), University of Nicosia Medical School, 21 Ilia Papakyriakou, Block C, Rm 202, 1700, Nicosia, Cyprus
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Yang S, Yi YG, Chang MC. The effect of transcranial alternating current stimulation on functional recovery in patients with stroke: a narrative review. Front Neurol 2024; 14:1327383. [PMID: 38269003 PMCID: PMC10805992 DOI: 10.3389/fneur.2023.1327383] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/24/2023] [Accepted: 12/20/2023] [Indexed: 01/26/2024] Open
Abstract
Stroke is a common neurological disorder worldwide that can cause significant disabilities. Transcranial alternating current stimulation (tACS) is an emerging non-invasive neuromodulation technique that regulates brain oscillations and reshapes brain rhythms. This study aimed to investigate the effect of tACS on functional recovery in patients with stroke. The MEDLINE (PubMed), Cochrane Library, Embase, SCOPUS, and Web of Science databases were searched for English-language articles on tACS and stroke, published up to October 20, 2023. The following key search phrases were combined to identify potentially relevant articles: 'tACS,' 'transcranial alternating current stimulation,' 'stroke,' 'cerebral infarct,' and 'intracerebral hemorrhage.' The inclusion criteria for study selection were as follows: (1) studies involving patients with stroke and (2) studies that used tACS for functional recovery. A total of 34 potentially relevant studies were identified. Five articles were included in this review after reading the titles and abstracts and assessing their eligibility based on the full-text articles. Among the included studies, one investigated the improvement in overall functional status in patients with stroke after tACS, and two investigated the effect of tACS on motor function and gait patterns. Moreover, one study reported the efficacy of tACS on aphasia recovery, and one study evaluated the effect of tACS on hemispatial neglect. Our findings suggest that tACS improves functional recovery in patients with stroke. The application of tACS was associated with improved overall functional recovery, sensorimotor impairment, aphasia, and hemispatial neglect. The potential clinical application of tACS should be supported by high-quality, evidence-based studies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Seoyon Yang
- Department of Rehabilitation Medicine, School of Medicine, Ewha Woman's University Seoul Hospital, Seoul, Republic of Korea
| | - You Gyoung Yi
- Department of Rehabilitation Medicine, School of Medicine, Ewha Woman's University Seoul Hospital, Seoul, Republic of Korea
| | - Min Cheol Chang
- Department of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, College of Medicine, Yeungnam University, Taegu, Republic of Korea
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Nojima I, Horiba M, Sahashi K, Koganemaru S, Murakami S, Aoyama K, Matsukawa N, Ono Y, Mima T, Ueki Y. Gait-combined closed-loop brain stimulation can improve walking dynamics in Parkinsonian gait disturbances: a randomised-control trial. J Neurol Neurosurg Psychiatry 2023; 94:938-944. [PMID: 37295946 DOI: 10.1136/jnnp-2022-329966] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/26/2022] [Accepted: 05/30/2023] [Indexed: 06/12/2023]
Abstract
OBJECTIVE Gait disturbance lowers activities of daily living in patients with Parkinson's disease (PD) and related disorders. However, the effectiveness of pharmacological, surgical and rehabilitative treatments is limited. We recently developed a novel neuromodulation approach using gait-combined closed-loop transcranial electrical stimulation (tES) for healthy volunteers and patients who are post-stroke, and achieved significant entrainment of gait rhythm and an increase in gait speed. Here, we tested the efficacy of this intervention in patients with Parkinsonian gait disturbances. METHODS Twenty-three patients were randomly assigned to a real intervention group using gait-combined closed-loop oscillatory tES over the cerebellum at the frequency of individualised comfortable gait rhythm, and to a sham control group. RESULTS Ten intervention sessions were completed for all patients and showed that the gait speed (F (1, 21)=13.0, p=0.002) and stride length (F (1, 21)=8.9, p=0.007) were significantly increased after tES, but not after sham stimulation. Moreover, gait symmetry measured by swing phase time (F (1, 21)=11.9, p=0.002) and subjective feelings about freezing (F (1, 21)=14.9, p=0.001) were significantly improved during gait. CONCLUSIONS These findings showed that gait-combined closed-loop tES over the cerebellum improved Parkinsonian gait disturbances, possibly through the modulation of brain networks generating gait rhythms. This new non-pharmacological and non-invasive intervention could be a breakthrough in restoring gait function in patients with PD and related disorders.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ippei Nojima
- Physical Therapy, Shinshu University Graduate School of Health Sciences School of Health Sciences, Matsumoto, Nagano, Japan
- Department of Rehabilitation Medicine, Nagoya City University Graduate School of Medical Sciences, Nagoya, Japan
| | - Mitsuya Horiba
- Department of Rehabilitation Medicine, Nagoya City University Graduate School of Medical Sciences, Nagoya, Japan
| | - Kento Sahashi
- Department of Rehabilitation Medicine, Nagoya City University Graduate School of Medical Sciences, Nagoya, Japan
| | - Satoko Koganemaru
- Department of Regenerative Systems Neuroscience, Kyoto University, Kyoto, Japan
| | - Satona Murakami
- Department of Rehabilitation Medicine, Nagoya City University Graduate School of Medical Sciences, Nagoya, Japan
| | - Kiminori Aoyama
- Department of Rehabilitation Medicine, Nagoya City University Graduate School of Medical Sciences, Nagoya, Japan
| | | | - Yumie Ono
- Department of Electronics and Bioinformatics, Meiji University, Chiyoda-ku, Japan
| | - Tatsuya Mima
- The Graduate School of Core Ethics and Frontier Sciences, Ritsumeikan University, Kyoto, Japan
| | - Yoshino Ueki
- Department of Rehabilitation Medicine, Nagoya City University Graduate School of Medical Sciences, Nagoya, Japan
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Charalambous CC, Hadjipapas A. Is there frequency-specificity in the motor control of walking? The putative differential role of alpha and beta oscillations. Front Syst Neurosci 2022; 16:922841. [PMID: 36387306 PMCID: PMC9650482 DOI: 10.3389/fnsys.2022.922841] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/18/2022] [Accepted: 10/14/2022] [Indexed: 11/04/2023] Open
Abstract
Alpha and beta oscillations have been assessed thoroughly during walking due to their potential role as proxies of the corticoreticulospinal tract (CReST) and corticospinal tract (CST), respectively. Given that damage to a descending tract after stroke can cause walking deficits, detailed knowledge of how these oscillations mechanistically contribute to walking could be utilized in strategies for post-stroke locomotor recovery. In this review, the goal was to summarize, synthesize, and discuss the existing evidence on the potential differential role of these oscillations on the motor descending drive, the effect of transcranial alternate current stimulation (tACS) on neurotypical and post-stroke walking, and to discuss remaining gaps in knowledge, future directions, and methodological considerations. Electrophysiological studies of corticomuscular, intermuscular, and intramuscular coherence during walking clearly demonstrate that beta oscillations are predominantly present in the dorsiflexors during the swing phase and may be absent post-stroke. The role of alpha oscillations, however, has not been pinpointed as clearly. We concluded that both animal and human studies should focus on the electrophysiological characterization of alpha oscillations and their potential role to the CReST. Another approach in elucidating the role of these oscillations is to modulate them and then quantify the impact on walking behavior. This is possible through tACS, whose beneficial effect on walking behavior (including boosting of beta oscillations in intramuscular coherence) has been recently demonstrated in both neurotypical adults and stroke patients. However, these studies still do not allow for specific roles of alpha and beta oscillations to be delineated because the tACS frequency used was much lower (i.e., individualized calculated gait frequency was used). Thus, we identify a main gap in the literature, which is tACS studies actually stimulating at alpha and beta frequencies during walking. Overall, we conclude that for beta oscillations there is a clear connection to descending drive in the corticospinal tract. The precise relationship between alpha oscillations and CReST remains elusive due to the gaps in the literature identified here. However, better understanding the role of alpha (and beta) oscillations in the motor control of walking can be used to progress and develop rehabilitation strategies for promoting locomotor recovery.
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Affiliation(s)
- Charalambos C. Charalambous
- Department of Basic and Clinical Sciences, Medical School, University of Nicosia, Nicosia, Cyprus
- Center for Neuroscience and Integrative Brain Research (CENIBRE), Medical School, University of Nicosia, Nicosia, Cyprus
| | - Avgis Hadjipapas
- Department of Basic and Clinical Sciences, Medical School, University of Nicosia, Nicosia, Cyprus
- Center for Neuroscience and Integrative Brain Research (CENIBRE), Medical School, University of Nicosia, Nicosia, Cyprus
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Affiliation(s)
- Atsushi Nambu
- Division of System Neurophysiology, National Institute for Physiological Sciences, Department of Physiological Sciences, SOKENDAI (The Graduate University for Advanced Studies), Okazaki, Aichi 444-8585, Japan.
| | - Ichiro Tsuda
- Chubu University Academy of Emerging Sciences, Kasugai, Aichi 487-8501, Japan
| | - Tatsuya Mima
- The Graduate School of Core Ethics and Frontier Sciences, Ritsumeikan University, Kyoto, 603-8577, Japan
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Kitatani R, Koganemaru S, Maeda A, Mikami Y, Matsuhashi M, Mima T, Yamada S. Gait-combined transcranial alternating current stimulation modulates cortical control of muscle activities during gait. Eur J Neurosci 2020; 52:4791-4802. [PMID: 32726506 DOI: 10.1111/ejn.14919] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/22/2019] [Revised: 07/19/2020] [Accepted: 07/20/2020] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
Abstract
Non-invasive brain stimulation has been of interest as a therapeutic tool to modulate cortical excitability. However, there is little evidence that oscillatory brain stimulation can modulate the cortical control of muscle activities during gait, which can be assessed using coherence analysis of paired surface electromyographic (EMG) recordings. This study aimed to investigate the effects of gait-combined transcranial alternating current stimulation (tACS) at the gait cycle frequency on the cortical control of muscle activities during gait using EMG-EMG coherence analysis. Fourteen healthy young adults participated in this study. All participants underwent 2 test conditions (real tACS and sham stimulation over the leg area of the primary motor cortex during 10-min treadmill walking). The average peak-to-peak amplitudes of the motor evoked potentials (MEPs) from the tibialis anterior (TA) and lateral gastrocnemius muscles in the sitting position and EMG-EMG coherences in the TA muscle, triceps surae muscles, quadriceps muscles, and hamstring muscles during gait were measured before and after stimulation. Entrainment effect was significantly higher during real tACS than during sham stimulation. After real tACS, the MEP amplitude and beta band (13-33 Hz) coherence area increased in the TA muscle. The change in MEP amplitude from the TA muscle was positively correlated with the change in beta band coherence area in the TA muscle. Gait-combined tACS can modulate the strength of descending neural drive to TA motoneurons during gait. This suggests that oscillatory brain stimulation is a useful therapeutic tool to modulate the cortical control of muscle activities during gait.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ryosuke Kitatani
- Department of Physical Therapy, Human Health Sciences, Graduate School of Medicine, Kyoto University, Kyoto, Japan.,Department of Rehabilitation, Kansai Rehabilitation Hospital, Osaka, Japan
| | - Satoko Koganemaru
- Department of Physiology and Biological Information, Dokkyo Medical University, Tochigi, Japan
| | - Ayaka Maeda
- Department of Physical Therapy, Human Health Sciences, Graduate School of Medicine, Kyoto University, Kyoto, Japan
| | - Yusuke Mikami
- Human Brain Research Center, Kyoto University Graduate School of Medicine, Kyoto, Japan
| | - Masao Matsuhashi
- Department of Epilepsy, Movement Disorders and Physiology, Graduate School of Medicine, Kyoto University, Kyoto, Japan
| | - Tatsuya Mima
- Graduate School of Core Ethics and Frontier Sciences, Ritsumeikan University, Kyoto, Japan
| | - Shigehito Yamada
- Department of Physical Therapy, Human Health Sciences, Graduate School of Medicine, Kyoto University, Kyoto, Japan
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Kadone H, Kubota S, Abe T, Noguchi H, Miura K, Koda M, Shimizu Y, Hada Y, Sankai Y, Suzuki K, Yamazaki M. Muscular Activity Modulation During Post-operative Walking With Hybrid Assistive Limb (HAL) in a Patient With Thoracic Myelopathy Due to Ossification of Posterior Longitudinal Ligament: A Case Report. Front Neurol 2020; 11:102. [PMID: 32296380 PMCID: PMC7136555 DOI: 10.3389/fneur.2020.00102] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/13/2019] [Accepted: 01/29/2020] [Indexed: 01/02/2023] Open
Abstract
Disorders of the central nervous system sometimes cause severe sensory motor paralysis accompanied by gait impairment. Recently, there are several reports on the effectiveness of robot-assisted gait training for patients experiencing these issues. The purpose of this case report was to assess the neuromechanical effect of a wearable robot suit HAL (Hybrid Assistive Limb) during post-operative gait training in a patient with gait impairment due to compressive myelopathy caused by ossification of the posterior longitudinal ligament (OPLL). For this purpose, we compared lower limb muscular activities while the patient was walking with and without the robot through a course of treatment sessions by (i) gait phase-dependent muscle usage analysis, (ii) muscle synergy analysis, and (iii) muscle network analysis. The results show (i) enhanced activity of the extensor muscles for weight-bearing in the initial sessions by using HAL and reduced knee extensor and increased hip extensor activations for achieving larger steps and faster gait in the later sessions; (ii) involvement of a greater number of synergies during walking with HAL than without HAL; and (iii) modulated muscle network property during walking with HAL remaining until the next HAL session. The patient's gait was improved after completing HAL sessions, acquiring close to normal joint profile with greater range of joint movement, faster walking speed, and larger step length. We discuss that the muscular activity modulation during walking with HAL suggests altered control of the muscles by the central nervous system during post-operative walking. Activity-dependent sensorimotor augmentation by HAL is discussed in the context of recovery of gait control by the central nervous system. The relationship between the altered control and the achieved gait recovery requires further investigation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hideki Kadone
- Center for Innovative Medicine and Engineering, University of Tsukuba Hospital, Tsukuba, Japan
- Center for Cybernics Research, University of Tsukuba, Tsukuba, Japan
| | - Shigeki Kubota
- Department of Orthopaedic Surgery, Faculty of Medicine, University of Tsukuba, Tsukuba, Japan
| | - Tetsuya Abe
- Department of Orthopaedic Surgery, Faculty of Medicine, University of Tsukuba, Tsukuba, Japan
| | - Hiroshi Noguchi
- Department of Orthopaedic Surgery, Faculty of Medicine, University of Tsukuba, Tsukuba, Japan
| | - Kousei Miura
- Department of Orthopaedic Surgery, Faculty of Medicine, University of Tsukuba, Tsukuba, Japan
- Department of Rehabilitation Medicine, University of Tsukuba Hospital, Tsukuba, Japan
| | - Masao Koda
- Department of Orthopaedic Surgery, Faculty of Medicine, University of Tsukuba, Tsukuba, Japan
| | - Yukiyo Shimizu
- Department of Rehabilitation Medicine, University of Tsukuba Hospital, Tsukuba, Japan
| | - Yasushi Hada
- Department of Rehabilitation Medicine, University of Tsukuba Hospital, Tsukuba, Japan
| | - Yoshiyuki Sankai
- Center for Cybernics Research, University of Tsukuba, Tsukuba, Japan
| | - Kenji Suzuki
- Center for Cybernics Research, University of Tsukuba, Tsukuba, Japan
| | - Masashi Yamazaki
- Department of Orthopaedic Surgery, Faculty of Medicine, University of Tsukuba, Tsukuba, Japan
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