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Suviseshamuthu ES, Shenoy Handiru V, Allexandre D, Hoxha A, Saleh S, Yue GH. EEG-Based Spectral Analysis Showing Brainwave Changes Related to Modulating Progressive Fatigue During a Prolonged Intermittent Motor Task. Front Hum Neurosci 2022; 16:770053. [PMID: 35360287 PMCID: PMC8962200 DOI: 10.3389/fnhum.2022.770053] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/07/2021] [Accepted: 02/10/2022] [Indexed: 12/03/2022] Open
Abstract
Repeatedly performing a submaximal motor task for a prolonged period of time leads to muscle fatigue comprising a central and peripheral component, which demands a gradually increasing effort. However, the brain contribution to the enhancement of effort to cope with progressing fatigue lacks a complete understanding. The intermittent motor tasks (IMTs) closely resemble many activities of daily living (ADL), thus remaining physiologically relevant to study fatigue. The scope of this study is therefore to investigate the EEG-based brain activation patterns in healthy subjects performing IMT until self-perceived exhaustion. Fourteen participants (median age 51.5 years; age range 26−72 years; 6 males) repeated elbow flexion contractions at 40% maximum voluntary contraction by following visual cues displayed on an oscilloscope screen until subjective exhaustion. Each contraction lasted ≈5 s with a 2-s rest between trials. The force, EEG, and surface EMG (from elbow joint muscles) data were simultaneously collected. After preprocessing, we selected a subset of trials at the beginning, middle, and end of the study session representing brain activities germane to mild, moderate, and severe fatigue conditions, respectively, to compare and contrast the changes in the EEG time-frequency (TF) characteristics across the conditions. The outcome of channel- and source-level TF analyses reveals that the theta, alpha, and beta power spectral densities vary in proportion to fatigue levels in cortical motor areas. We observed a statistically significant change in the band-specific spectral power in relation to the graded fatigue from both the steady- and post-contraction EEG data. The findings would enhance our understanding on the etiology and physiology of voluntary motor-action-related fatigue and provide pointers to counteract the perception of muscle weakness and lack of motor endurance associated with ADL. The study outcome would help rationalize why certain patients experience exacerbated fatigue while carrying out mundane tasks, evaluate how clinical conditions such as neurological disorders and cancer treatment alter neural mechanisms underlying fatigue in future studies, and develop therapeutic strategies for restoring the patients' ability to participate in ADL by mitigating the central and muscle fatigue.
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Affiliation(s)
- Easter S. Suviseshamuthu
- Center for Mobility and Rehabilitation Engineering Research, Kessler Foundation, West Orange, NJ, United States
- Department of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, Rutgers Biomedical Health Sciences, Newark, NJ, United States
- *Correspondence: Easter S. Suviseshamuthu
| | - Vikram Shenoy Handiru
- Center for Mobility and Rehabilitation Engineering Research, Kessler Foundation, West Orange, NJ, United States
- Department of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, Rutgers Biomedical Health Sciences, Newark, NJ, United States
| | - Didier Allexandre
- Center for Mobility and Rehabilitation Engineering Research, Kessler Foundation, West Orange, NJ, United States
- Department of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, Rutgers Biomedical Health Sciences, Newark, NJ, United States
| | - Armand Hoxha
- Center for Mobility and Rehabilitation Engineering Research, Kessler Foundation, West Orange, NJ, United States
| | - Soha Saleh
- Center for Mobility and Rehabilitation Engineering Research, Kessler Foundation, West Orange, NJ, United States
- Department of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, Rutgers Biomedical Health Sciences, Newark, NJ, United States
| | - Guang H. Yue
- Center for Mobility and Rehabilitation Engineering Research, Kessler Foundation, West Orange, NJ, United States
- Department of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, Rutgers Biomedical Health Sciences, Newark, NJ, United States
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Rinaldin CDP, Avila de Oliveira J, Ribeiro de Souza C, Scheeren EM, Coelho DB, Teixeira LA. Compensatory control between the legs in automatic postural responses to stance perturbations under single-leg fatigue. Exp Brain Res 2021; 239:639-653. [PMID: 33388814 DOI: 10.1007/s00221-020-06003-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/15/2020] [Accepted: 12/03/2020] [Indexed: 01/04/2023]
Abstract
In response to sudden perturbations of stance stability, muscles of both legs are activated for balance recovery. In conditions that one of the legs has a reduced capacity to respond, the opposite leg is predicted to compensate by responding more powerfully to restore stable upright stance. In this investigation, we aimed to evaluate between-leg compensatory control in automatic postural responses to sudden perturbations in a situation in which plantar flexor muscles of a single leg were fatigued. Young participants were evaluated in response to a series of perturbations inducing forward body sway, with a focus on activation of plantar flexor muscles: lateral and medial gastrocnemii and soleus. Muscular responses were analyzed through activation magnitude and latency of muscular activation onset. For evaluation of balance and postural stability, we also analyzed the center of pressure and upper trunk displacement and weight-bearing asymmetry between the legs. Responses were assessed in three conditions: pre-fatigue, under single-leg fatigue, and following the recovery of muscular function. Results showed (a) compensation of the non-fatigued leg through the increased magnitude of muscular activation in the first perturbation under fatigue; (b) adaptation in the non-fatigued leg over repetitive perturbations, with a progressive decrement of muscular activation over trials; and (c) maintenance of increased muscular activation of the non-fatigued leg following fatigue dissipation. These findings suggest that the central nervous system is able to modulate the descending motor drive individually for each leg's muscles apparently based on their potential contribution for the achievement of the behavioral aim of recovering stable body balance following stance perturbations.
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Affiliation(s)
- Carla Daniele Pacheco Rinaldin
- Graduate Program on Health Technology, Pontifical Catholic University of Paraná, St. Imaculada Conceição, 1155, Prado Velho, Curitiba, Paraná, 80215-901, Brazil.
| | - Júlia Avila de Oliveira
- Human Motor Systems Laboratory, School of Physical Education and Sport, University of São Paulo, Av. Professor Mello Moraes, 65, Butantã, São Paulo, 05508-030, Brazil
| | - Caroline Ribeiro de Souza
- Human Motor Systems Laboratory, School of Physical Education and Sport, University of São Paulo, Av. Professor Mello Moraes, 65, Butantã, São Paulo, 05508-030, Brazil
| | - Eduardo Mendonça Scheeren
- Graduate Program on Health Technology, Pontifical Catholic University of Paraná, St. Imaculada Conceição, 1155, Prado Velho, Curitiba, Paraná, 80215-901, Brazil
| | - Daniel Boari Coelho
- Human Motor Systems Laboratory, School of Physical Education and Sport, University of São Paulo, Av. Professor Mello Moraes, 65, Butantã, São Paulo, 05508-030, Brazil.,Biomedical Engineering, Federal University of ABC, Av. da Universidade, Anchieta, São Bernardo do Campo, São Paulo, 09606-045, Brazil
| | - Luis Augusto Teixeira
- Human Motor Systems Laboratory, School of Physical Education and Sport, University of São Paulo, Av. Professor Mello Moraes, 65, Butantã, São Paulo, 05508-030, Brazil
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Urquhart EL, Wang X, Liu H, Fadel PJ, Alexandrakis G. Differences in Net Information Flow and Dynamic Connectivity Metrics Between Physically Active and Inactive Subjects Measured by Functional Near-Infrared Spectroscopy (fNIRS) During a Fatiguing Handgrip Task. Front Neurosci 2020; 14:167. [PMID: 32210748 PMCID: PMC7076120 DOI: 10.3389/fnins.2020.00167] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/18/2019] [Accepted: 02/14/2020] [Indexed: 12/11/2022] Open
Abstract
Twenty-three young adults (4 Females, 25.13 ± 3.72 years) performed an intermittent maximal handgrip force task using their dominant hand for 20 min (3.5 s squeeze/6.5 s release, 120 blocks) with concurrent cortical activity imaging by functional Near-Infrared Spectroscopy (fNRIS; OMM-3000, Shimadzu Corp., 111 channels). Subjects were grouped as physically active (n = 10) or inactive (n = 12) based on a questionnaire (active-exercise at least four times a week, inactive- exercise less than two times a week). We explored how motor task fatigue affected the vasomotion-induced oscillations in ΔHbO as measured by fNIRS at each hemodynamic frequency band: endothelial component (0.003–0.02 Hz) associated to microvascular activity, neurogenic component (0.02–0.04 Hz) related to intrinsic neuronal activity, and myogenic component (0.04–0.15 Hz) linked to activity of smooth muscles of arterioles. To help understand how these three neurovascular regulatory mechanisms relate to handgrip task performance we quantified several dynamic fNIRS metrics, including directional phase transfer entropy (dPTE), a computationally efficient and data-driven method used as a marker of information flow between cortical regions, and directional connectivity (DC), a means to compute directionality of information flow between two cortical regions. The relationship between static functional connectivity (SFC) and functional connectivity variability (FCV) was also explored to understand their mutual dependence for each frequency band in the context of handgrip performance as fatigued increased. Our findings ultimately showed differences between subject groups across all fNIRS metrics and hemodynamic frequency bands. These findings imply that physical activity modulates neurovascular control mechanisms at the endogenic, neurogenic, and myogenic frequency bands resulting in delayed fatigue onset and enhanced performance. The dynamic cortical network metrics quantified in this work for young, healthy subjects provides baseline measurements to guide future work on older individuals and persons with impaired cardiovascular health.
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Affiliation(s)
- Elizabeth L Urquhart
- Bioengineering Department, University of Texas at Arlington, Arlington, TX, United States
| | - Xinlong Wang
- Bioengineering Department, University of Texas at Arlington, Arlington, TX, United States
| | - Hanli Liu
- Bioengineering Department, University of Texas at Arlington, Arlington, TX, United States
| | - Paul J Fadel
- Department of Kinesiology, University of Texas at Arlington, Arlington, TX, United States
| | - George Alexandrakis
- Bioengineering Department, University of Texas at Arlington, Arlington, TX, United States
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Urquhart EL, Wanniarachchi HI, Wang X, Liu H, Fadel PJ, Alexandrakis G. Mapping cortical network effects of fatigue during a handgrip task by functional near-infrared spectroscopy in physically active and inactive subjects. NEUROPHOTONICS 2019; 6:045011. [PMID: 31853458 PMCID: PMC6904890 DOI: 10.1117/1.nph.6.4.045011] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/20/2019] [Accepted: 11/19/2019] [Indexed: 05/29/2023]
Abstract
The temporal evolution of cortical activation and connectivity patterns during a fatiguing handgrip task were studied by functional near-infrared spectroscopy (fNIRS). Twenty-three young adults (18 to 35 years old) were recruited to use a handheld force sensor to perform intermittent handgrip contractions with their dominant hand at their personal maximum voluntary contraction force level for 3.5 s followed by 6.5 s of rest for 120 blocks. Subjects were divided into self-reported physically active and inactive groups, and their hemodynamic activity over the prefrontal and sensory-motor cortices (111 channels) was mapped while they performed this task. Using this fNIRS setup, a more detailed time sequence of cortical activation and connectivity patterns was observed compared to prior studies. A temporal evolution sequence of hemodynamic activation patterns was noted, which was different between the active and the inactive groups. Physically active subjects demonstrated delayed fatigue onset and significantly longer-lasting and more spatially extended functional connectivity (FC) patterns, compared to inactive subjects. The observed differences in activation and FC suggested differences in cortical network adaptation patterns as fatigue set in, which were dependent on subjects' physical activity. The findings of this study suggest that physical activity increases FC with regions involved in motor task control and correlates to extended fatigue onset and enhanced performance.
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Affiliation(s)
- Elizabeth L. Urquhart
- University of Texas at Arlington, Bioengineering Department, Arlington, Texas, United States
| | | | - Xinlong Wang
- University of Texas at Arlington, Bioengineering Department, Arlington, Texas, United States
| | - Hanli Liu
- University of Texas at Arlington, Bioengineering Department, Arlington, Texas, United States
| | - Paul J. Fadel
- University of Texas at Arlington, Department of Kinesiology, Arlington, Texas, United States
| | - George Alexandrakis
- University of Texas at Arlington, Bioengineering Department, Arlington, Texas, United States
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Capone F, Collorone S, Cortese R, Di Lazzaro V, Moccia M. Fatigue in multiple sclerosis: The role of thalamus. Mult Scler 2019; 26:6-16. [DOI: 10.1177/1352458519851247] [Citation(s) in RCA: 24] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/25/2022]
Abstract
Fatigue is very common in multiple sclerosis (MS) and is often considered as its most disabling symptom. Over the last 20 years, an increasing number of studies have evaluated the pathogenetic bases of MS-related fatigue. Converging evidence from neurophysiology and neuroimaging research suggests that a dysfunction in a cortico-subcortical pathway, centered on thalamus, is involved in the pathogenesis of fatigue. However, type and significance of such dysfunction remain unknown, and some studies reported an increase in the activity and connectivity within the thalamic network, whereas others suggested its reduction. Hereby, we review the results of neuroimaging studies supporting the different hypotheses about the role of thalamic network in the pathophysiology of MS-related fatigue and discuss limitations and shortcomings of available data, highlighting the key challenges in the field and the directions for future research.
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Affiliation(s)
- Fioravante Capone
- Unit of Neurology, Neurophysiology, Neurobiology, Department of Medicine, Università Campus Bio-Medico di Roma, Rome, Italy/NeXT: Neurophysiology and Neuroengineering of Human-Technology Interaction Research Unit, Campus Bio-Medico University, Rome, Italy
| | - Sara Collorone
- NMR Research Unit, Queen Square MS Centre, Department of Neuroinflammation, UCL Queen Square Institute of Neurology, Faculty of Brain Sciences, University College London, London, UK
| | - Rosa Cortese
- NMR Research Unit, Queen Square MS Centre, Department of Neuroinflammation, UCL Queen Square Institute of Neurology, Faculty of Brain Sciences, University College London, London, UK
| | - Vincenzo Di Lazzaro
- Unit of Neurology, Neurophysiology, Neurobiology, Department of Medicine, Università Campus Bio-Medico di Roma, Rome, Italy
| | - Marcello Moccia
- NMR Research Unit, Queen Square MS Centre, Department of Neuroinflammation, UCL Queen Square Institute of Neurology, Faculty of Brain Sciences, University College London, London, UK/MS Clinical Care and Research Centre, Department of Neuroscience, Federico II University, Naples, Italy
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Boissoneault J, Sevel L, Robinson ME, Staud R. Functional brain connectivity of remembered fatigue or happiness in healthy adults: Use of arterial spin labeling. J Clin Exp Neuropsychol 2018; 40:224-233. [PMID: 28553882 PMCID: PMC6051525 DOI: 10.1080/13803395.2017.1329407] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/13/2022]
Abstract
INTRODUCTION Chronic fatiguing illnesses like cancer, multiple sclerosis, chronic fatigue syndrome, or depression are frequently associated with comorbidities including depression, pain, and insomnia, making the study of their neural correlates challenging. To study fatigue without such comorbidities, functional connectivity (FC) analyses were used in healthy individuals to study brain activity during recall of a fatiguing event inside the MRI scanner. A positive mood induction served as control condition. METHOD Using SPM8 and the CONN toolbox, FC was tested using seed- and independent component- based (ICA) analyses. Differences in the FC correlations between seed-to-voxel and ICA clusters between conditions were assessed with permutation testing. RESULTS 17 participants (59% women) achieved mean (SD) in-scanner fatigue VAS ratings of 31.85 (20.61). Positive mood induction resulted in happiness ratings of 46.07 (18.99) VAS. Brain regions where alterations in FC correlated with fatigue included the globus pallidum, left lateral occipital cortex, and cuneus. FC of happiness involved the parahippocampal gyrus, both supplemental motor areas, as well as right superior frontal gyrus. Using data-driven ICA, we identified an intra-cerebellar network where several regions were significantly associated with fatigue, but not happiness ratings. Results of permutation testing provided evidence that the detected clusters correlated differentially with self-reported fatigue and happiness. CONCLUSIONS Our study suggests that functional interactions between globus pallidum and occipital structures contribute to experimental fatigue in healthy individuals. They also highlight the important role of cortico-cerebellar interactions in producing feelings of fatigue. FC of occipital structures contributed to both experimental fatigue and happiness ratings.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jeff Boissoneault
- Department of Clinical and Health Psychology, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL, USA
| | - Landrew Sevel
- Department of Clinical and Health Psychology, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL, USA
| | - Michael E. Robinson
- Department of Clinical and Health Psychology, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL, USA
| | - Roland Staud
- Department of Medicine, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL, USA
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