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Riehm CD, Zuleger T, Diekfuss JA, Arellano E, Myer GD. The Evolution of Neuroimaging Technologies to Evaluate Neural Activity Related to Knee Pain and Injury Risk. Curr Rev Musculoskelet Med 2024; 17:14-22. [PMID: 38109007 PMCID: PMC10766917 DOI: 10.1007/s12178-023-09877-5] [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] [Accepted: 11/26/2023] [Indexed: 12/19/2023]
Abstract
PURPOSE OF REVIEW In this review, we present recent findings and advancements in the use of neuroimaging to evaluate neural activity relative to ACL injury risk and patellofemoral pain. In particular, we describe prior work using fMRI and EEG that demonstrate the value of these techniques as well as the necessity of continued development in this area. Our goal is to support future work by providing guidance for the successful application of neuroimaging techniques that most effectively expose pain and injury mechanisms. RECENT FINDINGS Recent studies that utilized both fMRI and EEG indicate that athletes who are at risk for future ACL injury exhibit divergent brain activity both during active lower extremity movement and at rest. Such activity patterns are likely due to alterations to cognitive, visual, and attentional processes that manifest as coordination deficits during naturalistic movement that may result in higher risk of injury. Similarly, in individuals with PFP altered brain activity in a number of key regions is related to subjective pain judgements as well as measures of fear of movement. Although these findings may begin to allow objective pain assessment and identification, continued refinement is needed. One key limitation across both ACL and PFP related work is the restriction of movement during fMRI and EEG data collection, which drastically limits ecological validity. Given the lack of sufficient research using EEG and fMRI within a naturalistic setting, our recommendation is that researchers target the use of mobile, source localized EEG as a primary methodology for exposing neural mechanisms of ACL injury risk and PFP. Our contention is that this method provides an optimal balance of spatial and temporal resolution with ecological validity via naturalistic movement.
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Affiliation(s)
- Christopher D Riehm
- Emory Sports Performance And Research Center (SPARC), 4450 Falcon Pkwy, Flowery Branch, GA, 30542, USA.
- Emory Sports Medicine Center, Atlanta, GA, USA.
- Department of Orthopaedics, Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, GA, USA.
| | - Taylor Zuleger
- Emory Sports Performance And Research Center (SPARC), 4450 Falcon Pkwy, Flowery Branch, GA, 30542, USA
- Emory Sports Medicine Center, Atlanta, GA, USA
- Department of Orthopaedics, Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, GA, USA
- Neuroscience Graduate Program, University of Cincinnati School of Medicine, Cincinnati, OH, USA
| | - Jed A Diekfuss
- Emory Sports Performance And Research Center (SPARC), 4450 Falcon Pkwy, Flowery Branch, GA, 30542, USA
- Emory Sports Medicine Center, Atlanta, GA, USA
- Department of Orthopaedics, Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, GA, USA
| | - Emilio Arellano
- Department of Orthopaedics, Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, GA, USA
| | - Gregory D Myer
- Emory Sports Performance And Research Center (SPARC), 4450 Falcon Pkwy, Flowery Branch, GA, 30542, USA
- Emory Sports Medicine Center, Atlanta, GA, USA
- Department of Orthopaedics, Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, GA, USA
- Youth Physical Development Centre, Cardiff Metropolitan University, Wales, UK
- The Micheli Center for Sports Injury Prevention, Waltham, MA, USA
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Zuleger TM, Slutsky-Ganesh AB, Anand M, Kim H, Warren SM, Grooms DR, Foss KDB, Riley MA, Yuan W, Gore RK, Myer GD, Diekfuss JA. The effects of sports-related concussion history on female adolescent brain activity and connectivity for bilateral lower extremity knee motor control. Psychophysiology 2023; 60:e14314. [PMID: 37114838 PMCID: PMC10523876 DOI: 10.1111/psyp.14314] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/20/2022] [Revised: 02/17/2023] [Accepted: 03/31/2023] [Indexed: 04/29/2023]
Abstract
Sports-related concussions (SRCs) are associated with neuromuscular control deficits in athletes following return to play. However, the connection between SRC and potentially disrupted neural regulation of lower extremity motor control has not been investigated. The purpose of this study was to investigate brain activity and connectivity during a functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) lower extremity motor control task (bilateral leg press) in female adolescent athletes with a history of SRC. Nineteen female adolescent athletes with a history of SRC and nineteen uninjured (without a history of SRC) age- and sport-matched control athletes participated in this study. Athletes with a history of SRC exhibited less neural activity in the left inferior parietal lobule/supramarginal gyrus (IPL) during the bilateral leg press compared to matched controls. Based upon signal change detected in the brain activity analysis, a 6 mm region of interest (seed) was defined to perform secondary connectivity analyses using psychophysiological interaction (PPI) analyses. During the motor control task, the left IPL (seed) was significantly connected to the right posterior cingulate gyrus/precuneus cortex and right IPL for athletes with a history of SRC. The left IPL was significantly connected to the left primary motor cortex (M1) and primary somatosensory cortex (S1), right inferior temporal gyrus, and right S1 for matched controls. Altered neural activity in brain regions important for sensorimotor integration and motor attention, combined with unique connectivity to regions responsible for attentional, cognitive, and proprioceptive processing, indicate compensatory neural mechanisms may underlie the lingering neuromuscular control deficits associated with SRC.
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Affiliation(s)
- Taylor M. Zuleger
- Emory Sports Performance And Research Center (SPARC), Flowery Branch, GA, USA
- Emory Sports Medicine Center, Atlanta, GA, USA
- Department of Orthopaedics, Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, GA, USA
- University of Cincinnati, Neuroscience Graduate Program, Cincinnati, OH, USA
| | - Alexis B. Slutsky-Ganesh
- Emory Sports Performance And Research Center (SPARC), Flowery Branch, GA, USA
- Emory Sports Medicine Center, Atlanta, GA, USA
- Department of Orthopaedics, Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, GA, USA
- Department of Kinesiology, University of North Carolina at Greensboro, Greensboro, NC, USA
| | - Manish Anand
- Emory Sports Performance And Research Center (SPARC), Flowery Branch, GA, USA
- Emory Sports Medicine Center, Atlanta, GA, USA
- Department of Orthopaedics, Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, GA, USA
- Department of Mechanical Engineering, Indian Institute of Technology Madras, Chennai, TN, India
| | - HoWon Kim
- Ohio Musculoskeletal & Neurological Institute, Ohio University, Athens, OH, USA
| | - Shayla M. Warren
- Emory Sports Performance And Research Center (SPARC), Flowery Branch, GA, USA
- Emory Sports Medicine Center, Atlanta, GA, USA
- Department of Orthopaedics, Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, GA, USA
| | - Dustin R. Grooms
- Ohio Musculoskeletal & Neurological Institute, Ohio University, Athens, OH, USA
- Division of Athletic Training, School of Applied Health Sciences and Wellness, College of Health Sciences and Professions, Ohio University, Athens, OH, USA
- Division of Physical Therapy, School of Rehabilitation and Communication Sciences, College of Health Science and Professions, Ohio University, Grover Center, Athens, OH, USA
| | - Kim D. Barber Foss
- Emory Sports Performance And Research Center (SPARC), Flowery Branch, GA, USA
- Emory Sports Medicine Center, Atlanta, GA, USA
- Department of Orthopaedics, Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, GA, USA
| | - Michael A. Riley
- Department of Rehabilitation, Exercise, & Nutrition Sciences, University of Cincinnati, Cincinnati, OH, USA
| | - Weihong Yuan
- Pediatric Neuroimaging Research Consortium, Cincinnati Children’s Hospital Medical Center, Cincinnati, OH, USA
- College of Medicine, University of Cincinnati, Cincinnati, OH, USA
| | - Russell K. Gore
- Wallace H. Coulter Department of Biomedical Engineering, Georgia Institute of Technology and Emory University, Atlanta, GA, USA
- Shepherd Center, Atlanta, GA, USA
| | - Gregory D. Myer
- Emory Sports Performance And Research Center (SPARC), Flowery Branch, GA, USA
- Emory Sports Medicine Center, Atlanta, GA, USA
- Department of Orthopaedics, Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, GA, USA
- The Micheli Center for Sports Injury Prevention, Waltham, MA, USA
| | - Jed A. Diekfuss
- Emory Sports Performance And Research Center (SPARC), Flowery Branch, GA, USA
- Emory Sports Medicine Center, Atlanta, GA, USA
- Department of Orthopaedics, Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, GA, USA
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Slutsky-Ganesh AB, Anand M, Diekfuss JA, Myer GD, Grooms DR. Lower extremity Interlimb coordination associated brain activity in young female athletes: A biomechanically instrumented neuroimaging study. Psychophysiology 2023; 60:e14221. [PMID: 36416574 PMCID: PMC10038871 DOI: 10.1111/psyp.14221] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/31/2022] [Revised: 10/11/2022] [Accepted: 10/13/2022] [Indexed: 11/24/2022]
Abstract
Bilateral sensorimotor coordination is required for everyday activities, such as walking and sitting down/standing up from a chair. Sensorimotor coordination functional neuroimaging (fMRI) paradigms (e.g., stepping, cycling) increase activity in the sensorimotor cortex, supplementary motor area, insula, and cerebellum. Although these paradigms are designed to assay coordination, performance measures are rarely collected simultaneously with fMRI. Therefore, we aimed to identify neural correlates of lower extremity coordination using a bilateral, in-phase, multi-joint coordination task with concurrent MRI-compatible 3D motion analysis. Seventeen female athletes (15.0 ± 1.4 years) completed a bilateral, multi-joint lower-extremity coordination task during brain fMRI. Interlimb coordination was quantified from kinematic data as the correlation between peak-to-peak knee flexion cycle time between legs. Standard preprocessing and whole-brain analyses for task-based fMRI were completed in FSL, controlling for total movement cycles and neuroanatomical differences, with interlimb coordination as a covariate of interest. A clusterwise multi-comparison correction was applied at z > 3.1 and p < .05. Less interlimb coordination during the task was associated with greater activation in the posterior cingulate and precuneus (zmax = 6.41, p < .01) and the lateral occipital cortex (zmax = 7.55, p = .02). The inability to maintain interlimb coordination alongside greater activity in attention- and sensory-related brain regions may indicate a failed compensatory neural strategy to execute the task. Alternatively, greater activity could be secondary to reduced afferent acuity that may be elevating central demand to maintain in-phase lower extremity motor coordination. Future research aiming to improve sensorimotor coordination should consider interventional approaches uniquely capable of promoting adaptive neuroplasticity to enhance motor control.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alexis B. Slutsky-Ganesh
- Emory Sports Performance And Research Center (SPARC), Flowery Branch, GA, USA
- Emory Sports Medicine Center, Flowery Branch, GA, USA
- Department of Orthopaedics, Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, GA, USA
- Department of Kinesiology, University of North Carolina Greensboro, Greensboro, NC, USA
| | - Manish Anand
- Emory Sports Performance And Research Center (SPARC), Flowery Branch, GA, USA
- Emory Sports Medicine Center, Flowery Branch, GA, USA
- Department of Orthopaedics, Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, GA, USA
| | - Jed. A. Diekfuss
- Emory Sports Performance And Research Center (SPARC), Flowery Branch, GA, USA
- Emory Sports Medicine Center, Flowery Branch, GA, USA
- Department of Orthopaedics, Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, GA, USA
| | - Gregory D. Myer
- Emory Sports Performance And Research Center (SPARC), Flowery Branch, GA, USA
- Emory Sports Medicine Center, Flowery Branch, GA, USA
- Department of Orthopaedics, Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, GA, USA
- The Micheli Center for Sports Injury Prevention, Waltham, MA, USA
| | - Dustin R. Grooms
- School of Applied Health Sciences and Wellness, College of Health Sciences and Professions, Ohio University, Athens, OH, USA
- Ohio Musculoskeletal & Neurological Institute, Ohio University, Athens, OH, USA
- Division of Physical Therapy, School of Rehabilitation and Communication Sciences, College of Health Sciences and Professions, Ohio University, Athens, OH, USA
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Han S, Paul R. Smartwatch gait coordination index: New measure for human gait utilizing smartwatch sensor. Medicine (Baltimore) 2023; 102:e33267. [PMID: 36961172 PMCID: PMC10036010 DOI: 10.1097/md.0000000000033267] [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: 10/04/2022] [Accepted: 02/23/2023] [Indexed: 03/25/2023] Open
Abstract
Human walking reflects the state of human health. Numerous medical studies have been conducted to analyze walking patterns and to diagnose disease progression. However, this process requires expensive equipment and considerable time and manpower. Smartwatches are equipped with gyro sensors to detect human movements and graph-walking patterns. To measure the abnormality in walking using this graph, we developed a smartwatch gait coordination index (SGCI) and examined its usefulness. The phase coordination index was applied to analyze arm movements. Based on previous studies, the phase coordination index formula was applied to graphs obtained from arm movements, showing that arm and leg movements during walking are correlated with each other. To prove this, a smartwatch was worn on the arms and legs of 8 healthy adults and the difference in arm movements was measured. The SGCI values with abnormal walking patterns were compared with the SGCI values obtained during normal walking. In the first experiment, the measured leg SGCI in normal walking averaged 9.002 ± 3.872 and the arm SGCI averaged 9.847 ± 6.115. The movements of both arms and legs showed stable sinusoidal waves. In fact, as a result of performing a paired t test of both exercise phases measured by the strike point using the maximum and minimum values, it was confirmed that the 2 exercises were not statistically different, as it yielded a P value of 0.469 (significance level α = 0.05). The arm SGCI measured after applying the 3 kg weight impairment on 1 leg was 22.167 ± 4.705. It was confirmed that the leg SGCI and 3 kg weight arm SGCI were statistically significant, as it yielded a P value of 0.001 (significance level α = 0.05). The SCGI can be automatically and continuously measured with the gyro sensor of the smartwatch and can be used as an indirect indicator of human walking conditions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sumin Han
- Korea International School, South Korea
| | - Rob Paul
- Korea International School, South Korea
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Preliminary brain-behavioral neural correlates of anterior cruciate ligament injury risk landing biomechanics using a novel bilateral leg press neuroimaging paradigm. PLoS One 2022; 17:e0272578. [PMID: 35951584 PMCID: PMC9371272 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0272578] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/23/2021] [Accepted: 07/21/2022] [Indexed: 01/02/2023] Open
Abstract
Anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) injury risk reduction strategies primarily focus on biomechanical factors related to frontal plane knee motion and loading. Although central nervous system processing has emerged as a contributor to injury risk, brain activity associated with the resultant ACL injury-risk biomechanics is limited. Thus, the purposes of this preliminary study were to determine the relationship between bilateral motor control brain activity and injury risk biomechanics and isolate differences in brain activity for those who demonstrate high versus low ACL injury risk. Thirty-one high school female athletes completed a novel, multi-joint leg press during brain functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) to characterize bilateral motor control brain activity. Athletes also completed an established biomechanical assessment of ACL injury risk biomechanics within a 3D motion analysis laboratory. Knee abduction moments during landing were modelled as a covariate of interest within the fMRI analyses to identify directional relationships with brain activity and an injury-risk group classification analysis, based on established knee abduction moment cut-points. Greater landing knee abduction moments were associated with greater lingual gyrus, intracalcarine cortex, posterior cingulate cortex and precuneus activity when performing the bilateral leg press (all z > 3.1, p < .05; multiple comparison corrected). In the follow-up injury-risk classification analysis, those classified as high ACL injury-risk had greater activity in the lingual gyrus, parietal cortex and bilateral primary and secondary motor cortices relative to those classified as low ACL injury-risk (all z > 3.1, p < .05; multiple comparison corrected). In young female athletes, elevated brain activity for bilateral leg motor control in regions that integrate sensory, spatial, and attentional information were related to ACL injury-risk landing biomechanics. These data implicate crossmodal visual and proprioceptive integration brain activity and knee spatial awareness as potential neurotherapeutic targets to optimize ACL injury-risk reduction strategies.
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Targeted Application of Motor Learning Theory to Leverage Youth Neuroplasticity for Enhanced Injury-Resistance and Exercise Performance: OPTIMAL PREP. ACTA ACUST UNITED AC 2021. [DOI: 10.1007/s42978-020-00085-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/22/2023]
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Can We Capitalize on Central Nervous System Plasticity in Young Athletes to Inoculate Against Injury? ACTA ACUST UNITED AC 2020. [DOI: 10.1007/s42978-020-00080-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/06/2023]
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