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Cathomen A, Meier F, Lerch I, Killeen T, Zörner B, Curt A, Bolliger M. Corticospinal control of a challenging ankle task in incomplete spinal cord injury. J Neurotrauma 2022; 40:952-964. [PMID: 36029211 DOI: 10.1089/neu.2022.0205] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/12/2022] Open
Abstract
After incomplete spinal cord injury (iSCI), the control of lower extremity movements may be affected by impairments in descending corticospinal tract function. Previous iSCI studies demonstrated relatively well-preserved movement control during simple alternating dorsi- and plantarflexions albeit with severely reduced motor strength and range of motion. However, this task required comparably limited fine motor control, impeding the sensitivity to assess the modulatory capacity of corticospinal control. Therefore, we introduced a more challenging ankle motor task requiring complex and dynamic feedback-based movement adjustments to modulate corticospinal drive. Nineteen individuals with iSCI and 22 control subjects performed two different ankle movement tasks: i) a regular, auditory-guided ankle movement task at a constant frequency as baseline assessment, and ii) an irregular, visually-guided ankle movement task following a predefined trajectory as a more challenging motor task. Both tasks were performed separately and in a randomised order. Electromyography (EMG) and kinematic data were recorded. EMG frequency characteristics were investigated using wavelet transformations. Control participants exhibited a shift of relative EMG intensity from higher (>100Hz) to lower frequencies (20-60Hz) comparing the regular with the irregular movement task. There is evidence that EMG activity within these lower frequencies comprise information on corticospinal drive. The EMG frequency shift was less pronounced for the less impaired leg and absent for the more impaired leg of individuals with iSCI. The precision error during the irregular task was significantly higher for individuals with iSCI (more impaired leg: 12.34±11.14%; less impaired leg: 6.93±2.74%) compared to control participants (4.10±0.84%). These results, along with the walking performance, correlated well with the delta frequency shift between the regular and irregular movement task in the 38Hz band (corticospinal drive frequency) in the iSCI group, suggesting that task performance is related to the capacity to modulate corticospinal control. The irregular movement task holds promise as a tool for revealing further insights into corticospinal control of single-joint movements. It may serve as a surrogate marker for the assessment of modulatory capacity and the integrity of corticospinal control in individuals with iSCI early after injury and throughout rehabilitation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Adrian Cathomen
- Balgrist University Hospital, Spinal Cord Injury Center, Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland;
| | - Franziska Meier
- Balgrist University Hospital, Spinal Cord Injury Center, Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland;
| | - Irina Lerch
- Balgrist University Hospital, Spinal Cord Injury Center, Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland;
| | - Tim Killeen
- Balgrist University Hospital, Spinal Cord Injury Center, Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland;
| | - Björn Zörner
- Balgrist University Hospital, Spinal Cord Injury Center, Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland;
| | - Armin Curt
- Balgrist University Hospital, Spinal Cord Injury Center, Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland;
| | - Marc Bolliger
- Balgrist University Hospital, Spinal Cord Injury Center, Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland;
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Temporal synchronization for in-phase and antiphase movements during bilateral finger- and foot-tapping tasks. Hum Mov Sci 2022; 84:102967. [DOI: 10.1016/j.humov.2022.102967] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/11/2020] [Revised: 05/29/2022] [Accepted: 05/30/2022] [Indexed: 11/18/2022]
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3
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Kurobe M, Matsubara H, Suzuki T. Excitability of anterior horn cells after periodic or discrete repetitive movements. Muscle Nerve 2021; 64:606-610. [PMID: 34368978 DOI: 10.1002/mus.27390] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/30/2021] [Revised: 07/25/2021] [Accepted: 07/26/2021] [Indexed: 11/06/2022]
Abstract
INTRODUCTION/AIMS It has been well established that spasticity interferes with smooth joint movements. Although the degree of spasticity is related to the excitability of anterior horn cells and is thought to improve after repetitive movements, the effect of the rhythm of repetitive movements on the excitability of anterior horn cells remains unknown. Therefore, we investigated the excitability of anterior horn cells after periodic and discrete repetitive movements using F waves. METHODS Right-handed, healthy subjects were recruited for this study. Subjects then performed periodic or discrete repetitive thumb abduction movements for 10 seconds, measuring the F waves before, immediately after, and then 2 and 4 minutes after performing these movements. Specifically, the F waves were recorded from the abductor pollicis brevis muscle, after median nerve stimulation at the wrist. Next, the F/M amplitude ratio, which was used to evaluate the excitability of anterior horn cells, was compared before, immediately after, and 2 and 4 minutes after each task. RESULTS A total of 12 subjects participated in this study. In the periodic task, the F/M amplitude ratio was found to be significantly decreased immediately after the task compared with before the task, but there was no significant difference between the other trials. Conversely, in the discrete task, there was no significant difference in the F/M amplitude ratio between trials. DISCUSSION Periodic repetitive movements were found to temporarily reduce the excitability of anterior horn cells.
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Affiliation(s)
- Masataka Kurobe
- Department of Clinical Rehabilitation Research, Tanabe Central Hospital, Wakayama, Japan.,Graduate School of Health Sciences, Graduate School of Kansai University of Health Sciences, Osaka, Japan
| | - Hiroyuki Matsubara
- Department of Clinical Rehabilitation Research, Tanabe Central Hospital, Wakayama, Japan.,Graduate School of Health Sciences, Graduate School of Kansai University of Health Sciences, Osaka, Japan.,Department of Rehabilitation, Geriatric Health Services Facility Tanabe Sumire-En, Wakayama, Japan.,Graduate School of Medical Sciences, Kanazawa University, Kanazawa, Japan
| | - Toshiaki Suzuki
- Graduate School of Health Sciences, Graduate School of Kansai University of Health Sciences, Osaka, Japan
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Farjadian AB, Nabian M, Hartman A, Yen SC, Nasseroleslami B. Visuomotor control of ankle joint using position vs. force. Eur J Neurosci 2019; 50:3235-3250. [PMID: 31273853 DOI: 10.1111/ejn.14502] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/08/2018] [Revised: 05/31/2019] [Accepted: 06/19/2019] [Indexed: 11/27/2022]
Abstract
Ankle joint plays a critical role in daily activities involving interactions with environment using force and position control. Neuromechanical dysfunctions (e.g., due to stroke or brain injury), therefore, have a major impact on individuals' quality of life. The effective design of neuro-rehabilitation protocols for robotic rehabilitation platforms relies on understanding the control characteristics of the ankle joint in interaction with external environment using force and position, as the findings in upper limb may not be generalizable to the lower limb. This study aimed to characterize the skilled performance of ankle joint in visuomotor position and force control. A two-degree-of-freedom (DOF) robotic footplate was used to measure individuals' force and position. Healthy individuals (n = 27) used ankle force or position for point-to-point and tracking control tasks in 1-DOF and 2-DOF virtual game environments. Subjects' performance was quantified as a function of accuracy and completion time. In contrast to comparable performance in 1-DOF control tasks, the performance in 2-DOF tasks was different and had characteristic patterns in the position and force conditions, with a significantly better performance for position. Subjective questionnaires on the perceived difficulty matched the objective experimental results, suggesting that the poor performance in force control was not due to experimental set-up or fatigue but can be attributed to the different levels of challenge needed in neural control. It is inferred that in visuomotor coordination, the neuromuscular specialization of ankle provides better control over position rather than force. These findings can inform the design of neuro-rehabilitation platforms, selection of effective tasks and therapeutic protocols.
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Affiliation(s)
- Amir Bahador Farjadian
- Active Adaptive Control Laboratory, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Mohsen Nabian
- Department of Mechanical & Industrial Engineering, Northeastern University, Boston, MA, USA.,Department of Neurology, Brigham and Women's Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Amber Hartman
- Department of Physical Therapy, Movement & Rehabilitation Sciences, Northeastern University, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Sheng-Che Yen
- Department of Physical Therapy, Movement & Rehabilitation Sciences, Northeastern University, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Bahman Nasseroleslami
- Academic Unit of Neurology, Trinity College Dublin, The University of Dublin, Dublin, Ireland
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Corticospinal excitability, assessed through stimulus response curves, is phase-, task-, and muscle-dependent during arm cycling. Neurosci Lett 2019; 692:100-106. [DOI: 10.1016/j.neulet.2018.11.003] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/19/2018] [Revised: 10/11/2018] [Accepted: 11/01/2018] [Indexed: 11/20/2022]
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Rhythmic robotic training enhances motor skills of both rhythmic and discrete upper-limb movements after stroke: a longitudinal pilot study. Int J Rehabil Res 2018; 42:46-55. [PMID: 30371552 DOI: 10.1097/mrr.0000000000000325] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/25/2022]
Abstract
Discrete and rhythmic movements are two fundamental motor primitives being, at least partially, controlled by separate neural circuitries. After a stroke, both primitives may be impaired in the upper limb. Currently, intensive functional movement therapy is recommended after stroke, but it is mainly composed of discrete movements. No recommendation is made for the specific training of rhythmic movements. However, if they form two different primitives, both should receive a specific training to recover the complete motor repertoire, as many daily live movements integrate both of them. This paper reports the effects of a pure unilateral rhythmic movement therapy on motor performance, after stroke. Thirteen patients with chronic stroke participated in this longitudinal pilot study. They were assessed twice before the therapy to validate their chronic state, and twice after the last session to establish the short-term and long-term effects of the therapy. The therapy itself was composed of 12 sessions spread over 1 month. The exercises consisted in performing straight or circular rhythmic movements, while receiving assistance as need through a robotic device. Short-term and long-term improvements were observed in rhythmic movements regarding smoothness, velocity, and harmonicity. More surprisingly, some transfer occurred to the untrained discrete movements. This finding disputes previous studies that reported no transfer from rhythmic to discrete movements with healthy participants.
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Slow Versus Fast Robot-Assisted Locomotor Training After Severe Stroke: A Randomized Controlled Trial. Am J Phys Med Rehabil 2017; 96:S165-S170. [PMID: 28796648 DOI: 10.1097/phm.0000000000000810] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/22/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE Robot-assisted locomotor training on a bodyweight-supported treadmill is a rehabilitation intervention that compels repetitive practice of gait movements. Standard treadmill speed may elicit rhythmic movements generated primarily by spinal circuits. Slower-than-standard treadmill speed may elicit discrete movements, which are more complex than rhythmic movements and involve cortical areas. OBJECTIVE Compare effects of fast (i.e., rhythmic) versus slow (i.e., discrete) robot-assisted locomotor training on a bodyweight-supported treadmill in subjects with chronic, severe gait deficit after stroke. METHODS Subjects (N = 18) were randomized to receive 30 sessions (5 d/wk) of either fast or slow robot-assisted locomotor training on a bodyweight-supported treadmill in an inpatient setting. Functional ambulation category, time up and go, 6-min walk test, 10-m walk test, Berg Balance Scale, and Fugl-Meyer Assessment were administered at baseline and postintervention. RESULTS The slow group had statistically significant improvement on functional ambulation category (first quartile-third quartile, P = 0.004), 6-min walk test (95% confidence interval [CI] = 1.8 to 49.0, P = 0.040), Berg Balance Scale (95% CI = 7.4 to 14.8, P < 0.0001), time up and go (95% CI = -79.1 to 5.0, P < 0.0030), and Fugl-Meyer Assessment (95% CI = 24.1 to 45.1, P < 0.0001). The fast group had statistically significant improvement on Berg Balance Scale (95% CI = 1.5 to 10.5, P = 0.02). CONCLUSIONS In initial stages of robot-assisted locomotor training on a bodyweight-supported treadmill after severe stroke, slow training targeting discrete movement may yield greater benefit than fast training.
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Park SW, Marino H, Charles SK, Sternad D, Hogan N. Moving slowly is hard for humans: limitations of dynamic primitives. J Neurophysiol 2017; 118:69-83. [PMID: 28356477 DOI: 10.1152/jn.00643.2016] [Citation(s) in RCA: 31] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/12/2016] [Revised: 03/03/2017] [Accepted: 03/26/2017] [Indexed: 11/22/2022] Open
Abstract
Mounting evidence suggests that human motor control uses dynamic primitives, attractors of dynamic neuromechanical systems that require minimal central supervision. However, advantages for control may be offset by compromised versatility. Extending recent results showing that humans could not sustain discrete movements as duration decreased, this study tested whether smoothly rhythmic movements could be maintained as duration increased. Participants performed horizontal movements between two targets, paced by sounds with intervals that increased from 1 to 6 s by 200 ms per cycle and then decreased again. The instruction emphasized smooth rhythmic movements without interspersed dwell times. We hypothesized that 1) when oscillatory motions slow down, smoothness decreases; 2) slower oscillatory motions are executed as submovements or even discrete movements; and 3) the transition between smooth oscillations and submovements shows hysteresis. An alternative hypothesis was that 4) removing visual feedback restores smoothness, indicative of visually evoked corrections causing the irregularity. Results showed that humans could not perform slow and smooth oscillatory movements. Harmonicity decreased with longer intervals, and dwell times between cycles appeared and became prominent at slower speeds. Velocity profiles showed an increase with cycle duration of the number of overlapping submovements. There was weak evidence of hysteresis in the transition between these two types of movement. Eliminating vision had no effect, suggesting that intermittent visually evoked corrections did not underlie this phenomenon. These results show that it is hard for humans to execute smooth rhythmic motions very slowly. Instead, they "default" to another dynamic primitive and compose motion as a sequence of overlapping submovements.NEW & NOTEWORTHY Complementing a large body of prior work showing advantages of composing primitives to manage the complexity of motor control, this paper uncovers a limitation due to composition of behavior from dynamic primitives: while slower execution frequently makes a task easier, there is a limit and it is hard for humans to move very slowly. We suggest that this remarkable limitation is not due to inadequacies of muscle, nor to slow neural communication, but is a consequence of how the control of movement is organized.
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Affiliation(s)
- Se-Woong Park
- Department of Biology, Northeastern University, Boston, Massachusetts;
| | - Hamal Marino
- Research Center "E. Piaggio," University of Pisa, Pisa, Italy
| | - Steven K Charles
- Department of Mechanical Engineering and Neuroscience Center, Brigham Young University, Provo, Utah
| | - Dagmar Sternad
- Department of Biology, Northeastern University, Boston, Massachusetts.,Departments of Electrical & Computer Engineering and Physics, Northeastern University, Boston, Massachusetts.,Center for Interdisciplinary Research of Complex Systems, Northeastern University, Boston, Massachusetts
| | - Neville Hogan
- Department of Mechanical Engineering, Massachusetts Institute of Technology; Cambridge, Massachusetts; and.,Department of Brain and Cognitive Sciences, Massachusetts Institute of Technology; Cambridge, Massachusetts
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Leconte P, Ronsse R. Performance-based robotic assistance during rhythmic arm exercises. J Neuroeng Rehabil 2016; 13:82. [PMID: 27623806 PMCID: PMC5022232 DOI: 10.1186/s12984-016-0189-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/21/2016] [Accepted: 08/26/2016] [Indexed: 11/16/2022] Open
Abstract
Background Rhythmic and discrete upper-limb movements are two fundamental motor primitives controlled by different neural pathways, at least partially. After stroke, both primitives can be impaired. Both conventional and robot-assisted therapies mainly train discrete functional movements like reaching and grasping. However, if the movements form two distinct neural and functional primitives, both should be trained to recover the complete motor repertoire. Recent studies show that rhythmic movements tend to be less impaired than discrete ones, so combining both movement types in therapy could support the execution of movements with a higher degree of impairment by movements that are performed more stably. Methods A new performance-based assistance method was developed to train rhythmic movements with a rehabilitation robot. The algorithm uses the assist-as-needed paradigm by independently assessing and assisting movement features of smoothness, velocity, and amplitude. The method relies on different building blocks: (i) an adaptive oscillator captures the main movement harmonic in state variables, (ii) custom metrics measure the movement performance regarding the three features, and (iii) adaptive forces assist the patient. The patient is encouraged to improve performance regarding these three features with assistance forces computed in parallel to each other. The method was tested with simulated jerky signals and a pilot experiment with two stroke patients, who were instructed to make circular movements with an end-effector robot with assistance during half of the trials. Results Simulation data reveal sensitivity of the metrics for assessing the features while limiting interference between them. The assistance’s effectiveness with stroke patients is established since it (i) adapts to the patient’s real-time performance, (ii) improves patient motor performance, and (iii) does not lead the patient to slack. The smoothness assistance was by far the most used by both patients, while it provided no active mechanical work to the patient on average. Conclusion Our performance-based assistance method for training rhythmic movements is a viable candidate to complement robot-assisted upper-limb therapies for training a larger motor repertoire.
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Affiliation(s)
- Patricia Leconte
- Université catholique de Louvain, Center for Research in Mechatronics, Institute of Mechanics, Materials and Civil Engineering, Place du Levant 2, Louvain-la-Neuve, 1348, Belgium. .,Université catholique de Louvain, Louvain Bionics, Place du Levant 2, Louvain-la-Neuve, 1348, Belgium.
| | - Renaud Ronsse
- Université catholique de Louvain, Center for Research in Mechatronics, Institute of Mechanics, Materials and Civil Engineering, Place du Levant 2, Louvain-la-Neuve, 1348, Belgium.,Université catholique de Louvain, Institute of Neuroscience, Tour Pasteur - Avenue Mounier 53, Brussels, 1200, Belgium.,Université catholique de Louvain, Louvain Bionics, Place du Levant 2, Louvain-la-Neuve, 1348, Belgium
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Differences in corticospinal excitability to the biceps brachii between arm cycling and tonic contraction are not evident at the immediate onset of movement. Exp Brain Res 2016; 234:2339-49. [DOI: 10.1007/s00221-016-4639-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/04/2016] [Accepted: 03/23/2016] [Indexed: 10/22/2022]
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Rhythmic arm movements are less affected than discrete ones after a stroke. Exp Brain Res 2016; 234:1403-17. [DOI: 10.1007/s00221-015-4543-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/01/2015] [Accepted: 12/21/2015] [Indexed: 10/22/2022]
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12
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Entrainment and task co-representation effects for discrete and continuous action sequences. Psychon Bull Rev 2015; 22:1685-91. [DOI: 10.3758/s13423-015-0831-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/08/2022]
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