Ipsilesional motor deficits following stroke reflect hemispheric specializations for movement control

• DOI: 10.1093/brain/awm145
• Publication Date: 2007-07-12T00:20:10Z
• Authors: Sydney Y. Schaefer; Kathleen Y. Haaland; Robert L. Sainburg
• Keywords: Right hemisphere; Motor Control; Stroke

Recent reports of functional impairment in the 'unaffected' limb stroke patients have suggested that these deficits vary with side lesion. This not only supports idea ipsilateral hemisphere contributes to arm movements, but also implies such contributions are lateralized. We previously left and right hemispheres specialized for controlling different features movement. In reaching non-dominant appears better adapted achieving accurate final positions dominant specifying initial trajectory features, as movement direction peak acceleration. The purpose this study was determine whether control could characterize ipsilesional motor following stroke. Healthy subjects either left- or right-hemisphere damage performed targeted single-joint elbow movements amplitudes their hemispace. predicted left-hemisphere would produce specification while position accuracy. Consistent our predictions, left, right, showed reduced modulation acceleration amplitude. However, significantly larger errors position, which corresponded duration. Neither patient group differed from controls terms speed. Instead, mechanisms by speed specified, through amplitude duration, appeared be differentially affected damage. These findings support each reflect lateralization control.