Identifying alterations in hand movement coordination from chronic stroke survivors using a wearable high-density EMG sleeve

• DOI: 10.1101/2024.01.02.24300714
• Publication Date: 2024-01-10T05:56:17Z
• Authors: Nicholas Tacca; Ian Baumgart; Bryan Schlink; Ashwini Kamath; Collin Dunlap; Michael Darrow; Samuel Colachis; Philip Putnam; Joshua Branch; Lauren Wengerd; David A Friedenberg; Eric C Meyers
• Keywords: Functional movement; Stroke; Chronic stroke; Motor Unit Recruitment; Motor Control

Abstract Non-invasive, high-density electromyography (HD-EMG) has emerged as a useful tool to collect range of neurophysiological motor information. Recent studies have demonstrated changes in EMG features that occur after stroke, which correlate with functional ability, highlighting their potential use biomarkers. However, previous largely explored these isolation individual electrodes assess gross movements, limiting clinical utility. Here, able-bodied (N=7) and chronic stroke subjects performed 12 hand wrist movements while HD-EMG was recorded using wearable sleeve. We demonstrate variety features, or views, can be decomposed from the Stroke subjects, on average, had higher co-contraction reduced muscle coupling when attempting open actuate thumb. In an expanded dataset consisting 37 we characterized synergies forearm individuals. found array provides additional resolution over manually placed electrodes, may help dissociate finer nuances control. Additionally, population were relatively preserved, large spatial overlap composition matched synergies. Alterations synergy between digit extensors muscles thumb, well increase flexor activity group. Average activations during revealed differences coordination, overactivation antagonist compensatory strategies. When combining first principal component correlated upper-extremity Fugl Meyer sub-score participants (R 2 =0.86). Principal embeddings interpretable measures coordination alterations. These results feasibility predicting function through sleeve, could leveraged improve research care.