Relationship Between Electrical Brain Responses to Motor Imagery and Motor Impairment in Stroke

• DOI: 10.1161/strokeaha.112.665489
• Publication Date: 2012-08-16T00:16:03Z
• Authors: Vera Kaiser; Ian Daly; Floriana Pichiorri; Donatella Mattia; Gernot R. Müller-...; Christa Neuper
• Keywords: Stroke; Motor Imagery; Modified Ashworth scale

Background and Purpose— New strategies like motor imagery based brain–computer interfaces, which use brain signals such as event-related desynchronization (ERD) or synchronization (ERS) for rehabilitation after a stroke, are undergoing investigation. However, little is known about the relationship between ERD ERS patterns degree of stroke impairment. The aim this work was to clarify relationship. Methods— EEG during execution were measured in 29 patients with first-ever monolateral causing any deficit upper limb. strength laterality correlated scores European Stroke Scale, Medical Research Council, Modified Ashworth Scale. Results— Mean age 58±15 years; mean time from incident 4±4 months. lesions cortical (n=8), subcortical (n=11), mixed (n=10), attributable either an ischemic event (n=26) hemorrhage (n=3), affecting right (n=16) left (n=13) hemisphere. Higher impairment related stronger unaffected hemisphere higher spasticity affected Both relatively Conclusion— results study may have implications design potential poststroke interventions on interface technologies that neurophysiological neural substrates mutual interaction machine and, ultimately, help regain control.