Plasticity in the motor system related to therapy-induced improvement of movement after stroke.
Neuroplasticity might play a beneficial role in the recovery of function after stroke but empirical evidence for this is lacking thus far. Constraint-induced (CI) therapy was used to increase the use of a paretic upper extremity in four hemiparetic stroke patients. Dipole modeling of steady-state movement-related cortical potentials was applied before and after training and 3 months later. The source locations associated with affected hand movement were unusual at follow-up because activation of the ipsilateral hemisphere was found in the absence of mirror movements of the unaffected hand. This long-term change may be considered as an initial demonstration of large-scale neuroplasticity associated with increased use of the paretic limb after application of CI therapy.
Kopp
B
B
Department of Psychology, Humboldt University, Clinical Psychology and Behavioral Neuroscience, Berlin, Germany.
Kunkel
A
A
Mühlnickel
W
W
Villringer
K
K
Taub
E
E
Flor
H
H
D000368:Aged; D002561:Cerebrovascular Disorders / Q000628:therapy*; D004569:Electroencephalography; D019054:Evoked Potentials, Motor / Q000502:physiology; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D007839:Functional Laterality / Q000502:physiology; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D008954:Models, Biological; D009046:Motor Neurons / Q000502:physiology*; D009068:Movement / Q000502:physiology*; D009069:Movement Disorders / Q000628:therapy*; D009473:Neuronal Plasticity / Q000502:physiology*