title: Cortical reorganization associated with motor recovery in hemiparetic stroke patients.
abstract: We investigated the cortical activation changes associated with motor recovery in eight hemiparetic patients with cerebral infarct by using functional MRI (fMRI), which was performed at 1.5 T in parallel with finger flexion-extension movements at a fixed rate. The first fMRI was performed when the patient was able to flex and extend fingers of the affected hand against gravity, and the second fMRI was done when the motor function of the affected hand showed definite improvement. The main cortical activation changes that occurred with motor recovery were an increment in the affected and a decrement in the unaffected primary sensori-motor cortex (SMC) activities. In conclusion, it seems that cortical reorganization occurred in parallel with motor recovery in hemiparetic patients with cerebral infarct.
authors.affiliation: Department of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, School of Medicine, Yeungnam University, 317-1, Daemyung-dong, Nam-ku, Taegu, 705-717, Republic of Korea.
authors.forename: Sung Ho
authors.initials: SH
authors.lastname: Jang
authors.forename: Yun-Hee
authors.initials: YH
authors.lastname: Kim
authors.forename: Sang-Hyun
authors.initials: SH
authors.lastname: Cho
authors.forename: Yongmin
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Chang
authors.forename: Zee In
authors.initials: ZI
authors.lastname: Lee
authors.forename: Jung Sang
authors.initials: JS
authors.lastname: Ha
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D001931:Brain Mapping; D002540:Cerebral Cortex / Q000473:pathology / Q000503:physiopathology*; D002544:Cerebral Infarction / Q000473:pathology / Q000503:physiopathology*; D005260:Female; D007839:Functional Laterality; D006225:Hand; D006801:Humans; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging / Q000295:instrumentation / Q000379:methods; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009068:Movement; D011597:Psychomotor Performance / Q000502:physiology*; D020127:Recovery of Function / Q000502:physiology*; D013997:Time Factors