title: Changes in motor function induced by chronic motor cortex stimulation in post-stroke pain patients.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  In well-designed multicenter studies, the protocol of continuing motor cortex stimulation (MCS) temporarily for 3-6 weeks was employed with rehabilitation therapy, and these studies showed some recovery of motor weakness in post-stroke patients.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  We aimed to clarify the effects of long-term MCS and the optimal stimulation conditions to improve motor weakness in post-stroke patients.
  
  
  METHODS
  We applied chronic MCS in 6 post-stroke pain patients with motor weakness. We then examined the correlation between the duration of daily MCS applied over 6 months and motor function assessed on the basis of the Fugl-Meyer Assessment (FMA) score of the patients.
  
  
  RESULTS
  In the 6 patients with motor weakness, the FMA score of the upper extremity increased in 4 patients who underwent daily MCS for less than 4 h. On the other hand, 2 patients who continued excessive MCS to control their complicating post-stroke pain showed decreased FMA scores and worsened motor function owing to their increased rigidity and/or spasticity. These 2 patients recovered their motor function after their daily MCS was restricted to less than 4 h.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  These findings indicate that MCS could be a new therapeutic approach to improving motor performance after stroke by attenuating rigidity and/or spasticity. However, it may be important to define the appropriate number of hours and conditions of daily MCS.
authors: Department of Advanced Medical Science, Division of Applied System Neuroscience, Nihon University School of Medicine, Tokyo, Japan. yamamoto.takamitsu@nihon-u.ac.jp
authors: Takamitsu
authors: T
authors: Yamamoto
authors: Yoichi
authors: Y
authors: Katayama
authors: Mitsuru
authors: M
authors: Watanabe
authors: Kohichiro
authors: K
authors: Sumi
authors: Toshiki
authors: T
authors: Obuchi
authors: Kazutaka
authors: K
authors: Kobayashi
authors: Hideki
authors: H
authors: Oshima
authors: Chikashi
authors: C
authors: Fukaya
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D004599:Electric Stimulation Therapy / Q000379:methods*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009043:Motor Activity / Q000502:physiology*; D009044:Motor Cortex / Q000503:physiopathology*; D010146:Pain / Q000150:complications / Q000503:physiopathology; D059408:Pain Management; D020127:Recovery of Function / Q000502:physiology; D020521:Stroke / Q000150:complications / Q000503:physiopathology; D000071939:Stroke Rehabilitation; D016896:Treatment Outcome