title: Feasibility of event-related potential methodology to evaluate changes in cortical processing after rehabilitation in children with cerebral palsy: a pilot study.
abstract: This study examined the feasibility of using event-related potentials (ERPs) to measure changes in cortical processing following an established rehabilitative intervention (constraint-induced movement therapy, CIMT) for children with cerebral palsy (CP). Sixteen participants with a diagnosis of hemiparetic CP, with a median age of 6 years, were assessed pre and immediately post CIMT and at 6-month follow-up, using a picture-word match/mismatch discrimination task and standard neurobehavioral measures. Intervention effects were evident in improved performance on behavioral tests of sensory and motor function and the increased mean ERP amplitude of the N400 match/mismatch response on the side ipsilateral to the lesion. These effects were maintained 6 months after the intervention. No such changes were observed on the side contralateral to the lesion. This research suggests that ERPs can measure rehabilitation-induced changes in neural function in children with CP.
authors: a Department of Pediatrics , Vanderbilt University , Nashville , TN , USA.
authors: Nathalie L
authors: NL
authors: Maitre
authors: Gena
authors: G
authors: Henderson
authors: Shirley
authors: S
authors: Gogliotti
authors: Jennifer
authors: J
authors: Pearson
authors: Ashley
authors: A
authors: Simmons
authors: Lu
authors: L
authors: Wang
authors: James C
authors: JC
authors: Slaughter
authors: Alexandra P
authors: AP
authors: Key
mesh_terms: D002540:Cerebral Cortex / Q000503:physiopathology*; D002547:Cerebral Palsy / Q000503:physiopathology* / Q000534:rehabilitation; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D005071:Evoked Potentials / Q000502:physiology*; D005081:Exercise Therapy; D005240:Feasibility Studies; D005260:Female; D007839:Functional Laterality / Q000502:physiology; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D017063:Outcome Assessment, Health Care / Q000379:methods*; D010865:Pilot Projects
keywords: Cerebral palsy; Constraint therapy; Event-related potentials; Pediatric; Rehabilitation