Long-Term Plasticity in Reflex Excitability Induced by Five Weeks of Arm and Leg Cycling Training after Stroke.
Neural connections remain partially viable after stroke, and access to these residual connections provides a substrate for training-induced plasticity. The objective of this project was to test if reflex excitability could be modified with arm and leg (A &amp; L) cycling training. Nineteen individuals with chronic stroke (more than six months postlesion) performed 30 min of A &amp; L cycling training three times a week for five weeks. Changes in reflex excitability were inferred from modulation of cutaneous and stretch reflexes. A multiple baseline (three pretests) within-subject control design was used. Plasticity in reflex excitability was determined as an increase in the conditioning effect of arm cycling on soleus stretch reflex amplitude on the more affected side, by the index of modulation, and by the modulation ratio between sides for cutaneous reflexes. In general, A &amp; L cycling training induces plasticity and modifies reflex excitability after stroke.
Rehabilitation Neuroscience Laboratory, University of Victoria, Victoria, BC V8W 3P1, Canada. tklarner@uvic.ca.|Human Discovery Science, International Collaboration on Repair Discoveries (ICORD), Vancouver, BC V5Z 1M9, Canada. tklarner@uvic.ca.|Centre for Biomedical Research, University of Victoria, Victoria, BC V8W 2Y2, Canada. tklarner@uvic.ca.
Taryn
T
Klarner
Rehabilitation Neuroscience Laboratory, University of Victoria, Victoria, BC V8W 3P1, Canada. tsbarss@uvic.ca.|Human Discovery Science, International Collaboration on Repair Discoveries (ICORD), Vancouver, BC V5Z 1M9, Canada. tsbarss@uvic.ca.|Centre for Biomedical Research, University of Victoria, Victoria, BC V8W 2Y2, Canada. tsbarss@uvic.ca.
Trevor S
TS
Barss
Rehabilitation Neuroscience Laboratory, University of Victoria, Victoria, BC V8W 3P1, Canada. yaosun@uvic.ca.|Human Discovery Science, International Collaboration on Repair Discoveries (ICORD), Vancouver, BC V5Z 1M9, Canada. yaosun@uvic.ca.|Centre for Biomedical Research, University of Victoria, Victoria, BC V8W 2Y2, Canada. yaosun@uvic.ca.
Yao
Y
Sun
Rehabilitation Neuroscience Laboratory, University of Victoria, Victoria, BC V8W 3P1, Canada. ckaupp@live.ca.|Human Discovery Science, International Collaboration on Repair Discoveries (ICORD), Vancouver, BC V5Z 1M9, Canada. ckaupp@live.ca.|Centre for Biomedical Research, University of Victoria, Victoria, BC V8W 2Y2, Canada. ckaupp@live.ca.
Chelsea
C
Kaupp
Rehabilitation Neuroscience Laboratory, University of Victoria, Victoria, BC V8W 3P1, Canada. ploadman@telus.net.
Pamela M
PM
Loadman
Rehabilitation Neuroscience Laboratory, University of Victoria, Victoria, BC V8W 3P1, Canada. pzehr@uvic.ca.|Human Discovery Science, International Collaboration on Repair Discoveries (ICORD), Vancouver, BC V5Z 1M9, Canada. pzehr@uvic.ca.|Centre for Biomedical Research, University of Victoria, Victoria, BC V8W 2Y2, Canada. pzehr@uvic.ca.|Division of Medical Sciences, University of Victoria, BC V8P 5C2, Canada. pzehr@uvic.ca.
E Paul
EP
Zehr
EMG; gait; plasticity; reflexes; rehabilitation; stroke