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Compensatory Limb Use and Behavioral Assessment of Motor Skill Learning Following Sensorimotor Cortex Injury in a Mouse Model of Ischemic Stroke
Published on: July 10, 2014
Modulation of the BOLD-response in early recovery from sensorimotor stroke
Ferdinand Binkofski1, Rüdiger J Seitz
1Department of Neurology, University Hospital Schleswig-Holstein, Campus Lübeck, Ratzeburger Allee 160, 23539 Lübeck, Germany. binkofski.f@neuro.mu-luebeck.de
Background:
The BOLD signal in functional MRI (fMRI) is closely related to neural activity.
Objective:
To investigate if this relationship is disrupted after ischemic stroke.
Methods:
BOLD activity during tactile exploration of objects was measured with fMRI at 1 week (subacute), 2 to 4 weeks (early chronic), and after 1 month (chronic) after the first completed brain infarction affecting the sensorimotor cortex in eight patients. Functional integrity of the motor cortical output system was assessed with transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS).
Results:
Early after infarction the BOLD-response occurred in the adjacent cortical vicinity related to finger movements of the affected hand. However, during the early chronic stage there was a transient lack of this activation despite clinical improvement of hand function and preserved motor evoked potentials. The BOLD activity reappeared after further improvement in the chronic stage.
Conclusions:
Our findings suggest a transient hemodynamic-electrical decoupling in the post-ischemic cerebral cortex during the early phase of spontaneous clinical recovery.
Insights
Functional MRI (fMRI) BOLD signals show a transient decoupling from neural activity after ischemic stroke, particularly during early recovery. This hemodynamic-electrical disconnect resolves as function improves.
Area of Science:
- Neuroimaging
- Stroke Research
- Neuroscience
Background:
- The Blood-Oxygen-Level-Dependent (BOLD) signal in functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) is a key indicator of neural activity.
- Understanding how brain function recovers after stroke is crucial for developing effective rehabilitation strategies.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate potential disruptions in the relationship between BOLD signals and neural activity following ischemic stroke.
- To assess the temporal dynamics of this relationship during different recovery phases.
Main Methods:
- fMRI was used to measure BOLD activity during tactile object exploration in eight stroke patients at subacute (1 week), early chronic (2-4 weeks), and chronic (>1 month) stages.
- Transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS) assessed the functional integrity of the motor cortical output system.
Main Results:
- Initially, BOLD responses were observed near the affected cortical area, correlating with finger movements.
- A transient absence of BOLD activation occurred in the early chronic stage, despite clinical hand function improvement and preserved TMS responses.
- BOLD activity returned in the chronic stage, coinciding with further functional recovery.
Conclusions:
- A temporary hemodynamic-electrical decoupling occurs in the post-ischemic brain during early spontaneous clinical recovery.
- This suggests that the BOLD signal may not reliably reflect neural activity during specific recovery windows after stroke.
- The findings highlight the complexity of neurovascular coupling after brain injury.
