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Updated: Apr 7, 2026
Author Spotlight: Using Motor Imagery Brain-Computer Interface to Improve Motor and Cognitive Function in Stroke Patients
Published on: September 1, 2023
Effect of Motor Imagery on the F-Wave Parameters in Hemiparetic Stroke Survivors
Mahshid Naseri1, Peyman Petramfar2, Alireza Ashraf1
1Department of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation and Shiraz Burn Research Centre, Shiraz University of Medical Sciences, Shiraz, Iran.
Objective:
To assess the effect of motor imagery, as a rehabilitation method in stroke, on F-wave parameters that undergo changes during upper motor neuron involvement.
Methods:
Twenty-one fully conscious hemiparetic stroke survivors with a completely plegic hand (power 0/5) and a minimum interval of 72 hours since stroke were recruited into this study. The mean F-wave latency, amplitude, and persistence in the median and ulnar nerves were measured in both the affected and non-affected sides at rest and in the paretic hand during a mental task. Comparison was made between data from the affected hand and the non-affected hand as well as between data from the affected hand at baseline and during motor imagery.
Results:
Patients had significantly different F-wave persistence between the affected and non-affected sides (paired t-test, p<0.001). Motor imagery could improve F-wave persistence in both the investigated nerves (paired t-test, p=0.01 for ulnar nerve and p<0.001 for median nerve) and F-response amplitude in the median nerve (paired t-test, p=0.01) of the affected limb.
Conclusion:
The amplitude and persistence of F-wave were improved during motor imagery, representing F-wave facilitation. This result suggests that motor imagery can restore motor neuron excitability, which is depressed after stroke.
