Exoskeleton-Robot Assisted Therapy in Stroke Patients: A Lesion Mapping Study
Antonio Cerasa1,2, Loris Pignolo1, Vera Gramigna2
1S. Anna Institute and Research in Advanced Neurorehabilitation (RAN) Crotone, Crotone, Italy.
Frontiers in Neuroinformatics
|August 2, 2018
Summary
Exoskeleton robotic rehabilitation aids stroke recovery, but functional improvement depends on the integrity of specific brain regions, particularly in the subcortical motor pathways. This finding is crucial for personalized stroke rehabilitation strategies.
Area of Science:
- Neuroscience
- Robotics
- Rehabilitation Medicine
Background:
- Technology-supported rehabilitation offers high-intensity, task-specific training for stroke recovery.
- End-effector robotic devices show promise for arm function recovery, but exoskeleton evidence is limited.
- This study investigates how cerebral lesion load affects outcomes in exoskeleton-assisted rehabilitation.
Purpose of the Study:
- To evaluate the impact of cerebral lesion load on patient response to exoskeleton robotic-assisted rehabilitation.
- To identify specific brain regions critical for motor recovery following robotic intervention.
Main Methods:
- Fourteen hemiparetic patients underwent 7 weeks of bilateral arm exoskeleton training combined with conventional therapy.
- Clinical assessments included Fugl-Meyer (FM), Motricity Index (MI), Functional Independence Measure (FIM), and Barthel Index.
- Voxel-based lesion symptom mapping (VLSM) correlated lesion load with motor recovery outcomes.
Main Results:
- Robot-assisted rehabilitation significantly improved upper limb motor function and daily living activities.
- VLSM identified lesion load in the corona radiata, internal capsule, and putamen as significantly associated with FM-defined upper limb recovery (p < 0.01).
Conclusions:
- Exoskeleton robotic rehabilitation effectiveness for stroke recovery is linked to the integrity of subcortical motor pathways.
- Preserved subcortical structures are essential for successful functional recovery, aligning with findings from conventional rehabilitation approaches.
More Related Videos
Related Concept Videos
00:59Gene Therapy
27.6K
Gene therapy is a technique where a gene is inserted into a person’s cells to prevent or treat a serious disease. The added gene may be a healthy version of the gene that is mutated in the patient, or it could be a different gene that inactivates or compensates for the patient’s disease-causing gene. For example, in patients with severe combined immunodeficiency (SCID) due to a mutation in the gene for the enzyme adenosine deaminase, a functioning version of the gene can be...
27.6K
01:15Bioavailability Study Design: Healthy Subjects Versus Patients
160
Bioavailability studies are essential for evaluating a drug's therapeutic efficacy and understanding its absorption patterns under various physiological conditions. Conducting such studies on target patient populations provides more relevant data by simulating real-world disease states. However, practical challenges often necessitate the use of young, healthy adult volunteers as study subjects.Patients may exhibit altered drug absorption patterns due to the effects of the disease itself,...
160
01:26Group Therapy
450
Group therapy is a sociocultural approach to psychological treatment, where individuals with shared psychological challenges come together under the guidance of a mental health professional. This therapeutic modality offers unique opportunities for individuals to connect, share, and grow within the context of a supportive group. By fostering mutual understanding and collaboration, group therapy can address a range of psychological concerns effectively, often complementing or surpassing the...
450
01:27Regulation of Stroke Volume
5.2K
The regulation of stroke volume, which is the amount of blood the heart pumps out during each heartbeat, is critical for maintaining a healthy circulatory system. Stroke volume is influenced by three main factors: preload, contractility, and afterload.
Preload refers to the degree of stretch on the heart before it contracts. It's analogous to the stretching of a rubber band; the more it's stretched, the more forcefully it snaps back. This concept is encapsulated in the Frank-Starling law of the...
Preload refers to the degree of stretch on the heart before it contracts. It's analogous to the stretching of a rubber band; the more it's stretched, the more forcefully it snaps back. This concept is encapsulated in the Frank-Starling law of the...
5.2K
01:42Microtubule Associated Proteins (MAPs)
5.9K
Microtubule function and architecture are regulated by an array of specialized proteins called microtubule-associated proteins or MAPs. These proteins are widespread across different organisms and have conserved protein motifs, like the multi-TOG domain for tubulin binding found in the CLASP family of MAPs. Some MAPs are lineage-specific based on their conserved domains. Their functions depend upon the cytoskeletal architecture and cell type they are located within. In-plant cells, a specific...
5.9K
01:30Inflammatory Bowel Disease III: Diagnostic Studies and Management I-Nutritional Therapy
766
Various diagnostic tests are employed in the diagnostic process for Inflammatory Bowel Disease (IBD), particularly to differentiate between Crohn's disease and ulcerative colitis.
Diagnostic studies
A colonoscopy is the definitive screening test, distinguishing ulcerative colitis from other colon diseases with similar symptoms. During a colonoscopy test, inflamed mucosa with exudate ulcerations can be observed, and biopsies are taken to determine the histologic characteristics of the...
Diagnostic studies
A colonoscopy is the definitive screening test, distinguishing ulcerative colitis from other colon diseases with similar symptoms. During a colonoscopy test, inflamed mucosa with exudate ulcerations can be observed, and biopsies are taken to determine the histologic characteristics of the...
766