Brain Function Changes Induced by Intermittent Sequential Pneumatic Compression in Patients With Stroke as Assessed...

Area of Science:

• Neuroscience
• Biomedical Engineering
• Rehabilitation Medicine

Background:

• Intermittent sequential pneumatic compression (ISPC) is known to improve cerebral perfusion and collateral blood supply in stroke patients.
• However, the specific impact of ISPC on cerebral oscillations remains largely unexplored.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate the effects of ISPC on cerebral oscillations in patients with stroke.
• To assess the relationship between ISPC, cerebral perfusion, and cortical activity.

Main Methods:

• Functional near-infrared spectroscopy (fNIRS) measured oxyhemoglobin and deoxyhemoglobin oscillations in 27 stroke patients under resting and ISPC conditions.
• Wavelet analysis identified five characteristic frequency signals, and wavelet amplitude (WA) and laterality index (LI) were calculated for frequency-specific cortical activity assessment.

Main Results:

• ISPC significantly increased WA in the ipsilesional motor cortex (MC) for frequency intervals III, IV, and V in ischemic stroke patients.
• No significant changes in WA were observed in hemorrhagic stroke patients.
• LI values in the prefrontal cortex and MC showed a notable decrease during ISPC, indicating potential functional changes.

Conclusions:

• Increased WA in the MC of ischemic stroke patients during ISPC may reflect enhanced cortical activity alongside improved cerebral perfusion.
• Decreased LI values suggest ISPC positively influences functional rehabilitation in the prefrontal cortex and MC.
• The findings offer a method for evaluating ISPC's effects on cerebral oscillations, aiding personalized treatment optimization for stroke recovery.