Functional Muscle Network in Post-stroke Patients during Quiet Standing

Area of Science:

• Neuroscience
• Biomedical Engineering
• Rehabilitation Science

Background:

• Understanding muscle activation patterns in post-stroke patients during standing is crucial for rehabilitation.
• Functional muscle networks offer a novel approach to quantify muscle synchronization.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate the functional muscle network of stroke survivors during quiet standing.
• To compare muscle activation patterns between paretic and healthy sides.
• To assess the impact of visual feedback on muscle network dynamics.

Main Methods:

• Recruited 8 post-stroke hemiplegic patients for 30-second quiet standing trials (eyes open/closed).
• Recorded surface electromyography (sEMG) from 16 muscles in the abdomen, buttocks, and lower limbs.
• Constructed functional muscle networks using a multiplex recurrence network approach and analyzed topological characteristics.

Main Results:

• Reduced dynamical similarities and weakened functional connections observed on the paretic side compared to the healthy side.
• Muscles activated in a more synchronized and deterministic pattern with eyes closed.
• Stroke resulted in decreased muscle activation synchronization and impaired inter-muscle information transmission.

Conclusions:

• Stroke significantly impairs the functional muscle network during quiet standing.
• Visual feedback plays a vital role in coordinating muscle activation post-stroke.
• This research provides insights into motor dysfunction and potential therapeutic targets for stroke survivors.