Neuroplasticity Following Stroke from a Functional Laterality Perspective: A fNIRS Study.

Area of Science:

• Neuroscience
• Neurology
• Biomedical Engineering

Background:

• Resting-state functional connectivity (rsFC) alterations in sensorimotor cortex are key to understanding stroke recovery.
• Hemiplegia, resulting from stroke, affects motor function and brain lateralization.
• Neuroplasticity plays a crucial role in the brain's adaptation to injury.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate changes in rsFC within the sensorimotor cortex of patients with left or right hemiplegia.
• To explore the role of lateralization and neuroplasticity in post-stroke motor recovery.
• To identify potential biomarkers for motor function impairment and recovery.

Main Methods:

• Utilized resting-state functional near-infrared spectroscopy (fNIRS) on 73 participants (26 left hemiplegia, 21 right hemiplegia, 26 controls).
• Employed whole-brain analysis with Pearson correlation for rsFC calculations.
• Correlated rsFC findings with motor function assessments.

Main Results:

• Normal controls exhibit stronger left-hemisphere motor component rsFC, a pattern absent in stroke groups.
• Right-hemiplegia patients showed increased rsFC between left S1 and M1 compared to controls, inversely correlating with motor function.
• rsFC within the ipsilesional M1 negatively correlated with motor function in both hemiplegia groups.
• rsFC within the contralesional M1 was weakened in stroke patients compared to controls.

Conclusions:

• Stroke-induced hemiplegia disrupts sensorimotor cortex lateralization.
• Strengthened rsFC in right-hemiplegia may represent a compensatory mechanism for motor impairment.
• Findings have implications for brain-computer interfaces and neuromodulation therapies to enhance cortical plasticity and motor function.