Related Experiment Video
Updated: Jun 21, 2025
Electroencephalography Network Indices as Biomarkers of Upper Limb Impairment in Chronic Stroke
Published on: July 14, 2023
A neural signature for brain compensation in stroke with EEG and TMS: Insights from the DEFINE cohort study
Guilherme Jm Lacerda1, Kevin Pacheco-Barrios2, Sara Pinto Barbosa3
1Neuromodulation Center and Center for Clinical Research Learning, Spaulding Rehabilitation, Hospital and Massachusetts General Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, United States; Instituto de Medicina Física e Reabilitação, Hospital das Clínicas HCFMUSP, Faculdade de Medicina, Universidade de São Paulo, São Paulo, SP, Brazil.
Objective:
This study aimed to explore the relationships between potential neurophysiological biomarkers and upper limb motor function recovery in stroke patients, specifically focusing on combining two neurophysiological markers: electroencephalography (EEG) and transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS).
Methods:
This cross-sectional study analyzed neurophysiological, clinical, and demographical data from 102 stroke patients from the DEFINE cohort. We searched for correlations of EEG and TMS measurements combined to build a prediction model for upper limb motor functionality, assessed by five outcomes, across five assessments: Fugl-Meyer Assessment (FMA), Handgrip Strength Test (HST), Finger Tapping Test (FTT), Nine-Hole Peg Test (9HPT), and Pinch Strength Test (PST).
Results:
Our multivariate models agreed on a specific neural signature: higher EEG Theta/Alpha ratio in the frontal region of the lesioned hemisphere is associated with poorer motor outcomes, while increased MEP amplitude in the non-lesioned hemisphere correlates with improved motor function. These relationships are held across all five motor assessments, suggesting the potential of these neurophysiological measures as recovery biomarkers.
Conclusion:
Our findings indicate a potential neural signature of brain compensation in which lower frequencies of EEG power are increased in the lesioned hemisphere, and lower corticospinal excitability is also increased in the non-lesioned hemisphere. We discuss the meaning of these findings in the context of motor recovery in stroke.
