Assessing Task-Dependent Neurophysiology During Virtual Reality Treadmill Training in Adults With Traumatic Brain
Jaclyn Stephens1, Kaitlin Hays, Haylee Winden
1Author Affiliations: Department of Health and Exercise Science, Colorado State University, Fort Collins, Colorado (Dr Stephens); Colorado State University, Molecular Cellular and Integrative Neuroscience Program, Fort Collins, Colorado (Dr Stephens); Colorado State University, Columbine Health Systems Center for Healthy Aging, Fort Collins, Colorado (Dr Stephens); Craig Hospital Research Department, Englewood, Colorado (Dr Hays, Dr Winden, Mr Busch, Dr Tefertiller); University of Colorado, Denver, Colorado (Dr Tefertiller); and Department of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, Denver, Colorado (Dr Tefertiller).
Portable functional near-infrared spectroscopy (fNIRS) is a feasible method for measuring neurophysiology in individuals with traumatic brain injury (TBI) during treadmill and virtual reality tasks. This technology can be used in future large-scale studies to understand brain activity during rehabilitation.
Area of Science:
- Neuroscience
- Rehabilitation Medicine
- Biomedical Engineering
Background:
- Traumatic brain injury (TBI) frequently results in persistent mobility impairments.
- Treadmill training and virtual reality (VR) interventions show promise for improving mobility in TBI survivors.
- Measuring neurophysiological changes during these interventions in TBI populations has been challenging.
Purpose of the Study:
- To assess the feasibility of using portable functional near-infrared spectroscopy (fNIRS) to measure neurophysiology.
- To evaluate neurophysiological responses during treadmill tasks and treadmill with VR tasks in individuals with TBI.
Main Methods:
- A cross-sectional feasibility study was conducted with eight individuals with chronic moderate to severe TBI.
- Participants underwent fNIRS assessment during a 12-minute treadmill task and a 12-minute treadmill with VR task.
- Feasibility was determined by safety, acceptability, data acquisition, and quality metrics.
Main Results:
- The fNIRS protocol was safe and acceptable for 87.5% of participants.
- Data acquisition and quality benchmarks were met for 87.5% of participants.
- Significantly greater global brain activity was observed during treadmill with VR compared to treadmill alone in later stages of the task.
Conclusions:
- The fNIRS protocol achieved all pre-determined feasibility benchmarks.
- This methodology is suitable for future, larger-scale investigations into TBI neurophysiology during rehabilitation.
- Findings suggest potential for fNIRS to monitor brain activity during gait-focused interventions in TBI.
