Comparison of Multi-Band Intermuscular Coherence Complex Network Metrics Between Stroke Survivors and Healthy Adults...

Area of Science:

• Neuroscience
• Biomedical Engineering
• Rehabilitation Science

Background:

• Stroke survivors often experience significant gait impairment due to altered neuromuscular control.
• Identifying reliable biomarkers is crucial for objective assessment and effective rehabilitation strategies.
• Intermuscular coherence (IMC) networks offer insights into neural control during movement.

Purpose of the Study:

• To identify robust neuromuscular biomarkers for post-stroke gait impairment.
• To compare IMC networks between stroke survivors and healthy adults.
• To control for walking speed effects in biomarker identification.

Main Methods:

• Surface electromyography (sEMG) data from 14 muscles were collected from 39 stroke survivors and 34 healthy adults during walking.
• IMC networks were constructed across six frequency bands, and graph theory metrics were computed.
• Walking speed was controlled using ANCOVA and validated in a speed-matched subsample.

Main Results:

• Stroke survivors exhibited widespread network impairments across all analyzed frequencies.
• After adjusting for walking speed, only the clustering coefficient in the Type IIb band (165-224.5 Hz) remained significantly reduced in stroke patients.
• This speed-robust biomarker showed moderate associations with clinical gait scores (R² = 0.18-0.20).

Conclusions:

• The Type IIb band clustering coefficient serves as a speed-independent biomarker for impaired neuromuscular coordination following stroke.
• This finding has potential applications in targeted clinical assessments and monitoring rehabilitation progress.
• This quantitative measure may enhance the objective evaluation of gait recovery after stroke.