Dynamic changes in brain structure-function correspondence in typical and atypical upper limb motor recovery after...

Area of Science:

• Neuroscience
• Rehabilitation Medicine
• Medical Imaging

Background:

• Stroke causes significant structural and functional brain changes, impacting motor recovery.
• Understanding brain reorganization through structure-function correspondence (SFC) is crucial for predicting recovery.
• Previous research has not fully elucidated the dynamic changes in SFC post-stroke across different recovery patterns.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate changes in structure-function correspondence (SFC) at various brain levels (whole-brain, hemisphere, network) at 2 weeks and 3 months post-stroke.
• To differentiate SFC alterations between individuals with typical and atypical upper limb motor recovery.
• To explore the relationship between baseline SFC and motor improvement in stroke survivors.

Main Methods:

• Studied 40 stroke survivors with upper limb motor impairment and 40 healthy controls.
• Examined whole-brain, hemisphere, and network-level SFC at 2 weeks and 3 months post-stroke using neuroimaging techniques.
• Classified participants into typical (n=26) and atypical (n=14) recovery groups based on motor outcomes.

Main Results:

• Individuals with typical recovery exhibited transiently elevated SFC in the lesion-side somatomotor network.
• Those with atypical recovery showed persistent, widespread bilateral SFC increases across multiple functional networks.
• Lower baseline SFC in the lesion-side somatomotor network predicted better upper limb motor improvement in atypically recovering individuals.

Conclusions:

• The spatial extent of SFC alterations differs significantly between typical and atypical stroke recovery patterns.
• Preserved contralesional brain organization may support better motor recovery after stroke.
• Measuring integrated structure-function interactions is vital for understanding recovery trajectories and personalizing rehabilitation strategies.