Frontal EMG-biofeedback training of athetoid cerebral palsy patients: a report of six cases

Six athetoid cerebral palsy patients participated in the following: speech and motor prebiofeedback training evaluation; frontal EMG biofeedback training, 6 wk; speech and motor postbiofeedback training evaluation. Frontal pretraining levels for the subjects averaged 28.9 muV p-p. Subjects' feedback consisted of an auditory signal (clicks) varying proportionately with frontal EMG activity. A visual meter display of the integrated EMG was also provided. Self-regulation of frontal EMG was evident for all subjects within session 1. Throughout all sessions, EMG levels of 2-4 mu V were often attained. Trend analysis of EMG acquisition curves showed significant reduction in frontal tension across sessions for all but one subject. Frontal posttraining levels averaged 13.0 muV p-p. Parents or subjects, or both, reported subtle improvements in various speech and motor functions, a finding confirmed by objective postbiofeedback training evaluation. Only the 2 most severely impaired subjects, JA and DS, failed to improve significantly on the speech measures. All subjects improved significantly on those measures that tapped fine and gross motor skills. Collectively, these results indicate that EMG biofeedback training shows promise as an additional treatment modality in the habilitation of cerebral palsy patients.