Effectiveness of unilateral lower-limb exoskeleton robot on balance and gait recovery and neuroplasticity in patients with subacute stroke: a randomized controlled trial.

Background: Impaired balance and gait in stroke survivors are associated with decreased functional independence. This study aimed to evaluate the effectiveness of unilateral lower-limb exoskeleton robot-assisted overground gait training compared with conventional treatment and to explore the relationship between neuroplastic changes and motor function recovery in subacute stroke patients.

Methods: In this randomized, single-blind clinical trial, 40 patients with subacute stroke were recruited and randomly assigned to either a robot-assisted training (RT) group or a conventional training (CT) group.

Effect of the VR-guided grasping task on the brain functional network.

Virtual reality (VR) technology has been demonstrated to be effective in rehabilitation training with the assistance of VR games, but its impact on brain functional networks remains unclear. In this study, we used functional near-infrared spectroscopy imaging to examine the brain hemodynamic signals from 18 healthy participants during rest and grasping tasks with and without VR game intervention. We calculated and compared the graph theory-based topological properties of the brain networks using phase locking values (PLV).

Functional near-infrared spectroscopy in non-invasive neuromodulation.

Non-invasive cerebral neuromodulation technologies are essential for the reorganization of cerebral neural networks, which have been widely applied in the field of central neurological diseases, such as stroke, Parkinson's disease, and mental disorders. Although significant advances have been made in neuromodulation technologies, the identification of optimal neurostimulation parameters including the cortical target, duration, and inhibition or excitation pattern is still limited due to the lack of guidance for neural circuits. Moreover, the neural mechanism underlying neuromodulation for improved behavioral performance remains poorly understood.

Effects of transcranial magnetic stimulation on dynamic functional networks in stroke patients as assessed by functional near-infrared spectroscopy: a randomized controlled clinical trial.

Studies have shown that there is heterogeneity in the efficacy bewteen the low-frequency (LF) and high-frequency (HF) repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation (rTMS), but the neural mechanisms underlying the differences in efficacy remain unclear. This study aimed to investigate the specific effects of LF- and HF-rTMS on cortial functional network and the process of neural regulation. A total of sixty-eight patients with hemiplegic motor impairment after stroke were randomly allocated to one of three groups: the LF-rTMS, HF-rTMS, and sham groups.

Test-retest reliability of fNIRS in resting-state cortical activity and brain network assessment in stroke patients.

Resting-state functional near infrared spectroscopy (fNIRS) scanning has attracted considerable attention in stroke rehabilitation research in recent years. The aim of this study was to quantify the reliability of fNIRS in cortical activity intensity and brain network metrics among resting-state stroke patients, and to comprehensively evaluate the effects of frequency selection, scanning duration, analysis and preprocessing strategies on test-retest reliability. Nineteen patients with stroke underwent two resting fNIRS scanning sessions with an interval of 24 hours.

Blood pressure-cerebral oxygen coupling model: A new approach for stroke risk prediction.

Stroke is a major cause of death and disability worldwide, but predicting its risk remains challenging. This study aimed to evaluate the cerebral blood flow autoregulation function of subjects with different stroke risk levels and predict their stroke risk. The coupling strength between cerebral oxygen and blood pressure signals was calculated by wavelet analysis and dynamic Bayesian inference and used as a quantitative index of cerebral blood flow autoregulation.

Effect of High-Frequency rTMS combined with bilateral arm training on brain functional network in patients with chronic stroke: An fNIRS study.

Objective: Neurological evidence for the combinational intervention coupling rTMS with motor training for stroke rehabilitation remains limited. This study aimed to investigate the effects of rTMS combined with bilateral arm training (BAT) on the brain functional reorganization in patients with chronic stroke via functional near-infrared spectroscopy (fNIRS).

Methods: Fifteen stroke patients and fifteen age-matched healthy participants were enrolled and underwent single BAT session (s-BAT) and BAT immediately after 5-Hz rTMS over the ipsilesional M1 (rTMS-BAT), measured cerebral haemodynamics by fNIRS.

Stroke-Related Alterations in the Brain's Functional Connectivity Response Associated with Upper Limb Multi-Joint Linkage Movement.

Stroke is one of the primary causes of motor disorders, which can seriously affect the patient's quality of life. However, the assessment of the upper limb affected by stroke is commonly based on scales, and the characteristics of brain reorganization induced by limb movement are not clear. Thus, this study aimed to investigate stroke-related cortical reorganization based on functional near infrared spectroscopy (fNIRS) during upper limb multi-joint linkage movement with reference to the Fugl-Meyer Assessment of the upper extremities (FMA-UE).

Cortical hemodynamic response and networks in children with cerebral palsy during upper limb bilateral motor training.

Understanding the characteristics of functional brain activity is important for motor rehabilitation of children with cerebral palsy (CP). Using the functional near-infrared spectroscopy (fNIRS) technology, the cortical response and networks of prefrontal (PFC) and motor cortices (MC) were analyzed for children with CP and typical development (CTD). Compared with CTD, the resting cortical response of dominant MC in children with CP increased, and the functional connectivity between cerebral areas decreased.

fNIRS-based brain functional response to robot-assisted training for upper-limb in stroke patients with hemiplegia.

Background: Robot-assisted therapy (RAT) has received considerable attention in stroke motor rehabilitation. Characteristics of brain functional response associated with RAT would provide a theoretical basis for choosing the appropriate protocol for a patient. However, the cortical response induced by RAT remains to be fully elucidated due to the lack of dynamic brain functional assessment tools.

Cortical response induced by task-oriented training of the upper limb in subacute stroke patients as assessed by functional near-infrared spectroscopy.

Despite the popularity of task-oriented training for stroke, the cortical reorganization associated with this type of therapy remains to be fully elucidated due to the lack of dynamic assessment tools. A good tolerance for motion artifacts makes functional near-infrared spectroscopy (fNIRS) suitable for investigating task-induced cortical responses in stroke patients. Here, patients were randomly assigned to receive task oriented (n = 25) or cyclic rotary training (n = 25) with simultaneous cortical activation and effective connectivity network analysis between prefrontal and motor cortices (PFC/MC).

Altered Brain Activity and Effective Connectivity within the Nonsensory Cortex during Stimulation of a Latent Myofascial Trigger Point.

Myofascial trigger point (MTrP), an iconic characteristic of myofascial pain syndrome (MPS), can induce cerebral cortex changes including altered cortical excitability and connectivity. The corresponding characteristically reactive cortex is still ambiguous. Seventeen participants with latent MTrPs underwent functional near-infrared spectroscopy (fNIRS) to collect cerebral oxygenation hemoglobin ([oxy-Hb]) signals.

Identifying Cognitive Impairment in Elderly Using Coupling Functions Between Cerebral Oxyhemoglobin and Arterial Blood Pressure.

Background: This study aimed to assess brain oxygenation status and cerebral autoregulation function in subjects with cognitive dysfunction.

Methods: The Montreal Cognitive Assessment (MoCA) was applied to divide the subjects into three groups: cognitive impairment (Group CI, 72.50 ± 10.

Effects of Ordered Grasping Movement on Brain Function in the Performance Virtual Reality Task: A Near-Infrared Spectroscopy Study.

Objective: Virtual reality (VR) grasping exercise training helps patients participate actively in their recovery and is a critical approach to the rehabilitation of hand dysfunction. This study aimed to explore the effects of active participation and VR grasping on brain function combined with the kinematic information obtained during VR exercises.

Methods: The cerebral oxygenation signals of the prefrontal cortex (LPFC/RPFC), the motor cortex (LMC/RMC), and the occipital cortex (LOC/ROC) were measured by functional near-infrared spectroscopy (fNIRS) in 18 young people during the resting state, grasping movements, and VR grasping movements.

Effective brain network analysis in unilateral and bilateral upper limb exercise training in subjects with stroke.

Purpose: Knowing the patterns of brain activation that occur and networks involved under different interventions is important for motor recovery in subjects with stroke. This study aimed to study the patterns of brain activation and networks in two interventions, affected upper limb side and bilateral exercise training, using concurrent functional near-infrared spectroscopy (fNIRS) imaging.

Methods: Thirty-two patients in the early subacute stage were randomly divided into two groups: unilateral and bilateral groups.

Intermittent Sequential Pneumatic Compression Improves Coupling between Cerebral Oxyhaemoglobin and Arterial Blood Pressure in Patients with Cerebral Infarction.

This study aims to explore the effect of intermittent sequential pneumatic compression (ISPC) intervention on the coupling relationship between arterial blood pressure (ABP) and changes in oxyhaemoglobin (Δ [OHb]). The coupling strength between the two physiological systems was estimated using a coupling function based on dynamic Bayesian inference. The participants were 22 cerebral infarction patients and 20 age- and sex-matched healthy controls.

Correlation Between Gait and Near-Infrared Brain Functional Connectivity Under Cognitive Tasks in Elderly Subjects With Mild Cognitive Impairment.

Older adults with mild cognitive impairment (MCI) have a high risk of developing Alzheimer's disease. Gait performance is a potential clinical marker for the progression of MCI into dementia. However, the relationship between gait and brain functional connectivity (FC) in older adults with MCI remains unclear.

Brain Function Changes Induced by Intermittent Sequential Pneumatic Compression in Patients With Stroke as Assessed by Functional Near-Infrared Spectroscopy.

Objective: Intermittent sequential pneumatic compression (ISPC) can effectively promote cerebral perfusion and collateral blood supply in patients with stroke. However, the effects of ISPC on cerebral oscillations are still unclear.

Methods: The tissue concentration of oxyhemoglobin and deoxyhemoglobin oscillations were measured by functional near-infrared spectroscopy under resting and ISPC conditions in 27 right-handed adult patients with stroke.

Time-evolving coupling functions for evaluating the interaction between cerebral oxyhemoglobin and arterial blood pressure with hypertension.

Purposes: This study aimed to investigate the network coupling between arterial blood pressure (ABP) and changes in cerebral oxyhemoglobin concentration (Δ [O Hb]/Δ [HHb]) oscillations based on dynamical Bayesian inference in hypertensive subjects.

Methods: Two groups of subjects, consisting of 30 healthy (Group Control, 55.1 ± 10.

Prospects for intelligent rehabilitation techniques to treat motor dysfunction.

More than half of stroke patients live with different levels of motor dysfunction after receiving routine rehabilitation treatments. Therefore, new rehabilitation technologies are urgently needed as auxiliary treatments for motor rehabilitation. Based on routine rehabilitation treatments, a new intelligent rehabilitation platform has been developed for accurate evaluation of function and rehabilitation training.

Median Nerve Electrical Stimulation-Induced Changes in Effective Connectivity in Patients With Stroke as Assessed With Functional Near-Infrared Spectroscopy.

The cortical plastic changes in response to median nerve electrical stimulation (MNES) in stroke patients have not been entirely illustrated. . This study aimed to investigate MNES-related changes in effective connectivity (EC) within a cortical network after stroke by using functional near-infrared spectroscopy (fNIRS).

Tai Chi Chuan exercise related change in brain function as assessed by functional near-infrared spectroscopy.

Early studies have shown that Tai Chi Chuan (TCC) contributes to the rehabilitation of cognitive disorders and increases blood oxygen concentration levels in the parietal and occipital brain areas; however, the mechanism of TCC training on brain function remains poorly understood. This study hypothesize that TCC has altered brain function and aims to explore the effects of TCC on functional connection and effective connection of the prefrontal cortex (PFC), motor cortex (MC), and occipital cortex (OC). The participants were 23 experienced Chen-style TCC practitioners (TCC group), and 32 demographically matched TCC-naive healthy controls (control group).

Limb linkage rehabilitation training-related changes in cortical activation and effective connectivity after stroke: A functional near-infrared spectroscopy study.

Stroke remains the leading cause of long-term disability worldwide. Rehabilitation training is essential for motor function recovery following stroke. Specifically, limb linkage rehabilitation training can stimulate motor function in the upper and lower limbs simultaneously.

Frequency-specific functional connectivity related to the rehabilitation task of stroke patients.

Purposes: Stroke survivors suffering from deficits in motor control typically show persistent motor symptoms and limited functional abilities, which affect their functional independence in daily life. Active rehabilitation training is commonly applied for stroke patients to recover from motor dysfunction. The global connectivity reflects the synchronization of cardiac and respiratory activities in the cerebral regions.

Effective Connectivity in Subjects With Mild Cognitive Impairment as Assessed Using Functional Near-Infrared Spectroscopy.

Objective: This study aimed to reveal the physiological mechanism in subjects with mild cognitive impairment based on effective connectivity method.

Methods: Effective connectivity was assessed by dynamic Bayesian inference of the oxygenated hemoglobin concentration signals measured through functional near-infrared spectroscopy. The oxygenated hemoglobin concentration signals were recorded from the left prefrontal cortex, right prefrontal cortex, left motor cortex, right motor cortex, left occipital lobe, and right occipital lobe of 26 subjects with mild cognitive impairment (mild cognitive impairment group) and 28 healthy elderly subjects (control group) at resting state.