The neural substrates of impaired finger tapping regularity after stroke.

Not only finger tapping speed, but also tapping regularity can be impaired after stroke, contributing to reduced dexterity. The neural substrates of impaired tapping regularity after stroke are unknown. Previous work suggests damage to the dorsal premotor cortex (PMd) and prefrontal cortex (PFCx) affects externally-cued hand movement.

Muscular fatigue.

Although everyone knows fatigue personally, it is a difficult concept to define. For muscular fatigue, one must know the aspect of performance affected. The most obvious demonstrations are decreased maximal force and slowed muscular answer.

Quantification of index tapping regularity after stroke with tri-axial accelerometry.

Objective: Quantifying intrinsic components of movement may help to better understand the nature of motor deficits after stroke. Here we quantify the ability of stroke patients to finger tap in rhythm with auditory cues given at physiological rate.

Methods: Using tri-axial accelerometry, we measured tapping regularity (Regularity Index) during auditory-cued index-to-thumb tapping at 1.

Displacement of primary sensorimotor cortex activation after subcortical stroke: a longitudinal PET study with clinical correlation.

Five patients with left striatocapsular infarction were studied twice with PET during auditory-cued right thumb-index tapping, around 2 months after stroke and again around 8 months after stroke. At PET1 and PET2, the ipsilesional primary sensorimotor (SM1) activation peak Talairach coordinates were compared to those from seven aged-matched healthy controls. At PET1, there was a significant posterior displacement of SM1 activation peak, which confirms a previous report and may represent unmasking/disinhibition of motor representations.

Sequential activation brain mapping after subcortical stroke: changes in hemispheric balance and recovery.

We prospectively studied 5 patients while they were recovering from left-sided subcortical stroke affecting the cortico-spinal tract, and examined them twice with H(2)(15)O-PET over several months while performing an identical task with the affected hand. Concomitant motor recovery was assessed by measuring the number of thumb-to-index tappings performed in 15 s at each PET session. Across patients, the hemispheric activation balance tended to shift over time toward the unaffected hemisphere, but the magnitude of this shift was highly variable from patient to patient and significantly correlated with recovery.

Dynamics of motor network overactivation after striatocapsular stroke: a longitudinal PET study using a fixed-performance paradigm.

Background And Purpose: Although excessive brain activation during affected hand motion after stroke is well documented, its time course has been rarely studied, and when studied, this has either been with passive movement or with active but cognitively complex task and uncontrolled performance over time, complicating interpretation.

Methods: According to a prospective and longitudinal design, we studied 5 right-handed patients with right-sided hemiparesis due to first-ever left striatocapsular infarction. Three-dimensional PET H(2)O(15) studies were performed twice ( approximately 7 and approximately 31 weeks after stroke [PET1 and PET2, respectively]) during right thumb-to-index tapping executed at the same rate in both studies (1.

[Nutrition of children and adolescents engaged in high-level sports activities].

Young high-level athletes are frequently exposed to deficiencies, the most frequent origin of which is dietary. Supervision must be clinical, biological and dietary. Recommendations should be made individually, based on the nature and intensity of the exercise, and are calculated from the recommended supplements for the paediatric population.

[Value of continuous passive motion in the early rehabilitation of total knee arthroplasty. Prospective study apropos of 120 medical records].

The purpose of our study was to evaluate the interest of passive motion rehabilitation with an automatic device. Our protocol has been made of 120 TKA performed in the same surgical department between february 1987 to June 1990. We draw lots, a group "RC" with usual rehabilitation program and a second group "AM" with the same program added with passive motion two hours per day.

[Selenium and vitamin E in patients with progressive muscular dystrophy].

Serum levels of selenium and vitamin E were prospectively studied in children with Duchenne de Boulogne muscular dystrophy of variable age and muscular status. In contrast with previous studies, we found no differences with controls. However, we believe that selenium and vitamin E, two natural antioxydants, may contribute to the pathophysiology of pseudohypertrophic muscular dystrophy.

[Gas gangrene after aseptic orthopedic surgery].

Gas gangrene following scheduled orthopedic surgery is not uncommon. In order to assess its frequency and prognosis, identify possible predisposing factors and suggest preventive measures, we reviewed the records of 22 patients (14 males and 8 females, mean age 40 +/- 20 years) admitted between 1969 and 1987 who developed gas gangrene in the wake of orthopedic surgery. In all cases the lower limbs were the site of operation: the knee in 9, the hip in 4, the femur in 4 and the leg in 5 cases.

[Posterior approach to the elbow preserving the extensor apparatus. Its value in the osteosynthesis of humerus plate fractures].

The authors describe a median posterior approach of the elbow with preservation of the triceps mechanism in continuity. Such an approach provides an excellent exposure of the elbow and of the lower part of the humeral shaft which can be used for the osteosynthesis of complex supra and intercondylar fractures. This approach can also be extended to the midshaft of the humerus, the radial head and the ulnar shaft.