Alterations of Functional Brain Connectivity After Long-Duration Spaceflight as Revealed by fMRI.

The present study reports alterations of task-based functional brain connectivity in a group of 11 cosmonauts after a long-duration spaceflight, compared to a healthy control group not involved in the space program. To elicit the postural and locomotor sensorimotor mechanisms that are usually most significantly impaired when space travelers return to Earth, a plantar stimulation paradigm was used in a block design fMRI study. The motor control system activated by the plantar stimulation involved the pre-central and post-central gyri, SMA, SII/operculum, and, to a lesser degree, the insular cortex and cerebellum.

Effects of Navigated Repetitive Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation After Stroke.

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to test the effects of navigated repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation, delivered in different modes, on motor impairments and functional limitations after stroke.

Methods: The study sample included 42 patients (58.5 ± 10.

Physical therapy for correcting postural and coordination deficits in patients with mild-to-moderate traumatic brain injury.

The purpose of this study was to test the effects of a conventional exercise program designed for correcting postural and coordination abnormalities in patients with mild-to-moderate traumatic brain injury (TBI). Using principles of motor learning applied to functional exercise training, exercises were performed while lying, sitting, standing and walking, with the goal of improving intra- and inter-limb coordination in the upper and lower extremities, postural stability and gait pattern. Twenty-two participants with TBI-related deficits received therapy in a supervised outpatient clinic.

A comparative kinematic analysis of cyclical bending in patients with early stages of Parkinson's disease and in patients with essential tremor.

Early stage Parkinson's disease (PD) shares certain symptoms with essential tremor (ET), which makes it difficult to differentiate between the two. We analyzed cyclical body bends to find kinematic parameters that are capable of differentiating among PD, ET and normal control (NC) subjects. A linear discriminant analysis of the joint angles showed a reliable distinction between NC and the two groups of patients, while differentiating reasonably well between PD and ET.

Effect of robotic locomotor training in an individual with Parkinson's disease: a case report.

Purpose: The purpose was to test the effect of robot-assisted gait therapy with the Lokomat system in one representative individual with Parkinson's disease (PD).

Methods: The patient was a 67-year-old female with more than an 8-year history of PD. The manifestations of the disease included depressive mood with lack of motivation, moderate bradykinesia, rigidity and resting tremor, both involving more the right side of the body, slow and shuffling gait with episodes of freezing and risk of falling.

Learning postural tasks in hemiparetic patients with lesions of left versus right hemisphere.

There are a number of studies concerning difference of postural control following left or right hemisphere lesions. Few studies, however, compare the role of the right and left hemisphere in learning new postural tasks. This study aimed to address this question.