Electrophysiological Correlates of Dentate Nucleus Deep Brain Stimulation for Poststroke Motor Recovery.

While ipsilesional cortical electroencephalography has been associated with poststroke recovery mechanisms and outcomes, the role of the cerebellum and its interaction with the ipsilesional cortex is still largely unknown. We have previously shown that poststroke motor control relies on increased corticocerebellar coherence (CCC) in the low beta band to maintain motor task accuracy and to compensate for decreased excitability of the ipsilesional cortex. We now extend our work to investigate corticocerebellar network changes associated with chronic stimulation of the dentato-thalamo-cortical pathway aimed at promoting poststroke motor rehabilitation.

Cortico-Cerebellar Connectivity Underlying Motor Control in Chronic Poststroke Individuals.

The robust, reciprocal anatomic connections between the cerebellum and contralateral sensorimotor cerebral hemisphere underscore the strong physiological interdependence between these two regions in relation to human behavior. Previous studies have shown that damage to sensorimotor cortex can result in a lasting reduction of cerebellar metabolism, the magnitude of which has been linked to poor rehabilitative outcomes. A better understanding of movement-related cerebellar physiology as well as cortico-cerebellar coherence (CCC) in the chronic, poststroke state may be key to developing novel neuromodulatory techniques that promote upper limb motor rehabilitation.