T Thermometry for Deep Brain Stimulation Applications: A Comparison between Rapid Gradient Echo Sequences.

Background: T thermometry is considered a straight method for the safety monitoring of patients with deep brain stimulation (DBS) electrodes against radiofrequency-induced heating during Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI), requiring different sequences and methods.

Objective: This study aimed to compare two T thermometry methods and two low specific absorption rate (SAR) imaging sequences in terms of the output image quality.

Material And Methods: In this experimental study, a gel phantom was prepared, resembling the brain tissue properties with a copper wire inside.

Effective connectivity between deep brain stimulation targets in individuals with treatment-resistant depression.

The therapeutic effect of deep brain stimulation on patients with treatment-resistant depression is strongly dependent on the connectivity of the stimulation region with other regions associated with depression. The aims of this study are to characterize the effective connectivity between the brain regions playing important roles in depression and further investigate the underlying pathophysiological mechanisms of treatment-resistant depression and the mechanisms involving deep brain stimulation. Thirty-three individuals with treatment-resistant depression and 29 healthy control subjects were examined.

Contribution of altered corticospinal microstructure to gait impairment in children with cerebral palsy.

Objective: Corticospinal tract (CST) injury may lead to motor disorders in children with Cerebral Palsy (CP). However, the precise underlying mechanisms are still ambiguous. We aimed to characterize the CST structure and function in children with CP and determine their contributions to balance and gait impairments.

Effective connectivity between emotional and motor brain regions in people with psychogenic nonepileptic seizures (PNES).

Objective: To characterize the effective connectivity (EC) between the emotion and motor brain regions in patients with psychogenic nonepileptic seizures (PNES), based on resting-state spectral dynamic causal modeling (spDCM).

Methods: Twenty-three patients with PNES and twenty-five healthy control (HC) subjects underwent resting-state fMRI scanning. The coupling parameters indicating the causal interactions between eight brain regions associated with emotion, executive control, and motion were estimated for both groups, using resting-state fMRI spDCM.

Characterization of brain functional connectivity in treatment-resistant depression.

Objective: To characterize the functional connectivity (FC) of target brain regions for deep brain stimulation (DBS) in patients with treatment-resistant depression (TRD), and to evaluate its gender and brain lateralization dependence.

Methods: Thirty-one TRD patients and twenty-nine healthy control (HC) subjects participated. FC of subcallosal cingulate gyrus (SCG), ventral caudate (VCa), nucleus accumbens (NAc), lateral habenula (LHb), and inferior thalamic peduncle (ITP) were evaluated using resting-state fMRI.

Brain functional connectivity in individuals with psychogenic nonepileptic seizures (PNES): An application of graph theory.

Objective: To determine brain functional connectivity (FC), based on the graph theory, in individuals with psychogenic nonepileptic seizures (PNES), in order to better understand the mechanisms underlying this disease.

Methods: Twenty-three patients with PNES and twenty-five healthy control subjects were examined. Alterations in FC within the whole brain were examined using resting-state functional magnetic resonance imaging (MRI).

Therapeutic effects of robotic rehabilitation on Neural and Muscular Abnormalities associated with the Spastic Ankle in Stroke Survivors.

Spasticity is a common ailment following stroke, which can cause pain, contracture, abnormal limb posture and functional limitation. Early management of post-stroke spasticity is vital to reduce these complications, and improve function and help patients become independent. We propose a therapeutic program based on applying a series of vibrations to the ankle joints at specific ankle position as well as over the range of motion using a rehabilitation robotic system to reduce the neural and muscular abnormalities associated with spasticity.

Graph theory application with functional connectivity to distinguish left from right temporal lobe epilepsy.

Objective: To investigate the application of graph theory with functional connectivity to distinguish left from right temporal lobe epilepsy (TLE).

Methods: Alterations in functional connectivity within several brain networks - default mode (DMN), attention (AN), limbic (LN), sensorimotor (SMN) and visual (VN) - were examined using resting-state functional MRI (rs-fMRI). The study accrued 21 left and 14 right TLE as well as 17 nonepileptic control subjects.

The Impact of Repetitive Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation on Affected and Unaffected Sides of a Child with Hemiplegic Cerebral Palsy.

The purpose of this study was to investigate the therapeutic effects of neuro-navigated repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation (rTMS) combined with occupational therapy (OT) on gait impairment of a child (male, age: 13.2) with spastic hemiplegic cerebral palsy (CP). The treatment included 4 days a week of rTMS sessions for 3 weeks and 4 days of rTMS and OT sessions per week for 3 weeks.

Therapeutic Effects of repetitive Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation on Corticospinal Tract Activities and Neuromuscular Properties in Children with Cerebral Palsy.

The objective of this research was to study the therapeutic effects of repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation (rTMS) on corticospinal tract (CST) activities, reflex hyper-excitability, muscle stiffness, and the clinical status of children with spastic hemiplegic cerebral palsy (CP). Three children participated in this study. The treatment lasted for 6 weeks.

Structural brain network analysis in schizophrenia using minimum spanning tree.

Schizophrenia is a mental disorder in which functional and structural brain networks are disrupted. Classical network analysis has been used by many researchers to quantify brain networks and to study the network changes in schizophrenia, but unfortunately metrics used in this classical method highly depend on the networks' density and weight; the comparisons made by this method are biased. The minimum spanning tree (MST) is an alternative method to solve this problem, but its usefulness in studying the schizophrenic brain network has not been examined yet.

Differences in white matter microstructure between Parkinson's disease patients with and without REM sleep behavior disorder.

REM sleep behavior disorder (RBD) is characterized by increased muscle tone and violent limb movements and usually occurs during the early stages of Parkinson disease (PD). PD patients with RBD represent faster motor progression and cognitive dysfunction. We used diffusion imaging to assess which regions are involved in this phenomenon.

Comparison between the therapeutic effects of robotic-assisted locomotor training and an anti-spastic medication on spasticity.

We studied the effects of robotic-assisted locomotor (LOKOMAT) training or an anti-spastic medication (tizanidine) on neuromuscular abnormality associated with spasticity in persons with incomplete Spinal Cord Injury (SCI). Subjects were randomly divided to three groups: Lok, Tiz, and Cont. LOKOMAT training was performed 3 days/week for 4 weeks, with up to 45 minutes of training per session.

Facilitatory effects of anti-spastic medication on robotic locomotor training in people with chronic incomplete spinal cord injury.

Background: The objective of this study was to investigate whether an anti-spasticity medication can facilitate the effects of robotic locomotor treadmill training (LTT) to improve gait function in people with incomplete spinal cord injury (SCI).

Methods: Individuals with chronic incomplete SCI were recruited and carried out a 4 week intervention of either locomotor treadmill training (LTT) alone (n = 26) or LTT combined with Tizanidine (TizLTT), an anti-spasticity medication (n = 22). Gait function was evaluated using clinical outcome measures of gait, speed and endurance.

Classifying and predicting endurance outcomes of α2-adrenergic agonist intervention in spinal cord injury.

Spinal cord injury (SCI) is a traumatic condition that can lead to both functional and neuromuscular impairments. Spasticity in the muscles surrounding the ankle joint caused by hypertonia is often reported as a complication. We investigated whether a pharmacological intervention using Tizanidine, an anti-spastic medication acting as an α2-adrenergic agonist, could lead to improvements in walking endurance.

Variability in responsiveness to interventions in people with spinal cord injury: Do some respond better than others?

Spinal cord injury (SCI) results in significant impairments in function and ankle joint spasticity is a common secondary complication. Various interventions have been trialed to improve function and reduce spasticity after SCI, with variable results. We investigated the effects of a pharmacological (an anti-spastic medication - tizanidine) and a physical intervention (robotic-assisted locomotor training - Lokomat) on function in people with incomplete SCI over 4-week of training.

Effects of robotic-locomotor training on stretch reflex function and muscular properties in individuals with spinal cord injury.

Objective: We sought to determine the therapeutic effect of robotic-assisted step training (RAST) on neuromuscular abnormalities associated with spasticity by characterization of their recovery patterns in people with spinal cord injury (SCI).

Methods: Twenty-three motor-incomplete SCI subjects received one-hour RAST sessions three times per week for 4 weeks, while an SCI control group received no training. Neuromuscular properties were assessed using ankle perturbations prior to and during the training, and a system-identification technique quantified stretch reflex and intrinsic stiffness magnitude and modulation with joint position.

Interventions to Reduce Spasticity and Improve Function in People With Chronic Incomplete Spinal Cord Injury: Distinctions Revealed by Different Analytical Methods.

Background: Spinal cord injury (SCI) results in impaired function, and ankle joint spasticity is a common secondary complication. Different interventions have been trialed with variable results.

Objective: We investigated the effects of pharmacological and physical (locomotor training) interventions on function in people living with incomplete motor function loss caused by SCI and used different analytical techniques to understand whether functional levels affect recovery with different interventions.

Ankle voluntary movement enhancement following robotic-assisted locomotor training in spinal cord injury.

Background: In incomplete spinal cord injury (iSCI), sensorimotor impairments result in severe limitations to ambulation. To improve walking capacity, physical therapies using robotic-assisted locomotor devices, such as the Lokomat, have been developed. Following locomotor training, an improvement in gait capabilities-characterized by increases in the over-ground walking speed and endurance-is generally observed in patients.

Prediction of gait recovery in spinal cord injured individuals trained with robotic gait orthosis.

Background: Motor impairment is a major consequence of spinal cord injury (SCI). Earlier studies have shown that robotic gait orthosis (e.g.

Robotic-locomotor training as a tool to reduce neuromuscular abnormality in spinal cord injury: the application of system identification and advanced longitudinal modeling.

In this study, the effect of the LOKOMAT, a robotic-assisted locomotor training system, on the reduction of neuromuscular abnormalities associated with spasticity was examined, for the first time in the spinal cord injury (SCI) population. Twenty-three individuals with chronic incomplete SCI received 1-hour training sessions in the LOKOMAT three times per week, with up to 45 minutes of training per session; matched control group received no intervention. The neuromuscular properties of the spastic ankle were then evaluated prior to training and after 1, 2, and 4 weeks of training.

The effects of locomotor training with a robotic-gait orthosis (Lokomat) on neuromuscular properties in persons with chronic SCI.

We studied the effects of robotic-assisted locomotor (LOKOMAT) training on neuromuscular abnormality associated with spasticity in persons with incomplete Spinal Cord Injury (SCI). LOKOMAT training was performed 3 days/week for 4 weeks, with up to 45 minutes of training per session. Subjects were evaluated before and after 1, 2, and 4 weeks of training, and the effects of training on the intrinsic (muscular) and reflexive components of the neuromuscular properties were quantified over the ankle range-of-motion.

Prediction of stroke motor recovery using reflex stiffness measures at one month.

This study characterizes the recovery patterns of motor impairment after stroke, and uses neuromuscular measures of the elbow joint at one month after the event to predict the ensuing recovery patterns over 12 months. Motor impairment was assessed using the Fugl-Meyer Assessment (FMA) of the upper extremity at various intervals after stroke. A parallel-cascade system identification technique characterized the intrinsic and reflex stiffness at various elbow angles.

Prediction of natural history of neuromuscular properties after stroke using Fugl-Meyer scores at 1 month.

Background: The link between spasticity and impaired voluntary movement after stroke remains unclear because of the lack of suitable tools characterizing properties of spastic muscles. Describing this relationship early poststroke can potentially help predict the extent and time course of recovery.

Objective: To describe the time course of changes in neuromuscular properties after stroke using the upper extremity Fugl-Meyer Assessment (FMA) at 1 month to predict recovery patterns over 1 year.

Quantification of the effects of an alpha-2 adrenergic agonist on reflex properties in spinal cord injury using a system identification technique.

Background: Despite numerous investigations, the impact of tizanidine, an anti-spastic medication, on changes in reflex and muscle mechanical properties in spasticity remains unclear. This study was designed to help us understand the mechanisms of action of tizanidine on spasticity in spinal cord injured subjects with incomplete injury, by quantifying the effects of a single dose of tizanidine on ankle muscle intrinsic and reflex components.

Methods: A series of perturbations was applied to the spastic ankle joint of twenty-one spinal cord injured subjects, and the resulting torques were recorded.