Task Oriented Training Activities Post Stroke Will Produce Measurable Alterations in Brain Plasticity Concurrent with Skill Improvement

Authors

Somchanok Rungseethanakul, Motor Control and Neural Plasticity Laboratory, Faculty of Physical Therapy, Mahidol University, Nakhon Pathom, Thailand.
Jarugool Tretriluxana, Motor Control and Neural Plasticity Laboratory, Faculty of Physical Therapy, Mahidol University, Nakhon Pathom, Thailand.
Pagamas Piriyaprasarth, Motor Control and Neural Plasticity Laboratory, Faculty of Physical Therapy, Mahidol University, Nakhon Pathom, Thailand.
Narawut Pakaprot, Faculty of Medicine Siriraj Hospital, Mahidol University, Wang Lang, Thailand.
Khanitha Jitaree, Motor Control and Neural Plasticity Laboratory, Faculty of Physical Therapy, Mahidol University, Nakhon Pathom, Thailand.
Suradej Tretriluxana, Department of Electronics Engineering, School of Engineering, King Mongkut's Institute of Technology Ladkrabang, Bangkok, Thailand.
Jerome V. Danoff, Department of Exercise and Nutrition Science, George Washington University, Washington, DC, USA.

Document Type

Journal Article

Publication Date

5-1-2022

Journal

Topics in stroke rehabilitation

Volume

29

Issue

4

DOI

10.1080/10749357.2021.1926136

Keywords

Accelerated skill acquisition program; Corticomotor excitability; Stroke; Transcranial magnetic stimulation

Abstract

BACKGROUND: Task-oriented training with upper extremity (UE) skilled movements has been established as a method to regain function post stroke. Although improved UE function has been shown after this type of therapy, there is minimal evidence that brain plasticity is associated with this training. The accelerated skill acquisition program (ASAP) is an example of an approach for promoting UE function using targeting movements. OBJECTIVE: To investigate the effects of a single 2-hour session of ASAP in individuals with stroke on measures of brain plasticity as represented by corticospinal excitability (CE) and determine associations with reach-to-grasp (RTG) performance. METHODS: Eighteen post-acute stroke patients were randomized to two groups. Experimental group (n = 9) underwent ASAP for 2 hours, while the control group (n = 9) received dose equivalent usual and customary care. Both groups were evaluated for CE and RTG performance prior to the session and then four times after training: immediately, 1 day, 6 days, and 12 days. RESULTS: Significant alterations in CE were found in the peak-to-peak of Motor Evoked Potential amplitude of elbow and wrist extensor muscles in the lesioned hemisphere. The experimental group also demonstrated improved execution (shortened total movement time, TMT), feed-forward mechanism (deceleration time, DT) and planning (lengthened relative time to maximum hand aperture, RTApmax) compared to the control group. CONCLUSION: Alterations in brain plasticity occur concurrently with improvements in RTG performance in post-acute stroke patients with mild impairment after a single 2-hour session of task-oriented training and persist for at least 12 days.

APA Citation

Rungseethanakul, Somchanok; Tretriluxana, Jarugool; Piriyaprasarth, Pagamas; Pakaprot, Narawut; Jitaree, Khanitha; Tretriluxana, Suradej; and Danoff, Jerome V., "Task Oriented Training Activities Post Stroke Will Produce Measurable Alterations in Brain Plasticity Concurrent with Skill Improvement" (2022). GW Authored Works. Paper 1049.
https://hsrc.himmelfarb.gwu.edu/gwhpubs/1049

Department

Exercise and Nutrition Sciences