We investigated the neurological basis for efficacy of prism adaptation therapy, which is used for the treatment of poststroke unilateral spatial neglect (USN). Study subjects were 6 USN-positive ...(+), 6 USN-negative patients, and 6 healthy volunteer control subjects. USN was identified by the Behavioural Inattention Test (BIT). During the tasks, brain activity was assessed with fNIRS via changes in oxyHb concentration per unit length. There was no significant difference in the number of errors in the task between the 3 groups. However, in the USN(+) group there was a significantly greater reduction in oxyHb levels in the right parietal association cortex during the prism adaptation task than in the other 2 groups (P<0.05). There was an immediate improvement in USN symptoms as well as a significant increase in oxyHb levels during the prism adaptation in the channels covering the right frontal and parietal lobes in 2 patients in the USN(+) group (P<0.05). This result suggested that decreased activity in the right parietal association cortex, which is related to spatial perception, during the prism adaptation task and task-induced reorganization of the right frontal and parietal areas were involved in improvement in USN symptoms.
This study investigated the effects of binaural monopolar galvanic vestibular stimulation (GVS), which likely stimulates the bilateral vestibular system, on the anterior bending angle in patients ...with Parkinson's disease (PD) with anterior bending posture in a single-blind, randomized sham-controlled crossover trial. The seven PD patients completed two types of stimulation (binaural monopolar GVS and sham stimulation) applied in a random order 1 week apart. We measured each patient's anterior bending angles while he or she stood with eyes open and eyes closed before/after the stimulations. The anterior bending angles in both the eyes-open and the eyes-closed conditions were significantly reduced after the GVS. The amount of change in the eyes-closed condition post-GVS was significantly larger than that by sham stimulation. The amount of change in anterior bending angles in the GVS condition was not significantly correlated with Unified Parkinson's Disease Rating Scale motor score, disease duration, the duration of the postural deformities, and the anterior bending angles before the GVS. Binaural monopolar GVS might improve anterior bending posture in PD patients, irrespective of the duration and the severity of disease and postural deformities. Binaural monopolar GVS might be a novel treatment strategy to improve anterior bending posture in PD.
Purpose: The purpose of this study is to examine the effects of predictability of step distance and differences in step distance on Anticipatory Postural Adjustments (APA) responses in healthy young ...subjects.Method: Twenty healthy young subjects performed step movements at three different distances according to their height in a condition in which the step distance was taught in advance and in a condition in which the step distance was presented immediately before the step. APA time, lower limb muscle activity time, and involvement of cortical activity by Electromyography (EMG) coherence analysis were calculated and compared for each condition.Results: Significant differences in muscle activity time were observed for the tibialis anterior and soleus muscles on the step side according to predictability, and for the tibialis anterior and gastrocnemius lateralis muscle on the step side according to step distance, but no significant differences in APA time or coherence were observed.Conclusion: The results suggest that the predictability of step distance and differences in step distance may have little effect on the APA response in healthy young subjects.
Purpose: The purpose of this study is to examine the effects of predictability of step distance and differences in step distance on Anticipatory Postural Adjustments (APA) responses in healthy young ...subjects.Method: Twenty healthy young subjects performed step movements at three different distances according to their height in a condition in which the step distance was taught in advance and in a condition in which the step distance was presented immediately before the step. APA time, lower limb muscle activity time, and involvement of cortical activity by Electromyography (EMG) coherence analysis were calculated and compared for each condition.Results: Significant differences in muscle activity time were observed for the tibialis anterior and soleus muscles on the step side according to predictability, and for the tibialis anterior and gastrocnemius lateralis muscle on the step side according to step distance, but no significant differences in APA time or coherence were observed.Conclusion: The results suggest that the predictability of step distance and differences in step distance may have little effect on the APA response in healthy young subjects.
The present study sought to determine if the postural sway of a subject required to grasp a tray (motor task) holding a cup filled with water and prevent spilling (mental task), would be reduced by ...consciously redirecting attention to maintain the tray in a horizontal position. We hypothesized the mental task would increase the stabilization of standing postural balance. Postural sway was measured in 17 normal subjects under the following conditions: 1) holding a 100 g weight in each hand (total 200 g; no mental task), 2) holding with both hands a tray on which 200 g was placed (tray-holding task), and 3) holding with both hands a tray on which a cup filled with water weighing 200 g was placed in the center (mental task). Postural sway was significantly reduced during the mental task versus other tasks. Standing posture balance was stabilized when a mental task was added. Thus, we concluded that higher brain functions such as attention and consciousness exerted a significant influence over the control of standing posture.
Purpose The purpose of this study was to clarify the effect of differences in teaching method before the tasks. Subjects Subjects were 29 healthy adults. Methods The subjects practiced series ...reaction time tasks before performing the tasks. We divided the subjects into 4 groups: the intentional answer group was taught all of the rules before the tasks, the intentional hint group was taught parts of the rules, the incidental awareness group which recognize the rules by themselves, and the group which was not taught and did not recognize the rules. Fourteen blocks were performed on the first day, and 3 blocks of retention tasks and transfer tasks were performed on the second day. Results In the transfer tasks, there were no decreases in reaction times in both the incidental awareness and intentional hint groups. Conclusion We found that the most effective learning condition for development of motor learning is to teach the subjects parts of the rules and have them recognize the other rules by themselves.
Purpose The purpose of this study was to investigate how tolerance of pain related to sensory-discriminative factors as well as emotional factors in its clinical assessment scales. Subjects Thirty ...healthy subjects participated in this study. Methods We used a Neurometer device to measure the non-traumatic Pain Tolerance Threshold (PTT) and painless Current Perception Threshold (CPT). Transcutaneous sine-wave stimuli at frequencies of 2000, 250 and 5 Hz delivered by the Neurometer are thought to selectively activate Aβ, Aδ and C afferent fibers respectively. PTT is the maximum amount of the electrical stimulus that a patient can tolerate, and CPT is the minimum amount of the electrical stimulus that the patient can perceive. We used PTTs, CPTs, a Visual Analogue Scale (VAS) and the McGill Pain Questionnaire (MPQ) as measurement tools for pain tolerance. Results There were significant correlations between PTTs and the qualitative factors in each subclass of MPQ. There were no significant correlations between PTTs and VAS, or PTTs and CPTs, but there was a significant correlation between VAS and CPTs. Conclusion Our results suggest that tolerance of pain correlates with emotional aspects, and that we might need to realize the influence of the qualitative factors when we measure persistent strong pain.
PDF
