Characteristics of corticomuscular coupling during wheelchair Tai Chi in patients with spinal cord injury
Abstract Background Wheelchair Tai Chi (WCTC) has been proved to have benefits for the brain and motor system of spinal cord injury (SCI) patients. However, the characteristics of corticomuscular coupling during WCTC are scarcely known. We aimed to investigate changes following SCI on corticomuscula...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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BMC
2023-06-01
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| Series: | Journal of NeuroEngineering and Rehabilitation |
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| Online Access: | https://doi.org/10.1186/s12984-023-01203-x |
| _version_ | 1827923112258174976 |
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| author | Yangmin Zu Lina Luo Xinpeng Chen Haixia Xie Chich-Haung Richard Yang Yan Qi Wenxin Niu |
| author_facet | Yangmin Zu Lina Luo Xinpeng Chen Haixia Xie Chich-Haung Richard Yang Yan Qi Wenxin Niu |
| author_sort | Yangmin Zu |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Abstract Background Wheelchair Tai Chi (WCTC) has been proved to have benefits for the brain and motor system of spinal cord injury (SCI) patients. However, the characteristics of corticomuscular coupling during WCTC are scarcely known. We aimed to investigate changes following SCI on corticomuscular coupling, and further compare the coupling characteristics of WCTC with aerobic exercise in SCI patients. Methods A total of 15 SCI patients and 25 healthy controls were recruited. The patients had to perform aerobic exercise and WCTC, while healthy controls needed to complete a set of WCTC. The participants accomplished the test following the tutorial video in a sitting position. The upper limb muscle activation was measured from upper trapezius, medial deltoid, biceps brachii and triceps brachii with surface electromyography. Cortical activity in the prefrontal cortex, premotor cortex, supplementary motor area and primary motor cortex was simultaneously collected by functional near-infrared spectroscopy. The functional connectivity, phase synchronization index and coherence values were then calculated and statistically analyzed. Results Compared to healthy controls, changes in functional connectivity and higher muscle activation were observed in the SCI group. There was no significant difference in phase synchronization between groups. Among patients, significantly higher coherence values between the left biceps brachii as well as the right triceps brachii and contralateral regions of interest were found during WCTC than during aerobic exercise. Conclusion The patients may compensate for the lack of corticomuscular coupling by enhancing muscle activation. This study demonstrated the potential and advantages of WCTC in eliciting corticomuscular coupling, which may optimize rehabilitation following SCI. |
| first_indexed | 2024-03-13T04:52:35Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-ea3df5550fe2433292d71fd10f11798d |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 1743-0003 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-03-13T04:52:35Z |
| publishDate | 2023-06-01 |
| publisher | BMC |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Journal of NeuroEngineering and Rehabilitation |
| spelling | doaj.art-ea3df5550fe2433292d71fd10f11798d2023-06-18T11:08:28ZengBMCJournal of NeuroEngineering and Rehabilitation1743-00032023-06-0120111310.1186/s12984-023-01203-xCharacteristics of corticomuscular coupling during wheelchair Tai Chi in patients with spinal cord injuryYangmin Zu0Lina Luo1Xinpeng Chen2Haixia Xie3Chich-Haung Richard Yang4Yan Qi5Wenxin Niu6Shanghai YangZhi Rehabilitation Hospital (Shanghai Sunshine Rehabilitation Center), School of Medicine, Tongji UniversityShanghai YangZhi Rehabilitation Hospital (Shanghai Sunshine Rehabilitation Center), School of Medicine, Tongji UniversityShanghai YangZhi Rehabilitation Hospital (Shanghai Sunshine Rehabilitation Center), School of Medicine, Tongji UniversityShanghai YangZhi Rehabilitation Hospital (Shanghai Sunshine Rehabilitation Center), School of Medicine, Tongji UniversityDepartment of Physical Therapy, College of Medicine, Tzu Chi UniversityShanghai YangZhi Rehabilitation Hospital (Shanghai Sunshine Rehabilitation Center), School of Medicine, Tongji UniversityShanghai YangZhi Rehabilitation Hospital (Shanghai Sunshine Rehabilitation Center), School of Medicine, Tongji UniversityAbstract Background Wheelchair Tai Chi (WCTC) has been proved to have benefits for the brain and motor system of spinal cord injury (SCI) patients. However, the characteristics of corticomuscular coupling during WCTC are scarcely known. We aimed to investigate changes following SCI on corticomuscular coupling, and further compare the coupling characteristics of WCTC with aerobic exercise in SCI patients. Methods A total of 15 SCI patients and 25 healthy controls were recruited. The patients had to perform aerobic exercise and WCTC, while healthy controls needed to complete a set of WCTC. The participants accomplished the test following the tutorial video in a sitting position. The upper limb muscle activation was measured from upper trapezius, medial deltoid, biceps brachii and triceps brachii with surface electromyography. Cortical activity in the prefrontal cortex, premotor cortex, supplementary motor area and primary motor cortex was simultaneously collected by functional near-infrared spectroscopy. The functional connectivity, phase synchronization index and coherence values were then calculated and statistically analyzed. Results Compared to healthy controls, changes in functional connectivity and higher muscle activation were observed in the SCI group. There was no significant difference in phase synchronization between groups. Among patients, significantly higher coherence values between the left biceps brachii as well as the right triceps brachii and contralateral regions of interest were found during WCTC than during aerobic exercise. Conclusion The patients may compensate for the lack of corticomuscular coupling by enhancing muscle activation. This study demonstrated the potential and advantages of WCTC in eliciting corticomuscular coupling, which may optimize rehabilitation following SCI.https://doi.org/10.1186/s12984-023-01203-xSpinal cord injuryTai ChiSurface electromyographyFunctional near-infrared spectroscopyCorticomuscular coupling |
| spellingShingle | Yangmin Zu Lina Luo Xinpeng Chen Haixia Xie Chich-Haung Richard Yang Yan Qi Wenxin Niu Characteristics of corticomuscular coupling during wheelchair Tai Chi in patients with spinal cord injury Journal of NeuroEngineering and Rehabilitation Spinal cord injury Tai Chi Surface electromyography Functional near-infrared spectroscopy Corticomuscular coupling |
| title | Characteristics of corticomuscular coupling during wheelchair Tai Chi in patients with spinal cord injury |
| title_full | Characteristics of corticomuscular coupling during wheelchair Tai Chi in patients with spinal cord injury |
| title_fullStr | Characteristics of corticomuscular coupling during wheelchair Tai Chi in patients with spinal cord injury |
| title_full_unstemmed | Characteristics of corticomuscular coupling during wheelchair Tai Chi in patients with spinal cord injury |
| title_short | Characteristics of corticomuscular coupling during wheelchair Tai Chi in patients with spinal cord injury |
| title_sort | characteristics of corticomuscular coupling during wheelchair tai chi in patients with spinal cord injury |
| topic | Spinal cord injury Tai Chi Surface electromyography Functional near-infrared spectroscopy Corticomuscular coupling |
| url | https://doi.org/10.1186/s12984-023-01203-x |
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