A master thesis from Aalborg University
Exploring Neurophysiological and Sensory Alterations Induced by Functional Electrical Stimulation in a Model of Upper Limb Hemiparesis
[Undersøgelse af Neurofysiolgiske og Sensoriske Ændringer induceret af Funktionel Elektrisk Stimulation i en Model for Hemiparese i Overekstremiteterne]
Term
4. term
Publication year
2019
Submitted on
2019-06-05
Pages
131 pages
Abstract
A potential method for restoring motor function in hemiparetic stroke patients is functional electrical stimulation (FES). However, only limited knowledge exists regarding the sensory alterations induced by FES, even though hemiparetic limbs are often affected by loss of feeling as well. Therefore, the current study examines the possible proprioceptive and tactile alterations which a single session of FES-assisted task-oriented therapy (TOT) can induce in a model based on upper limb immobilization of healthy subjects. Short term upper limb immobilization has shown to induce a temporary neurological state similar to hemiparesis. To examine the effects of FES-assisted TOT, multiple neurophysiological and clinical measurements were performed including median nerve somatosensory evoked potentials (SEPs), joint position sense (JPS) testing, quantitative sensory testing (QST) and the modified Jebsen-Taylor hand function (JTHF) test. These measurements were performed before and after 24 hours of upper limb immobilization and after a TOT session with or without FES assistance. Seven subjects were included in the study. The obtained and preprocessed results from the measurements were statistically analyzed and compared. The immobilization procedure induced motor but not sensory alterations. Additionally, no significant difference was found for any of the alterations induced by FES-assisted TOT versus TOT without FES assistance. Thus, the sensory impact of FES-assisted TOT in hemiparetic stroke patients is not clear based on the current study. However, further studies should be conducted and include a larger sample population.
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