2-37-04 MRI evaluation with FLAIR and FFE sequence of lesion load in patients with post-traumatic severe head injury

Abstract

whether those are influenced by handedness, a total of 19 right(RH), 11 left-handed (LH) and 4 ambidexterous subjects were investigated with both fMRl and EMG carrying out the same hand movement (repetitive spreading) with either the right or left side. fMRl studies were performed with a conventional scanner (SIEMENS VISION) using EPI-technique. The EMG recording was carried out with a PICKER polygraph using surface electrodes. Using fMRl bilateral cortical activation was found in RH in 6 subjects moving the dominant right vs 12 using the subdominant left hand, in LH in 6 cases with the dominant left and in 6 with movement of the subdominant right hand and in the ambidexterous group in 2 vs 3 cases (right vs. left hand movement). EMG recording of mirror activity was found in RH in 7 subjects using the dominant right and in 15 moving the subdominant left hand, whereas LH showed the mirror activity in 9 subjects with movement of the dominant left vs. in 7 cases with the subdominant right hand. In the ambidexterous group mirror activity was seen in 3 cases from each hand side. These findings support the view that the frequency and distribution of bilateral activation phenomena infMRl and EMG recordings are strongly influenced by handedness. This may help to better understand motor organization and may serve as a basis for the future development of more efficient neurological rehabilitation programs.