Effectiveness of an interactive robot for the rehabilitation of the upper limb in children with cerebral palsy: A randomised single-blind controlled trial

Abstract

movement. Method.– Eighteen patients with clinical HCP (fourteen males, mean age 14 years and 2 months, aged 6 years 10 months to 20 years 10 months) participated in the study. Using fMRI block design, brain activation following passive simple opening-closing hand movement of either the paretic or nonparetic hand with simultaneous observation of a similar movement performed by either the left or right hand of an actor was examined. Results.– Passive movement of the paretic hand performed simultaneously to the observation of congruent movement (‘‘anatomic imitation’’) activated more ‘‘higher motor areas’’, including contralesional pre-supplementary motor area, superior frontal gyrus (extending to premotor cortex), and superior and inferior parietal regions than non video-guided passive movement of the paretic hand. Passive movement of the paretic hand recruited more ipsilesional sensorimotor areas compared to passive movement of the non paretic hand. Conclusion.– Our study showed in HCP that the combination of observation of congruent hand movement simultaneously to actual passive movement of the paretic hand recruits more higher motor areas than nonvideo-guided passive movement of the paretic hand. Our study gives neuronal findings to propose video-guided passive movement of paretic hand in CP. Further Reading Ertelt, D et al. Observation and execution of upper-limb movements as a tool for rehabilitation of motor deficits in paretic stroke patients: protocol of a randomized clinical trial. BioMed Central Neurol 2012;12;42. Buccino, G. et al. Improving upper limb motor functions through action observation treatment: a pilot study in children with cerebral palsy. Dev Med Child Neurol 2012;54(9),822-828.