Lidocaine iontophoresis combined with physical therapy interventions for children with spastic hemiplegic cerebral palsy

Abstract

using subjects with stroke, we also wanted to shed light on a long standing question regarding the underling neural mechanism of a more pronounced decrease in concentric strength following stroke. Methods: Functional magnetic resonance imaging was used to examine differences in VLPFC and motor regions during the concentric and the eccentric phase of imagined maximum contractions in a selected sample of subjects with stroke (n= 4). The subjects were included as they exhibited disturbed modulation of force. Results: The previously demonstrated pattern within VLPFC was evident only on the contralesional hemisphere. On the ipsilesional hemisphere, the recruitment in VLPFC was similar for both modes of contractions. Conclusion(s): The findings support a hypothesis of an involvement of VLPFC in contraction mode-specific modulation of maximum force production. A lack of the expected motor inhibition during eccentric contractions is a suggested mechanism behind a better-preserved eccentric strength among subjects with stroke. The data in this study opens up for another explanation behind a better preservation of eccentric strength among subjects with stroke that fits into the clinical picture of a general strength reduction. Implications: A lack of contraction mode specific modulation of motor activation among stroke subjects, often expressed as an increased ratio between eccentric and concentric strength may be explained by disturbed pre-frontally mediated motor inhibition.