Abstract
Background: Rehabilitation seems to promote brain plasticity, but objective measures of efficacy are lacking and there is a limited understanding of the mechanisms underlying functional recovery. Objective: To study functional and structural brain changes induced by gait rehabilitation. Methods: We enrolled MS inpatients (EDSS 4.5–6.5) undergoing a 4-week neurorehabilitation. Several clinical measures were obtained, including: 2-min walk test (2MWT), dynamic gait index (DGI), Berg balance scale (BBS). Furthermore, motor-task functional MRI (fMRI) of plantar dorsiflexion, resting state fMRI, and regional diffusion tensor imaging (DTI) metrics were obtained. All the assessments were performed at baseline (T0), after the end of the rehabilitation period (T1) and 3 months later (T2). Results: Twenty-nine patients were enrolled at T0, 26 at T1, and 16 completed all timepoints. At T1, there was a significant improvement of 2MWT, DGI, and BBS scores, along with a reduced extent of the widespread activation related to the motor task at the fMRI and an increased functional connectivity in the precentral and post-central gyrus, bilaterally. None of these changes were maintained at T2. Conclusions: Our findings show a short-term beneficial effect of motor rehabilitation on gait performances in MS, accompanied by brain functional reorganization in the sensory-motor network.
| Original language | English |
|---|---|
| Pages (from-to) | 1-9 |
| Number of pages | 9 |
| Journal | Journal of Neurology |
| DOIs | |
| Publication status | Published - Jun 2018 |
Fingerprint
Keywords
- DTI
- fMRI
- Multiple sclerosis
- Plasticity
- Rehabilitation
ASJC Scopus subject areas
- Neurology
- Clinical Neurology
Cite this
Effects of motor rehabilitation on mobility and brain plasticity in multiple sclerosis : a structural and functional MRI study. / Tavazzi, Eleonora; Bergsland, Niels; Cattaneo, Davide; Gervasoni, Elisa; Laganà, Maria Marcella; Dipasquale, Ottavia; Grosso, Cristina; Saibene, Francesca Lea; Baglio, Francesca; Rovaris, Marco.
In: Journal of Neurology, 06.2018, p. 1-9.Research output: Contribution to journal › Article
}
TY - JOUR
T1 - Effects of motor rehabilitation on mobility and brain plasticity in multiple sclerosis
T2 - a structural and functional MRI study
AU - Tavazzi, Eleonora
AU - Bergsland, Niels
AU - Cattaneo, Davide
AU - Gervasoni, Elisa
AU - Laganà, Maria Marcella
AU - Dipasquale, Ottavia
AU - Grosso, Cristina
AU - Saibene, Francesca Lea
AU - Baglio, Francesca
AU - Rovaris, Marco
PY - 2018/6
Y1 - 2018/6
N2 - Background: Rehabilitation seems to promote brain plasticity, but objective measures of efficacy are lacking and there is a limited understanding of the mechanisms underlying functional recovery. Objective: To study functional and structural brain changes induced by gait rehabilitation. Methods: We enrolled MS inpatients (EDSS 4.5–6.5) undergoing a 4-week neurorehabilitation. Several clinical measures were obtained, including: 2-min walk test (2MWT), dynamic gait index (DGI), Berg balance scale (BBS). Furthermore, motor-task functional MRI (fMRI) of plantar dorsiflexion, resting state fMRI, and regional diffusion tensor imaging (DTI) metrics were obtained. All the assessments were performed at baseline (T0), after the end of the rehabilitation period (T1) and 3 months later (T2). Results: Twenty-nine patients were enrolled at T0, 26 at T1, and 16 completed all timepoints. At T1, there was a significant improvement of 2MWT, DGI, and BBS scores, along with a reduced extent of the widespread activation related to the motor task at the fMRI and an increased functional connectivity in the precentral and post-central gyrus, bilaterally. None of these changes were maintained at T2. Conclusions: Our findings show a short-term beneficial effect of motor rehabilitation on gait performances in MS, accompanied by brain functional reorganization in the sensory-motor network.
AB - Background: Rehabilitation seems to promote brain plasticity, but objective measures of efficacy are lacking and there is a limited understanding of the mechanisms underlying functional recovery. Objective: To study functional and structural brain changes induced by gait rehabilitation. Methods: We enrolled MS inpatients (EDSS 4.5–6.5) undergoing a 4-week neurorehabilitation. Several clinical measures were obtained, including: 2-min walk test (2MWT), dynamic gait index (DGI), Berg balance scale (BBS). Furthermore, motor-task functional MRI (fMRI) of plantar dorsiflexion, resting state fMRI, and regional diffusion tensor imaging (DTI) metrics were obtained. All the assessments were performed at baseline (T0), after the end of the rehabilitation period (T1) and 3 months later (T2). Results: Twenty-nine patients were enrolled at T0, 26 at T1, and 16 completed all timepoints. At T1, there was a significant improvement of 2MWT, DGI, and BBS scores, along with a reduced extent of the widespread activation related to the motor task at the fMRI and an increased functional connectivity in the precentral and post-central gyrus, bilaterally. None of these changes were maintained at T2. Conclusions: Our findings show a short-term beneficial effect of motor rehabilitation on gait performances in MS, accompanied by brain functional reorganization in the sensory-motor network.
KW - DTI
KW - fMRI
KW - Multiple sclerosis
KW - Plasticity
KW - Rehabilitation
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=85045040865&partnerID=8YFLogxK
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/citedby.url?scp=85045040865&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.1007/s00415-018-8859-y
DO - 10.1007/s00415-018-8859-y
M3 - Article
AN - SCOPUS:85045040865
SP - 1
EP - 9
JO - Journal of Neurology
JF - Journal of Neurology
SN - 0340-5354
ER -