Effects of Mirror Therapy on Upper Limb Motor Function and Corticospinal Tract Remodeling after Stroke: A Diffusion Tensor Imaging Study / 中国康复理论与实践

ABSTRACT

Objective:To explore the effects of mirror therapy on upper limb motor function recovery and corticospinal tract remodeling after stroke. Methods:From March, 2017 to March, 2019, 42 subcortical stroke patients with upper limb dysfunction from Shanghai Fifth People's Hospital were randomly divided into control group (n = 21) and observation group (n = 21). Both groups received routine rehabiliation, while the observation group received mirror therapy additionally, for twelve weeks. They were assessed with Fugl-Meyer Assessment-Upper Extremities (FMA-UE), and scanned with diffusion tensor imaging (DTI) before and after treatment. The fractional anisotropy (FA) in posterior limb of internal capsule (PLIC) was obtained. Results:The scores of FMA-UE improved in both groups after treatment (t > 9.560, P < 0.001), and improved more in the observation group than in the control group (t > 2.634, P < 0.05). FA decreased significantly in the affected-lateral PLIC compared with that in the unaffected-lateral PLIC in both groups (t > 11.368, P < 0.001). FA in the affected side increased significantly after treatment in the observation group (t = 2.385, P < 0.05), while there was no significant difference in the control group (t = -0.596, P > 0.05). FA increased more significantly in the observation group than in the control group (t = 2.306, P < 0.05). Conclusion:Mirror therapy can promote the recovery of motor function of upper limb and the corticospinal tract remodeling in stroke patients.