Curative effect of feedback functional electrical stimulation treatment on upper limb movement functions in patients with stroke and its mechanism: a fMRI study / 中华神经医学杂志

ABSTRACT

Objective To explore the effect of feedback functional electrical stimulation (BFES) treatment on upper limb movement functions in patients with stroke and analyze its mechanism with functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI).Methods Twenty-one inpatients with stroke were chose in our study from 2011 August to 2012 December.They were hemiplegy,and their wrist dorsiflexion ranges of motion of hemiplegic limbs were greater than 15 degrees; their muscular tension was equal or less than modified Ashworth I+,and they could complete some active movements.The patients were randomly divided into BFES treatment group (n=8),functional electrical stimulation treatment (FES) group(n=7) and conventional rehabilitation group (n=6).Three groups of patients were given routine drug treatment and rehabilitation treatment.They were assessed with Fugl-Meyer scale (upper limbs),wrist flexion and M1 of fMRI before treatment and 4 weeks after treatment.Results The scores of Fugl-Meyer (upper limbs) and wrist extension improved after treatment in 3 groups,and the BFES group enjoyed more obvious effect than the other groups (P＜0.05); 4 weeks after treatment,the three groups of patients affected brain areas activated M1 area strength improved more significantly as compared with those before treatment,where BFES treatment group showed statistically difference (P＜0.05).Conclusion Both FES and BFES treatment can improve the motor recovery of upper limbs after stroke and they can contribute to brain functional reorganization,BFES,as compared with FES,is more effective.