Functional Connectivity In Relation To Proprioception and Sensorimotor Recovery in Stroke Patients (Feasibility Study)

Functional Connectivity In Relation To Proprioception and Sensorimotor Recovery in Stroke Patients (Feasibility Study)

The purpose now is to:

1. identify brain connections related to proprioception to have a better understanding of differences between people with stroke and healthy persons
2. evaluate how these brain connections will change in people with stroke when they are engaged in 6-week cognitive multisensory rehabilitation.

Inclusion Criteria:

Inclusion criteria for healthy subjects are:

• medically stable;
• 18 - 99 years of age;
• able to hear the instructions given during the study

Inclusion criteria for stroke patients are:

• at least 6 months post-stroke;
• medically stable;
• 18 - 99 years of age;
• subcortical or cortical infarct confirmed with MRI;
• Mini-mental State Exam > 24/30 (Folstein et al., 1975);
• able to hear the instructions given during the study;
• able to comprehend the instructions given during the study;
• able to commit time to participate in a 6-12-weeks rehabilitation program

Exclusion Criteria:

• having ever experienced a stroke or another brain injury or illness related to the brain that has lasting effects or effects experienced at the moment of recruitment;
• severe sensory impairments such that different movements of the finger, hand or wrist are not reliably felt;
• contractures in tested arm that hinder persons from keeping the outstretched arm in a relaxed position;
• interfering comorbidities (e.g. fracture, cancer, peripheral neuropathy);
• exhibit contra-indications to enter the magnetic field of the 3T (pacemakers, metal parts in the body etc);
• pregnant or nursing mother;
• adults lacking capacity to consent