Brain Neurorehabil.  2008 Mar;1(1):29-34. 10.12786/bn.2008.1.1.29.

Neuroplasticity Induced by Robot-assisted Gait Training in a Stroke Patient: A case report

• Yoo JS
• Park CH
• Ha HG
• Shin HJ
• Huh JP
• Kim YH

• KMID: 2308691
• DOI: http://doi.org/10.12786/bn.2008.1.1.29

Abstract

In this case study, we investigated the effects of robot-assisted gait training on the plasticity of motor system in a stroke patient using functional MRI. A patient who suffered from the left hemiparesis following the right MCA infarction performed gait training with a robot-assisted gait orthosis. Before and after gait training, motor performances were assessed and functional MRIs were acquired with motor activation task of affected lower limb. After gait training with a robot-assisted orthosis, the patient's motor performances were improved and cortical activities were changed. Activation in the ipsilesional primary sensorimotor cortex was increased and cortical reorganization was induced in a way that nearby regions were recruited for the movement of affected lower limb. The results of this study showed that gait training with a robot-assisted orthosis induced cortical reorganization of the motor network that resulted in enhancement of motor performance of the lower limb.

Keyword

reorganization; robot-assisted gait training; stroke