A comparison of hemisphere-specific training pattern in Inter-limb Learning Transfer (ILT) for stroke patients with hemiparesis

作者：Yoo In gyu; Jung Min ye^*; Yoo Eun young; Park Ji hyuk; Kang Dae hyuk; Lee Jin

来源：NeuroRehabilitation, 2014, 34(2): 277-286.

DOI：10.3233/NRE-131040

• Electromyography
• hemisphere
• inter-limb learning transfer

BACKGROUND: Stroke patients have major problems with impaired upper-extremity function. Unfortunately, many patients do not experience a full recovery from movement deficits in the upper extremities.
OBJECTIVES: The purpose of this study was to compare the effectiveness of inter-limb learning transfer (ILT) to the contralateral upper limb after both hemisphere-specific and - unspecific ipsilateral upper limb training for stroke patients with hemiparesis.
METHODS: Twenty-four stroke patients with hemiparesis participated. The hemisphere-specific training group performed reaching movements in a customized training setting in which non-dominant limb training participants began from a single starting location and proceeded to one of three target locations (1S3T condition); the dominant limb training participants started from one of three starting locations and proceeded to a single target location (3S1T condition). The hemisphere-unspecific training group performed these movements starting under reverse-start and target conditions.
RESULTS: The non-dominant to dominant limb transfer, the hemisphere-specific training group performance time decreased significantly as compared with the pre-training session (p < 0.05). Also, the isolation contraction ratio was decreased significantly from that of the pre-training session in the biceps brachii muscles and increased significantly in the upper trapezius muscles (p < 0.05). And, dominant to non-dominant limb transfer in the hemisphere-specific training group significantly increased RMS amplitudes from the pre-training session in the biceps brachii and triceps muscles (p < 0.05). Also, the isolation contraction ratio was increased significantly from that of the pre-training session in the biceps brachii muscles and decreased significantly in the upper trapezius muscles (p < 0.05). However, the hemisphere-unspecific training group showed no significant differences in inter-limb learning transfer (ILT).
CONCLUSION: The transfer of hemisphere-specific training from one arm to the other had a more positive influence on functional recovery than did hemisphere-unspecific training for patients with stroke and hemiparesis.

• 出版日期2014