Dev Neurorehabil. 2024 Oct 6:1-9. doi: 10.1080/17518423.2024.2410184. Online ahead of print.
ABSTRACT
PURPOSE: Identify relations of gross motor function and primary motor cortex (M1) functional activity pre and post gross motor interventions for children with unilateral cerebral palsy (UCP).
METHODS: Thirteen children with UCP completed a gross motor intervention. Pre/post-intervention functional MRI outcomes included the laterality index (LI), activation volume, and spatial overlap of M1 activation during active ankle dorsiflexion. Advanced gross motor function (Challenge) was assessed pre/post-intervention, and 2-6 months later. Bivariate correlations and linear regression assessed relations between neuroimaging and motor function.
RESULTS: Mean pre-intervention M1 activity was contralateral during dominant (LI = +0.85, SD 0.21) but variable during the affected (LI = +0.43, SD 0.57) ankle dorsiflexion. Changes in motor function and neuroimaging outcomes were not significantly associated. However, smaller affected ankle activation and less spatial overlap between ankle activations pre-intervention predicted Challenge improvements post-intervention (adjusted R2 = 0.74, p = .001.).
CONCLUSIONS: This exploratory study identified pre-intervention neuroimaging predictors of post-intervention improvements in advanced gross motor function.
PMID:39369290 | DOI:10.1080/17518423.2024.2410184
