Klinische Neurophysiologie 2008; 39 - A48
DOI: 10.1055/s-2008-1072850

Neuroplasticity after Constraint Induced Movement Therapy: Patients with ipsilateral cortico-spinal organisation

N Kuhnke 1, H Juenger 2, M Walther 1, M Linder-Lucht 1, I Körte 3, T Hadyk 3, V Henschel 3, S Berweck 3, M Staudt 2, V Mall 1
  • 1Universitätskinderklinik, Neuropädiatrie, Freiburg
  • 2Universitätskinderklinik, Neuropädiatrie, Tübingen
  • 3Dr. von Haunersches Kinderspital, Neuropädiatrie, München

Objective: Constraint induced movement therapy (CIMT) is a promising rehabilitation technique optimizing motor-learning in patients with spastic hemiparesis. Here, we describe neuroplastic effects after two weeks of CIMT in patients with ipsilateral cortico-spinal (re-)organization.

Methods: 8 patients with congenital hemiparesis (mean age: 16.6 years), unilateral periventricular white matter lesions and exclusively ipsilateral cortico-spinal projections to the paretic hand were included. The Wolf motor function test (WMFT) was used to evaluate hand function before and after treatment. fMRI during repetitive active movements of the paretic hand was performed in all patients. Furthermore changes of motor evoked potentials (MEP) after single and paired pulse (interstimulus intervals: 2, 3, 10 and 20ms) transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS) were studied.

Results: After CIMT, patients showed an improvement in the quality score of WMFT (pre 3.32±0.35, post 3.86±0.25, p=0.007) but not in the time dimension (pre 2.22±0.79, post 2.82±0.76, p=0.051). A decrease in fMRI activation was observed in the ipsilateral cortical hand representation during active movement of the paretic hand. A parallel decrease was detected for the single pulse TMS MEP amplitude (pre 0.90±0.21 mV, post 0.41±0,32 mV, p=0,035). Furthermore, these patients showed a significant intracortical disinhibition by factor 1.95 (1.63–2.3, KI 95%; log (ICI) 0,47–0,85, KI 95%) compared to the representation of the non-paretic hand.

Conclusion: Patients with unilateral periventricular white matter lesions and ipsilateral cortico-spinal projections to the paretic hand did not show a clear functional benefit after CIMT. Intracortical disinhibition after training is in accordance to the findings after hand motor training in healthy subjects, however, paradox neuroplasticity was detected as decreased motor cortex excitability (TMS) and decreased BOLD-effect (fMRI) after CIMT.