Effect of kinesthetic illusion elicited by tendon vibration on stroke patients

Abstract

The aim of this study was to examine the influence of vibratory stimulationinduced kinesthetic illusion on brain function with hemiparetic stroke patients by using EEG analysis. Ten stroke patients were studied. The subjects did not exhibit motor and sensory paralysis. Brain waves were measured in the resting condition and in the presence of vibratory stimulation. As a neurophysiological index to evaluate brain function, the μ-rhythm, which is present mainly in the kinesthetic cortex and is attenuated by movement or motor images, was used. Calculated data were compared using analyses of Source Localization by the eLORETA. The results showed that, in the resting condition, the kinesthetic cortical μ-rhythm appeared in the sensorimotor cortex and supplementary motor cortex. In the vibratory stimulation condition, no μ-rhythm appeared in the sensorimotor cortex, These findings suggested that kinesthetic illusion increases the neural activities of the sensorimotor cortex.