Abstract
Functional plasticity of the sensorimotor cortex occurs following motor practice, as well as after limb amputation. However, the joint effect of limb amputation and intensive, long-term motor practice on cortical plasticity remains unclear. Here, we recorded brain activity during unilateral contraction of the hip, knee, and ankle joint muscles from a long jump Paralympic gold medalist with a unilateral below-knee amputation (Amputee Long Jumper, ALJ). He used the amputated leg with a prosthesis for take-off. Under similar conditions to the ALJ, we also recorded brain activity from healthy long jumpers (HLJ) and non-athletes with a below-knee amputation. During a rhythmic isometric contraction of knee extensor muscles with the take-off/prosthetic leg, the ALJ activated not only the contralateral primary sensorimotor cortex (M1/S1), but also the ipsilateral M1/S1. In addition, this ipsilateral M1/S1 activation was significantly greater than that seen in the HLJ. However, we did not find any significant differences between the ALJ and HLJ in M1/S1 activation during knee muscle contraction in the non-take-off/intact leg, nor during hip muscle contraction on either side. Region of interest analysis revealed that the ALJ exhibited a greater difference in M1/S1 activity and activated areas ipsilateral to the movement side between the take-off/prosthetic and non-take-off/intact legs during knee muscle contraction compared with the other two groups. However, difference in activity in M1/S1 contralateral to the movement side did not differ across groups. These results suggest that a combination of below-knee amputation and intensive, prolonged long jump training using a prosthesis (i.e. fine knee joint control) induced an expansion of the functional representation of the take-off/prosthetic leg in the ipsilateral M1/S1 in a muscle-specific manner. These results provide novel insights into the potential for substantial cortical plasticity with an extensive motor rehabilitation program.
| Original language | English |
|---|---|
| Article number | 101847 |
| Journal | NeuroImage: Clinical |
| Volume | 23 |
| DOIs | |
| Publication status | Published - 2019 Jan 1 |
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Keywords
- Amputee
- Athlete
- Motor learning
- Plasticity
- Prosthesis
- Rehabilitation
ASJC Scopus subject areas
- Radiology Nuclear Medicine and imaging
- Neurology
- Clinical Neurology
- Cognitive Neuroscience
Cite this
Functional plasticity of the ipsilateral primary sensorimotor cortex in an elite long jumper with below-knee amputation. / Mizuguchi, Nobuaki; Nakagawa, Kento; Tazawa, Yutaka; Kanosue, Kazuyuki; Nakazawa, Kimitaka.
In: NeuroImage: Clinical, Vol. 23, 101847, 01.01.2019.Research output: Contribution to journal › Article
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TY - JOUR
T1 - Functional plasticity of the ipsilateral primary sensorimotor cortex in an elite long jumper with below-knee amputation
AU - Mizuguchi, Nobuaki
AU - Nakagawa, Kento
AU - Tazawa, Yutaka
AU - Kanosue, Kazuyuki
AU - Nakazawa, Kimitaka
PY - 2019/1/1
Y1 - 2019/1/1
N2 - Functional plasticity of the sensorimotor cortex occurs following motor practice, as well as after limb amputation. However, the joint effect of limb amputation and intensive, long-term motor practice on cortical plasticity remains unclear. Here, we recorded brain activity during unilateral contraction of the hip, knee, and ankle joint muscles from a long jump Paralympic gold medalist with a unilateral below-knee amputation (Amputee Long Jumper, ALJ). He used the amputated leg with a prosthesis for take-off. Under similar conditions to the ALJ, we also recorded brain activity from healthy long jumpers (HLJ) and non-athletes with a below-knee amputation. During a rhythmic isometric contraction of knee extensor muscles with the take-off/prosthetic leg, the ALJ activated not only the contralateral primary sensorimotor cortex (M1/S1), but also the ipsilateral M1/S1. In addition, this ipsilateral M1/S1 activation was significantly greater than that seen in the HLJ. However, we did not find any significant differences between the ALJ and HLJ in M1/S1 activation during knee muscle contraction in the non-take-off/intact leg, nor during hip muscle contraction on either side. Region of interest analysis revealed that the ALJ exhibited a greater difference in M1/S1 activity and activated areas ipsilateral to the movement side between the take-off/prosthetic and non-take-off/intact legs during knee muscle contraction compared with the other two groups. However, difference in activity in M1/S1 contralateral to the movement side did not differ across groups. These results suggest that a combination of below-knee amputation and intensive, prolonged long jump training using a prosthesis (i.e. fine knee joint control) induced an expansion of the functional representation of the take-off/prosthetic leg in the ipsilateral M1/S1 in a muscle-specific manner. These results provide novel insights into the potential for substantial cortical plasticity with an extensive motor rehabilitation program.
AB - Functional plasticity of the sensorimotor cortex occurs following motor practice, as well as after limb amputation. However, the joint effect of limb amputation and intensive, long-term motor practice on cortical plasticity remains unclear. Here, we recorded brain activity during unilateral contraction of the hip, knee, and ankle joint muscles from a long jump Paralympic gold medalist with a unilateral below-knee amputation (Amputee Long Jumper, ALJ). He used the amputated leg with a prosthesis for take-off. Under similar conditions to the ALJ, we also recorded brain activity from healthy long jumpers (HLJ) and non-athletes with a below-knee amputation. During a rhythmic isometric contraction of knee extensor muscles with the take-off/prosthetic leg, the ALJ activated not only the contralateral primary sensorimotor cortex (M1/S1), but also the ipsilateral M1/S1. In addition, this ipsilateral M1/S1 activation was significantly greater than that seen in the HLJ. However, we did not find any significant differences between the ALJ and HLJ in M1/S1 activation during knee muscle contraction in the non-take-off/intact leg, nor during hip muscle contraction on either side. Region of interest analysis revealed that the ALJ exhibited a greater difference in M1/S1 activity and activated areas ipsilateral to the movement side between the take-off/prosthetic and non-take-off/intact legs during knee muscle contraction compared with the other two groups. However, difference in activity in M1/S1 contralateral to the movement side did not differ across groups. These results suggest that a combination of below-knee amputation and intensive, prolonged long jump training using a prosthesis (i.e. fine knee joint control) induced an expansion of the functional representation of the take-off/prosthetic leg in the ipsilateral M1/S1 in a muscle-specific manner. These results provide novel insights into the potential for substantial cortical plasticity with an extensive motor rehabilitation program.
KW - Amputee
KW - Athlete
KW - Motor learning
KW - Plasticity
KW - Prosthesis
KW - Rehabilitation
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=85065617849&partnerID=8YFLogxK
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/citedby.url?scp=85065617849&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.1016/j.nicl.2019.101847
DO - 10.1016/j.nicl.2019.101847
M3 - Article
AN - SCOPUS:85065617849
VL - 23
JO - NeuroImage: Clinical
JF - NeuroImage: Clinical
SN - 2213-1582
M1 - 101847
ER -