scholarly journals Virtual Reality Augmented Feedback Rehabilitation Associated to Action Observation Therapy in Buccofacial Apraxia: Case Report

2021 ◽  
Vol 14 ◽  
pp. 117954762199457
Author(s):  
Daniele Emedoli ◽  
Maddalena Arosio ◽  
Andrea Tettamanti ◽  
Sandro Iannaccone
Keyword(s):  
Virtual Reality ◽  
Neural Plasticity ◽  
Action Observation ◽  
Voluntary Movements ◽  
Augmented Feedback ◽  
Lower Face ◽  
Facial Movements ◽  
Upper Face ◽  
The Central Nervous System ◽  
Buccofacial Apraxia

Background: Buccofacial Apraxia is defined as the inability to perform voluntary movements of the larynx, pharynx, mandible, tongue, lips and cheeks, while automatic or reflexive control of these structures is preserved. Buccofacial Apraxia frequently co-occurs with aphasia and apraxia of speech and it has been reported as almost exclusively resulting from a lesion of the left hemisphere. Recent studies have demonstrated the benefit of treating apraxia using motor training principles such as Augmented Feedback or Action Observation Therapy. In light of this, the study describes the treatment based on immersive Action Observation Therapy and Virtual Reality Augmented Feedback in a case of Buccofacial Apraxia. Participant and Methods: The participant is a right-handed 58-years-old male. He underwent a neurosurgery intervention of craniotomy and exeresis of infra axial expansive lesion in the frontoparietal convexity compatible with an atypical meningioma. Buccofacial Apraxia was diagnosed by a neurologist and evaluated by the Upper and Lower Face Apraxia Test. Buccofacial Apraxia was quantified also by a specific camera, with an appropriately developed software, able to detect the range of motion of automatic face movements and the range of the same movements on voluntary requests. In order to improve voluntary movements, the participant completed fifteen 1-hour rehabilitation sessions, composed of a 20-minutes immersive Action Observation Therapy followed by a 40-minutes Virtual Reality Augmented Feedback sessions, 5 days a week, for 3 consecutive weeks. Results: After treatment, participant achieved great improvements in quality and range of facial movements, performing most of the facial expressions (eg, kiss, smile, lateral angle of mouth displacement) without unsolicited movement. Furthermore, the Upper and Lower Face Apraxia Test showed an improvement of 118% for the Upper Face movements and of 200% for the Lower Face movements. Conclusion: Performing voluntary movement in a Virtual Reality environment with Augmented Feedbacks, in addition to Action Observation Therapy, improved performances of facial gestures and consolidate the activations by the central nervous system based on principles of experience-dependent neural plasticity.

NIKOLAI ALEKSANDROVICH BERNSTEIN — PIONEER IN CONTROL AND CYBERNETICS

2010 ◽  
Vol 07 (01) ◽  
pp. 213-222 ◽  
Author(s):  
MIOMIR VUKOBRATOVIĆ ◽  
MILOŠ JOVANOVIĆ
Keyword(s):  
Motor Behavior ◽  
Mathematical Formulation ◽  
Voluntary Movements ◽  
Vital Activity ◽  
Dynamic Regulation ◽  
Ocular Accommodation ◽  
Pupillary Reaction ◽  
Human Movements ◽  
The Central Nervous System ◽  
Physiological Theory

The article presents the facts about the pioneering research results of Professor Nikolai Bernstein in the area of man's voluntary movements. Relevant data are given concerning the priority of introducing the notion of feedback in the process of active voluntary human movements, twelve years before the known Wiener's publication. Bernstein demonstrated how the problems of general physiology can be explored in terms of the structural analysis of movements. He dealt with the most important aspects of the vital activity of higher organisms, and how this has been accorded the place in physiology and, when it developed, promised to be of the greatest value in cybernetics and in the exact mathematical formulation of a physiological theory of motor behavior. In his research, Bernstein modeled the function of the central nervous system and offered the cyberneticists a system for the development of analogs for experimental model-making that was not only incomparably richer than examples of internal stabilizing processes (blood-pressure, temperature and sugar-level regulating systems, for example), and also more complex than the systems of dynamic regulation that have already been studied in some depth, such as the mechanisms of ocular accommodation, or of the pupillary reaction.

scholarly journals Eye Gaze Correlates of Motor Impairment in VR Observation of Motor Actions

2016 ◽  
Vol 55 (01) ◽  
pp. 79-83 ◽  
Author(s):  
A. Vourvopoulos ◽  
A. Bernardino ◽  
i Bermúdez Badia ◽  
J. Alves
Keyword(s):  
Virtual Reality ◽  
Smooth Pursuit ◽  
Healthy Subjects ◽  
Eye Gaze ◽  
Action Observation ◽  
Motor Impairment ◽  
Motor Deficits ◽  
Stroke Patients ◽  
Motor Actions ◽  
Healthy Participants

Summary Introduction: This article is part of the Focus Theme of Methods of Information in Medicine on “Methodologies, Models and Algorithms for Patients Rehabilitation”. Objective: Identify eye gaze correlates of motor impairment in a virtual reality motor observation task in a study with healthy participants and stroke patients. Methods: Participants consisted of a group of healthy subjects (N = 20) and a group of stroke survivors (N = 10). Both groups were required to observe a simple reach-and-grab and place-and-release task in a virtual environment. Additionally, healthy subjects were required to observe the task in a normal condition and a constrained movement condition. Eye movements were recorded during the observation task for later analysis. Results: For healthy participants, results showed differences in gaze metrics when comparing the normal and arm-constrained conditions. Differences in gaze metrics were also found when comparing dominant and non-dominant arm for saccades and smooth pursuit events. For stroke patients, results showed longer smooth pursuit segments in action observation when observing the paretic arm, thus providing evidence that the affected circuitry may be activated for eye gaze control during observation of the simulated motor action. Conclusions: This study suggests that neural motor circuits are involved, at multiple levels, in observation of motor actions displayed in a virtual reality environment. Thus, eye tracking combined with action observation tasks in a virtual reality display can be used to monitor motor deficits derived from stroke, and consequently can also be used for re -habilitation of stroke patients.

scholarly journals Adiponectin and Cognitive Decline

2020 ◽  
Vol 21 (6) ◽  
pp. 2010 ◽  
Author(s):  
Maria Rosaria Rizzo ◽  
Renata Fasano ◽  
Giuseppe Paolisso
Keyword(s):  
Central Nervous System ◽  
Nervous System ◽  
Cognitive Decline ◽  
Neural Plasticity ◽  
Verbal Memory ◽  
Main Role ◽  
Menopausal Women ◽  
The Central Nervous System ◽  
The Relationship ◽  
The Brain

Adiponectin (ADPN) is a plasma protein secreted by adipose tissue showing pleiotropic effects with anti-diabetic, anti-atherogenic, and anti-inflammatory properties. Initially, it was thought that the main role was only the metabolism control. Later, ADPN receptors were also found in the central nervous system (CNS). In fact, the receptors AdipoR1 and AdipoR2 are expressed in various areas of the brain, including the hypothalamus, hippocampus, and cortex. While AdipoR1 regulates insulin sensitivity through the activation of the AMP-activated protein kinase (AMPK) pathway, AdipoR2 stimulates the neural plasticity through the activation of the peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor alpha (PPARα) pathway that inhibits inflammation and oxidative stress. Overall, based on its central and peripheral actions, ADPN appears to have neuroprotective effects by reducing inflammatory markers, such as C-reactive protein (PCR), interleukin 6 (IL6), and Tumor Necrosis Factor a (TNFa). Conversely, high levels of inflammatory cascade factors appear to inhibit the production of ADPN, suggesting bidirectional modulation. In addition, ADPN appears to have insulin-sensitizing action. It is known that a reduction in insulin signaling is associated with cognitive impairment. Based on this, it is of great interest to investigate the mechanism of restoration of the insulin signal in the brain as an action of ADPN, because it is useful for testing a possible pharmacological treatment for the improvement of cognitive decline. Anyway, if ADPN regulates neuronal functioning and cognitive performances by the glycemic metabolic system remains poorly explored. Moreover, although the mechanism is still unclear, women compared to men have a doubled risk of developing cognitive decline. Several studies have also supported that during the menopausal transition, the estrogen reduction can adversely affect the brain, in particular, verbal memory and verbal fluency. During the postmenopausal period, in obese and insulin-resistant individuals, ADPN serum levels are significantly reduced. Our recent study has evaluated the relationship between plasma ADPN levels and cognitive performances in menopausal women. Thus, the aim of this review is to summarize both the mechanisms and the effects of ADPN in the central nervous system and the relationship between plasma ADPN levels and cognitive performances, also in menopausal women.

scholarly journals IGF-1 Restores Visual Cortex Plasticity in Adult Life by Reducing Local GABA Levels

2012 ◽  
Vol 2012 ◽  
pp. 1-10 ◽  
Author(s):  
José Fernando Maya-Vetencourt ◽  
Laura Baroncelli ◽  
Alessandro Viegi ◽  
Ettore Tiraboschi ◽  
Eero Castren ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Nervous System ◽  
Visual Cortex ◽  
Neural Plasticity ◽  
Cortical Neurons ◽  
Environmental Enrichment ◽  
Adult Life ◽  
Monocular Deprivation ◽  
Adult Brain ◽  
Environmental Stimulation ◽  
The Central Nervous System

The central nervous system architecture is markedly modified by sensory experience during early life, but a decline of plasticity occurs with age. Recent studies have challenged this dogma providing evidence that both pharmacological treatments and paradigms based on the manipulation of environmental stimulation levels can be successfully employed as strategies for enhancing plasticity in the adult nervous system. Insulin-like growth factor 1 (IGF-1) is a peptide implicated in prenatal and postnatal phases of brain development such as neurogenesis, neuronal differentiation, synaptogenesis, and experience-dependent plasticity. Here, using the visual system as a paradigmatic model, we report that IGF-1 reactivates neural plasticity in the adult brain. Exogenous administration of IGF-1 in the adult visual cortex, indeed, restores the susceptibility of cortical neurons to monocular deprivation and promotes the recovery of normal visual functions in adult amblyopic animals. These effects were accompanied by a marked reduction of intracortical GABA levels. Moreover, we show that a transitory increase of IGF-1 expression is associated to the plasticity reinstatement induced by environmental enrichment (EE) and that blocking IGF-1 action by means of the IGF-1 receptor antagonist JB1 prevents EE effects on plasticity processes.

scholarly journals Anthropometric Analysis of the Growth Proportions of the Head and Face in Koreans.

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
In-Seung Yeo ◽  
Jung-Ah Park ◽  
Hye-In Lee ◽  
Ki-Seok Koh ◽  
Wu-Chul Song
Keyword(s):  
Age Groups ◽  
Morphological Characteristics ◽  
Lower Face ◽  
Face Height ◽  
Face Length ◽  
Upper Face ◽  
Males And Females ◽  
Growth Changes ◽  
Head Height ◽  
Lateral Head

Abstract The present study is to identify primarily the morphological characteristics in the growth proportion of the head and face for young Korean (8~24 years) and compare the magnitude of growth changes to the sex-related differences. Total 1,255 were divided into 3 age groups: childhood (8~10 years), adolescence (14~16 years), and young adult (20~24 years). The anthropometric assessments were performed with 11 landmarks on the head and facial dimensions. The standardized frontal and lateral head and face photographs were analyzed the craniofacial growth proportions and morphological features for the comparison of both sexes. The noteworthy differences of anthropometric measurements between sexes with growing were noted on the lower head height (22.6%, 17.8%), midface height (22.0%, 19.6%), lower face height (23.5%, 14.7%), and face length (21.1%, 14.9%), face breadth (14.8%, 11.3%) of males and females, respectively. Whereas the upper head height (7.9%, 6.0%) and upper face height (4.2%, 0%, respectively) were less growing features. The most remarkable changes are the dimension of midface height and lower face height in both sexes. The present study could demonstrate a fundamental example to elucidate the sex-related dimensional differences for the analysis of the growth proportion of both sexes in Koreans.

scholarly journals Biochemical Features and Physiological Roles of hNP22 in the Central Nervous System

2021 ◽  
Vol 9 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ji Wu ◽  
Yun-Yi Wang ◽  
Xi-Wen Yang ◽  
Xiao-Tian Zhang ◽  
Jia-Yi Tang
Keyword(s):  
Neural Plasticity ◽  
Neurological Disorders ◽  
Neural Differentiation ◽  
Specific Protein ◽  
Physical Structure ◽  
Biological Functions ◽  
Neuronal Processes ◽  
Associated Proteins ◽  
The Central Nervous System ◽  
Biochemical Features

hNP22, a novel neuron-specific protein that interacts with both actin filaments and microtubules, was found to be highly homologous to the smooth muscle cell cytoskeleton-associated proteins human SM22α and rat acidic calponin. In recent years, functions of hNP22 such as the promotion of neural differentiation and enhancement of neural plasticity, have been described, as well as potential roles of hNP22 in schizophrenia and alcohol-related brain damage (ARBD). Because of the potential roles of hNP22 in neuronal processes and its potential implications in diseases, hNP22 has emerged as a research target. In this paper, we review the gene structure, possible modifications, and functions of the hNP22 protein, as well as its potential clinical significance. Based on its physical structure and previous studies, we speculate that hNP22 has potential biological functions in neurological disorders, such as schizophrenia and ARBD.

scholarly journals EXERCISES WITH AND WITHOUT VIRTUAL REALITY ON PAIN IN PATIENTS WITH PARKINSON DISEASE: A RANDOMIZED, CONTROLLED, SINGLE-BLIND TRIAL

2017 ◽  
Vol 5 (4) ◽  
pp. 144-152
Author(s):  
Matheus Silva D'Alencar ◽  
Jean Ribeiro ◽  
Rafael Cruz ◽  
Kátia Sá ◽  
Elen Pinto ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Virtual Reality ◽  
Parkinson Disease ◽  
Pain Intensity ◽  
Functional Performance ◽  
Positive Impact ◽  
Exercise Program ◽  
Berg Balance Scale ◽  
Functional Markers ◽  
Before And After ◽  
The Central Nervous System

Introduction: Pain in individuals with Parkinson's Disease (PD) may result from factors such as progressive changes of the disease, originating from the Central Nervous System (CNS), until coming from classic symptoms such as stiffness, dyskinesia and dystonia, having possible correlations with important functional markers such as balance and gait. There is no consensus with regard to the treatment of pain in this condition, and exercises associated with virtual reality (VR) may be an effective intervention. Objective: To evaluate the influence of an exercise program associated with virtual reality (VR) on pain intensity, correlating changes in this symptom with the functional performance of elders with Parkinson Disease (PD). Design: randomized comparative clinical trial. Setting: clinical facility from a school of physiotherapy in Brazil. Participants: 29 elders with PD. Interventions: exercises with VR and exercises without VR. Main Outcome Measures: pain, balance and gait, evaluated before and after 10 sessions, by Visual Analog Scale (VAS), Berg Balance Scale and 10 Meter Walk Test. Results: Reduction in pain intensity in the VR Group, and groups improved their balance and gait performance. Significant correlation was between the improvement in pain intensity and reduction in gait timing in the non VR Group (r = 0.713; p < 0.005). Conclusion: VR in elders with PD may be a tool for reducing pain intensity, and independently of the type, physical exercises had positive impact on their functional performance.

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