scholarly journals The Influence of Aging on the Functional Connectivity of the Human Basal Ganglia

2022 ◽  
Vol 13 ◽  
Author(s):  
Clara Rodriguez-Sabate ◽  
Ingrid Morales ◽  
Manuel Rodriguez
Keyword(s):  
Basal Ganglia ◽  
Functional Connectivity ◽  
Closed Loop ◽  
Marked Effect ◽  
Motor Task ◽  
Young Group ◽  
Motor Tasks ◽  
Functional Interaction ◽  
Aged Group ◽  
Aged People

Although basal ganglia (BG) are involved in the motor disorders of aged people, the effect of aging on the functional interaction of BG is not well-known. This work was aimed at studying the influence of aging on the functional connectivity of the motor circuit of BG (BGmC). Thirty healthy volunteers were studied (young-group 26.4 ± 5.7 years old; aged-group 63.1 ± 5.8 years old) with a procedure planned to prevent the spurious functional connectivity induced by the closed-loop arrangement of the BGmC. BG showed different functional interactions during the inter-task intervals and when subjects did not perform any voluntary task. Aging induced marked changes in the functional connectivity of the BGmC during these inter-task intervals. The finger movements changed the functional connectivity of the BG, these modifications were also different in the aged-group. Taken together, these data show a marked effect of aging on the functional connectivity of the BGmC, and these effects may be at the basis of the motor handicaps of aged people during the execution of motor-tasks and when they are not performing any voluntary motor task.

scholarly journals Strengthened Corticosubcortical Functional Connectivity during Muscle Fatigue

2016 ◽  
Vol 2016 ◽  
pp. 1-11 ◽  
Author(s):  
Zhiguo Jiang ◽  
Xiao-Feng Wang ◽  
Guang H. Yue
Keyword(s):  
Motor Control ◽  
Functional Connectivity ◽  
Quantile Regression ◽  
Muscle Fatigue ◽  
Motor Performance ◽  
Primary Motor Cortex ◽  
Motor Task ◽  
Voluntary Contraction ◽  
Control Network ◽  
Subcortical Structures

The present study examined functional connectivity (FC) between functional MRI (fMRI) signals of the primary motor cortex (M1) and each of the three subcortical neural structures, cerebellum (CB), basal ganglia (BG), and thalamus (TL), during muscle fatigue using the quantile regression technique. Understanding activation relation between the subcortical structures and the M1 during prolonged motor performance should help delineate how central motor control network modulates acute perturbations at peripheral sensorimotor system such as muscle fatigue. Ten healthy subjects participated in the study and completed a 20-minute intermittent handgrip motor task at 50% of their maximal voluntary contraction (MVC) level. Quantile regression analyses were carried out to compare the FC between the contralateral (left) M1 and CB, BG, and TL in the minimal (beginning 100 s) versus significant (ending 100 s) fatigue stages. Widespread, statistically significant increases in FC were found in bilateral BG, CB, and TL with the left M1 during significant versus minimal fatigue stages. Our results imply that these subcortical nuclei are critical components in the motor control network and actively involved in modulating voluntary muscle fatigue, possibly, by working together with the M1 to strengthen the descending central command to prolong the motor performance.

scholarly journals Source Detection and Functional Connectivity of the Sensorimotor Cortex during Actual and Imaginary Limb Movement: A Preliminary Study on the Implementation of eConnectome in Motor Imagery Protocols

2012 ◽  
Vol 2012 ◽  
pp. 1-10 ◽  
Author(s):  
Alkinoos Athanasiou ◽  
Chrysa Lithari ◽  
Konstantina Kalogianni ◽  
Manousos A. Klados ◽  
Panagiotis D. Bamidis
Keyword(s):  
Functional Connectivity ◽  
Motor Imagery ◽  
Sensorimotor Cortex ◽  
Mu Rhythm ◽  
Source Detection ◽  
Motor Execution ◽  
Motor Tasks ◽  
Computer Interfaces ◽  
Preliminary Study ◽  
Real Hand

Introduction. Sensorimotor cortex is activated similarly during motor execution and motor imagery. The study of functional connectivity networks (FCNs) aims at successfully modeling the dynamics of information flow between cortical areas.Materials and Methods. Seven healthy subjects performed 4 motor tasks (real foot, imaginary foot, real hand, and imaginary hand movements), while electroencephalography was recorded over the sensorimotor cortex. Event-Related Desynchronization/Synchronization (ERD/ERS) of the mu-rhythm was used to evaluate MI performance. Source detection and FCNs were studied with eConnectome.Results and Discussion. Four subjects produced similar ERD/ERS patterns between motor execution and imagery during both hand and foot tasks, 2 subjects only during hand tasks, and 1 subject only during foot tasks. All subjects showed the expected brain activation in well-performed MI tasks, facilitating cortical source estimation. Preliminary functional connectivity analysis shows formation of networks on the sensorimotor cortex during motor imagery and execution.Conclusions. Cortex activation maps depict sensorimotor cortex activation, while similar functional connectivity networks are formed in the sensorimotor cortex both during actual and imaginary movements. eConnectome is demonstrated as an effective tool for the study of cortex activation and FCN. The implementation of FCN in motor imagery could induce promising advancements in Brain Computer Interfaces.

Clinical correlates of hypothalamic functional changes in migraine patients

Cephalalgia ◽  
2021 ◽  
pp. 033310242110466
Author(s):  
Roberta Messina ◽  
Maria A Rocca ◽  
Paola Valsasina ◽  
Paolo Misci ◽  
Massimo Filippi
Keyword(s):  
Functional Connectivity ◽  
Resting State ◽  
Visual Processing ◽  
Episodic Migraine ◽  
Resting State Functional Connectivity ◽  
Functional Interaction ◽  
Functional Changes ◽  
Lingual Gyrus ◽  
Headache Impact

Objective To elucidate the hypothalamic involvement in episodic migraine and investigate the association between hypothalamic resting state functional connectivity changes and migraine patients’ clinical characteristics and disease progression over the years. Methods Ninety-one patients with episodic migraine and 73 controls underwent interictal resting state functional magnetic resonance imaging. Twenty-three patients and controls were re-examined after a median of 4.5 years. Hypothalamic resting state functional connectivity changes were investigated using a seed-based correlation approach. Results At baseline, a decreased functional interaction between the hypothalamus and the parahippocampus, cerebellum, temporal, lingual and orbitofrontal gyrus was found in migraine patients versus controls. Increased resting state functional connectivity between the hypothalamus and bilateral orbitofrontal gyrus was demonstrated in migraine patients at follow-up versus baseline. Migraine patients also experienced decreased right hypothalamic resting state functional connectivity with ipsilateral lingual gyrus. A higher migraine attack frequency was associated with decreased hypothalamic-lingual gyrus resting state functional connectivity at baseline, while greater headache impact at follow-up correlated with decreased hypothalamic-orbitofrontal gyrus resting state functional connectivity at baseline. At follow-up, a lower frequency of migraine attacks was associated with higher hypothalamic-orbitofrontal gyrus resting state functional connectivity. Conclusions During the interictal phase, the hypothalamus modulates the activity of pain and visual processing areas in episodic migraine patients. The hypothalamic-cortical interplay changes dynamically over time according to patients’ clinical features.

Combination of musculoskeletal and wear models to investigate the effect of daily living activities on wear of hip prostheses

2021 ◽  
Vol 235 (12) ◽  
pp. 2675-2687
Author(s):  
Lorenza Mattei ◽  
Matilde Tomasi ◽  
Alessio Artoni ◽  
Enrico Ciulli ◽  
Francesca Di Puccio
Keyword(s):  
Motor Task ◽  
Analysis Data ◽  
Daily Activities ◽  
Wear Depth ◽  
Motor Tasks ◽  
Hip Prostheses ◽  
Wear Modelling ◽  
Sporting Activities ◽  
Joint Prostheses ◽  
Hip Arthroplasties

Abstract Numerical wear predictions are gaining increasing interest in many engineering applications, as they allow to simulate complex operative conditions not easily replicable in the laboratory. As far as hip prostheses are concerned, most of the wear models in the literature are based on the simulation of gait (recommended also in experimental wear tests), since gait is considered the most frequent and important motor task to recover after arthroplasty. However, since joint prostheses have been increasingly implanted in younger people, high loads and potentially severe conditions, e.g. due to sporting activities, should also be considered for a more reliable wear assessment of these implants. In this study, we propose a profitable combination of musculoskeletal and analytical wear modelling for the prediction of wear caused by common daily activities in metal-on-plastic hip arthroplasties. Several motion analysis data available in the literature (walking, fast walking, lunge, squat, stair negotiation) were selected and the effects of such motor tasks on prosthesis wear were investigated, both separately and in combination. Additionally, for comparative purposes, wear prediction for simplified gait conditions prescribed by the ISO 14242 standard, were also considered. Results suggest that this latter case produces lower wear depth and volume with respect to a relatively demanding combination of the selected daily activities. The preliminary results of the present study represent a first step towards the auspicious goal of validating the proposed procedure for in silico trials of hip arthroplasties.

scholarly journals Characteristic Movement of the Ribs, Thoracic Vertebrae while Elevating the Upper Limbs - Influences of Age and Gender on Movements

2019 ◽  
Vol 13 (1) ◽  
pp. 170-176
Author(s):  
Hisayoshi Tachihara ◽  
Junichiro Hamada
Keyword(s):  
Young Group ◽  
Thoracic Vertebrae ◽  
Middle Aged ◽  
Age And Gender ◽  
Aged Group ◽  
Age Related ◽  
Significant Difference ◽  
Shoulder Disorders ◽  
Arm Elevation ◽  
And Gender

Background: The rib cage, such as the thoracic spine and ribs, influences glenohumeral mobility and the development of shoulder disorders. Objective: To evaluate movements of the ribs, thoracic vertebrae during bilateral arm elevation and to clarify the characteristic influences of age and gender. Methods: Subjects comprised 33 healthy individuals divided into a young group (10 males, 7 females; mean age, 25 years) and a middle-aged group (8 males, 8 females; mean age, 52 years). Chest CT was performed with two arm positions: arms hanging downwards; and arms elevated at 160°. Images were three-dimensionally reconstructed to evaluate rib movement, extension angle of thoracic vertebrae. Results: Maximal movement was observed at the fifth rib, and rib movement decreased with increasing distance from the fifth rib in both the groups. In males, movement of the second to fourth ribs was smaller in the middle-aged group than in the young group (p < 0.05). Movement of the first to ninth ribs was smaller in females than in males (p < 0.05). No significant difference in the extension angle of the thoracic vertebrae was found. Conclusion: Fifth rib movement is the largest among all ribs during bilateral arm elevation. Reduction of upper rib movement initially arises as an age-related degradation in males. Women exhibit less rib movement during bilateral arm elevation.

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