Effect of repetitive arm cycling following Botulinum toxin for post-stroke spasticity as evident from fMRI

摘要

Eight patients with chronic spastic hemiparesis after middle cerebral artery infarction received botulinum toxin in the biceps muscle of the affected arm and were subjected to cycling arm movement training for 3 months. This treatment resulted in an increase of fMRI activity (qFDR <0.05) related to passive movements of the affected arm in sensorimotor cortex of the lesioned hemisphere and in the secondary somatosensory cortex of the contralesional hemisphere. It is suggested that these fMRI changes result from the anti-spastic effect of botulinum toxin reinforced by training.