Prediction of prognosis of post-stroke hemiparesis using fMRI and tractography of the pyramidal tract

2016 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 25350615
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Scientific Research (C)
• Allocation Type: Multi-year Fund
• Section: 一般
• Research Field: Rehabilitation science/Welfare engineering
• Research Institution: International University of Health and Welfare
• Principal Investigator: Kato Hiroyuki 国際医療福祉大学, 大学病院, 教授 (60224531)
• Research Collaborator: HASHIMOTO RITSUO 国際医療福祉大学, 大学病院, 教授 (50254917)
• Project Period (FY): 2013-04-01 – 2017-03-31
• Keywords: 脳卒中 / リハビリテーション / 片麻痺 / ファンクショナルMRI / トラクトグラフィー

Outline of Final Research Achievements

The aim of this study was to clarify the relation between post-stroke motor reorganization of the brain and the structure of the pyramidal tract. We performed both fMRI using a hand movement task and tractography of the pyramidal tract in 16 patients with mildly hemiparetic stroke. fMRI brain activities were normal or reduced when the pyramidal tract was preserved, but were reorganized in nearly a half of the studies when the pyramidal tract was damaged. The pyramidal tract was normal in 12 studies: fMRI activation was normal in 6 and reduced in 3 after 3-13 days of stroke onset, and was normal in 2 and reduced in 1 after 1-12 months. The pyramidal tract was damaged in 7 studies: fMRI activation was normal in 2, reduced in 1 and reorganized in 1 after 4-14 days of stroke onset, and was normal in 1 and reorganized in 2 after 1-5 months. The findings suggest that damage to the pyramidal tract leads to post-stroke reorganization of brain motor network.

Free Research Field

神経内科学