Neuromodulation combined with other neurotechnologies and evaluation of the somatosensory functionality

• Grant number: 23/08802-0
• Support Opportunities: Scholarships in Brazil - Post-Doctoral
• Start date: November 01, 2023
• End date: October 31, 2025
• Field of knowledge: Interdisciplinary Subjects
• Principal Investigator: Gabriela Castellano
• Grantee: Camila de Paula de Lima
• Host Institution: Instituto de Física Gleb Wataghin (IFGW). Universidade Estadual de Campinas (UNICAMP). Campinas , SP, Brazil
• Associated research grant: 13/07559-3 - BRAINN - The Brazilian Institute of Neuroscience and Neurotechnology, AP.CEPID

Abstract

Title: Neuromodulation combined with other neurotechnologies and evaluation of the somatosensory functionality.Abstract: Neurological patients, especially those who had suffered stroke, usually experience some motor impairment which can be caused by persistent muscle spasticity. The decreased motor functionality caused by this ongoing symptom can reduce quality of life and functional independence which occurs along with risk of falls and can be associated with increased bone fractures. However, the mechanisms underlying spasticity and thus increases in motor function after neurorehabilitation in neurological patients is still uncertain. Accurate identification of the somatosensory brain areas and the functionality of afferent information to the brain is important to contribute to the understanding of the mechanisms associated with spasticity and therefore the degree of motor deficit and the motor recovery stage. Neurorehabilitation techniques with the use of tDCS and virtual reality might mitigate the motor impairment that these patients suffer. Therefore, the efficacy of these techniques needs to be further examined with the aim of finding whether 1) these neurorehabilitation techniques improve motor recovery and functionality in a time-efficient manner and 2) these techniques can improve sensorimotor plasticity by the evaluation of somatosensory evoked potentials.Key words: spasticity, somatosensory evoked potentials, neurorehabilitation.