Ipsilesional arm reaching movements are not affected by the postural configuration adopted by individuals with stroke

Author(s)

de Souza Costa Garbus, Rafaela Barroso ^{[1, 2]} ; Nardini, Alethea Gomes ^{[1, 3]} ; Alouche, Sandra Regina ^[1] ; Sbeghen Ferreira de Freitas, Sandra Maria ^[1]

Affiliation

^[1] Univ Cidade Sao Paulo, Grad Program Phys Therapy, Rua Cesario Galeno 448-475, BR-03071000 Sao Paulo, SP - Brazil

^[2] Univ Fed Sao Paulo, Phys Educ Program, Santos, SP - Brazil

^[3] Univ Paulista, Undergrad Program Phys Therapy, Rua Dr Bacelar 1212, BR-04026002 Sao Paulo, SP - Brazil

• Document type: Journal article
• Source: HUMAN MOVEMENT SCIENCE; v. 80, DEC 2021.
• Web of Science Citations: 0

Abstract

Individuals with stroke present several impairments in the ipsilesional arm reaching movements that can limit the execution of daily living activities. These impairments depend on the side of the brain lesion. The present study aimed to compare the arm reaching movements performed in sitting and standing positions and to examine whether the effects of the adopted posture configuration depend on the side of the brain lesion. Twenty right-handed individuals with stroke (half with right hemiparesis and a half with left hemiparesis) and twenty healthy adults (half used the left arm) reached toward a target displayed on a monitor screen placed in one of three heights (i.e., upper, central, or lower targets). Participants performed the reaches in sitting and standing positions under conditions where the target location was either well-known in advance (certainty condition) or unknown until the movement onset (uncertainty condition). The values of movement onset time, movement time, and constant error were compared across conditions (posture configuration and uncertainty) and groups for each target height. Individuals with stroke were slower and spent more time to start to move than healthy participants, mainly when they reached the superior target in the upright position and under the uncertainty condition. Individuals who have suffered a right stroke were more affected by the task conditions and those who suffered a left stroke showed less accurate reaches. Overall, these results were observed regardless of the adopted posture. The current findings suggested that ipsilesional arm reaching movements are not affected by the postural configuration adopted by individuals with stroke. The central nervous system modulates the reaching movements according to the target position, adopted posture, and the uncertainty in the final target position to be reached. (AU)

• FAPESP's process: 12/19943-0 - Use of motor abundance on the coordination of posture and reaching movements in stroke individuals
• Grantee: Sandra Maria Sbeghen Ferreira de Freitas
• Support Opportunities: Regular Research Grants