Ipsilateral motor pathway confirmed by combined brain mapping of a patient with hemiparetic stroke: a case report

Arch Phys Med Rehabil. 2004 Aug;85(8):1351-3. doi: 10.1016/j.apmr.2003.08.102.

Abstract

This study investigated the motor control pathway using both functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) and transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS) in a patient with left hemiparesis with an infarction on the posterior limb of the right internal capsule. fMRI was performed using the blood oxygen level-dependent technique at 1.5 T with a standard head coil. The motor activation task consisted of hand grasp-release movements in 1-Hz cycles. TMS was performed using a butterfly coil; the intersection of the wings (center of the coil) was applied tangentially to the scalp 1.0 cm apart. Stimulation was performed at 100% of maximal output. Motor evoked potentials (MEPs) from both abductor pollicis brevis (APB) muscles were obtained simultaneously. fMRI showed that the unaffected (left) primary sensorimotor cortex (SM1) was activated by movements of the unaffected (right) hand. Conversely, the bilateral SM1 were activated by movements of the affected (left) hand. Brain mapping using TMS showed that ipsilateral MEPs were obtained at the affected (left) APB muscle when the unaffected (left) motor cortex was stimulated. We concluded that the ipsilateral motor pathway from the unaffected motor cortex to the affected hand was present in this patient.

Publication types

  • Case Reports
  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Activities of Daily Living
  • Adult
  • Brain Mapping / methods*
  • Cerebral Infarction / complications
  • Echo-Planar Imaging / instrumentation
  • Echo-Planar Imaging / methods
  • Efferent Pathways / physiopathology*
  • Evoked Potentials, Motor
  • Hand / physiopathology
  • Hand Strength
  • Humans
  • Internal Capsule
  • Magnetic Resonance Imaging / instrumentation
  • Magnetic Resonance Imaging / methods
  • Magnetics / instrumentation
  • Magnetoencephalography / instrumentation
  • Magnetoencephalography / methods
  • Male
  • Motor Cortex / physiopathology
  • Movement
  • Paresis / diagnosis*
  • Paresis / etiology
  • Paresis / physiopathology*
  • Paresis / rehabilitation
  • Recovery of Function
  • Stroke / complications*