Resting-State Functional Connectivity in Stroke Patients After Upper Limb Robot-Assisted Therapy: A Pilot Study

Abstract

Motor deficit is a prominent feature among stroke survivors. Robot-assisted therapies have been proposed as a strategy to boost rehabilitation, by allowing therapy to be provided in a more reproducible and intense manner, while quantitatively monitoring patient’s improvement. However, those approaches have so far not shown superiority over conventional treatments. One potential solution to reach better outcomes would be to personalize the treatment. In this regard, a better understanding of the mechanisms underlying motor recovery is pivotal to tailor therapy to each patient. Here, we explored the cortical changes occurring during robotic training. We recorded resting-state fMRI before and after the treatment in three sub-acute post-stroke survivors, and we investigated the functional connectivity between motor regions. We observed a cortical reorganization following training, consistent with motor improvements.