Interactive visuo-motor therapy system for stroke rehabilitation

We present a virtual reality (VR)-based motor neurorehabilitation system for stroke patients with upper limb paresis. It is based on two hypotheses: (1) observed actions correlated with self-generated or intended actions engage cortical motor observation, planning and execution areas ("mirror neurons"); (2) activation in damaged parts of motor cortex can be enhanced by viewing mirrored movements of non-paretic limbs. We postulate that our approach, applied during the acute post-stroke phase, facilitates motor re-learning and improves functional recovery. The patient controls a first-person view of virtual arms in tasks varying from simple (hitting objects) to complex (grasping and moving objects). The therapist adjusts weighting factors in the non-paretic limb to move the paretic virtual limb, thereby stimulating the mirror neuron system and optimizing patient motivation through graded task success. We present the system's neuroscientific background, technical details and preliminary results.

Palavras-chave

Stroke Virtual reality Therapy Rehabilitation . Faculdade de Ciências Exatas e da Engenharia

URI

http://hdl.handle.net/10400.13/3092

Citação

Eng, K., Siekierka, E., Pyk, P., Chevrier, E., Hauser, Y., Cameirao, M., ... & Kiper, D. (2007). Interactive visuo-motor therapy system for stroke rehabilitation. Medical & biological engineering & computing, 45(9), 901-907. DOI 10.1007/s11517-007-0239-1

Editora

International Federation for Medical and Biological Engineering

DOI

10.1007/s11517-007-0239-1

Coleções

Artigos em revistas internacionais

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