Review
Neurosciences
S. Conti, C. Spalletti, M. Pasquini, N. Giordano, N. Barsotti, M. Mainardi, S. Lai, A. Giorgi, M. Pasqualetti, S. Micera, M. Caleo
Summary: Despite limited efficacy of robotic rehabilitation technologies for post-stroke motor recovery, combining robotic rehabilitation with chemogenetic stimulation of serotonin release shows promise in enhancing post-stroke motor performance. This combined approach results in substantial functional gains in mice that persist beyond treatment period and is associated with a reduction in GABAergic neurotransmission in perilesional areas. The immediate translational potential of this combined approach is demonstrated by the administration of a clinically approved drug, Buspirone, targeting the serotonin 1A receptor to significantly improve motor recovery after stroke.
PROGRESS IN NEUROBIOLOGY
(2021)
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Shahabeddin Vahdat, Arjun Vivek Pendharkar, Terrance Chiang, Sean Harvey, Haruto Uchino, Zhijuan Cao, Anika Kim, ManKin Choy, Hansen Chen, Hyun Joo Lee, Michelle Y. Cheng, Jin Hyung Lee, Gary K. Steinberg
Summary: Poststroke optogenetic stimulations in mice can restore activation of ipsilesional corticothalamic and corticocortical circuits, which is correlated with functional recovery. Stimulation of the corticothalamic circuit alone is sufficient to improve functional recovery after stroke. These findings suggest early involvement of the corticothalamic circuit as a key mediator of poststroke recovery.
Article
Clinical Neurology
Loris Pignolo, Paolo Tonin, Pierluigi Nicotera, Giacinto Bagetta, Damiana Scuteri
Summary: This study aims to assess the impact of robot-assisted neurorehabilitation on the prevention of poststroke pain. A total of 118 stroke patients will be enrolled and randomly allocated to receive either ARAMIS or conventional rehabilitation. The study will evaluate the efficacy of the treatments and their effect on the quality of life of stroke survivors.
FRONTIERS IN NEUROLOGY
(2022)
Article
Neurosciences
Shukun Hu, Gang Wu, Biwu Wu, Zhouying Du, Yi Zhang
Summary: The combination of proprioceptive stimulation and rehabilitative training significantly improved skilled motor function recovery post ischemic stroke, but had less impact on tactile sensory function recovery.
EXPERIMENTAL NEUROLOGY
(2022)
Review
Clinical Neurology
Daniel S. Marin-Medina, Paula A. Arenas-Vargas, Juan C. Arias-Botero, Manuela Gomez-Vasquez, Manuel F. Jaramillo-Lopez, Jorge M. Gaspar-Toro
Summary: After a stroke, neural plasticity mechanisms can be activated for significant recovery. Rehabilitation therapies aim to restore tissue and reorganize neural connections. New technologies such as brain-computer interfaces, robot-assisted and virtual reality therapies, brain stimulation, and cell therapies have emerged as promising options for better functional outcomes.
NEUROLOGICAL SCIENCES
(2023)
Article
Clinical Neurology
Naohiko Okabe, Mary Hovanesyan, Srbui Azarapetian, Weiye Dai, Batsheva Weisinger, Ana Parabucki, Shira Reznik Balter, Esther Shohami, Yaron Segal, S. Thomas Carmichael
Summary: Extremely low-frequency, low-intensity electromagnetic field therapy is a non-invasive brain stimulation method that can enhance functional recovery in stroke patients. The efficacy of ELF-EMF depends on the specific frequency used, and further research is needed to understand the underlying mechanisms and optimize the treatment parameters.
TRANSLATIONAL STROKE RESEARCH
(2023)
Article
Clinical Neurology
Emilia Conti, Alessandro Scaglione, Giuseppe de Vito, Francesco Calugi, Maria Pasquini, Tommaso Pizzorusso, Silvestro Micera, Anna Letizia Allegra Mascaro, Francesco Saverio Pavone
Summary: The study reveals that the extension and localization of new motor representations are specific to the treatment, with most treatments promoting segregation of motor representation to the peri-infarct region. Interestingly, only the combined therapy promotes both the recovery of forelimb functionality and the rescue of spatio-temporal features of motor-related activity.
NEUROREHABILITATION AND NEURAL REPAIR
(2022)
Article
Clinical Neurology
Emre Senocak, Elif Korkut, Adem Akturk, Aysel Yildiz Ozer
Summary: This study aimed to investigate the effects of robotic rehabilitation (RR) and conventional rehabilitation (CR) added to intensive trunk rehabilitation (ITR) on upper-limb motor function. The results showed that RR and CR produced similar improvements in upper-limb motor function, suggesting that RR can be used as an alternative to conventional methods under appropriate clinical conditions.
NEUROLOGICAL SCIENCES
(2023)
Review
Clinical Neurology
Sheharyar S. Baig, Marharyta Kamarova, Simon M. Bell, Ali N. Ali, Li Su, Munya Dimairo, Jesse Dawson, Jessica N. Redgrave, Arshad Majid
Summary: This review summarizes the current evidence for transcutaneous vagus nerve stimulation (tVNS) in the field of stroke, from preclinical models to clinical trials. The mechanisms involved in the beneficial effects of tVNS are highlighted. The key research areas required to translate tVNS into clinical practice in acute and chronic stroke are critically evaluated.
Article
Clinical Neurology
David T. Pruitt, Tanya T. Danaphongse, Megan Lutchman, Nishi Patel, Priyanka Reddy, Vanesse Wang, Anjana Parashar, Robert L. Rennaker, Michael P. Kilgard, Seth A. Hays
Summary: The study found that moderate-intensity VNS paired with rehabilitation training maximizes recovery of motor function in models of ischemic stroke. VNS at 0.8 mA was beneficial for functional recovery, while VNS at 0.4 mA and 1.6 mA were not sufficient to improve recovery compared to equivalent rehabilitation without VNS.
TRANSLATIONAL STROKE RESEARCH
(2021)
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Noor Sajid, Emma Holmes, Thomas M. Hope, Zafeirios Fountas, Cathy J. Price, Karl J. Friston
Summary: Functional recovery after brain damage varies depending on factors such as lesion site and extent. Recovery can occur by engaging residual components or utilizing intact neural structures, with different types of lesions having different effects.
SCIENTIFIC REPORTS
(2021)
Article
Engineering, Electrical & Electronic
Qingyun Meng, Guanxin Liu, Xin Xu, Qiaoling Meng, Hongliu Yu, Clemente Lauretti, Alessia Noccaro, Francesca Cordella
Summary: A supine ankle rehabilitation robot (S-ARR) specifically designed for early bedridden rehabilitation of stroke patients is introduced. It is movable, adaptable to different heights, and features a variable workspace with mechanical limiters at the rotating joints. A kinematic model has been constructed, and the simulation and experimental results show that the S-ARR has a feasible workspace and a relatively smooth motion process, enabling it to achieve supine ankle rehabilitation training.
Review
Rehabilitation
Ishtiaq Ahmed, Rustem Mustafaoglu, Simone Rossi, Fatih A. Cavdar, Seth Kwame Agyenkwa, Marco Y. C. Pang, Sofia Straudi
Summary: This study compared the efficacy of non-invasive brain stimulation techniques in upper limb stroke rehabilitation. The results indicated that excitatory stimulation protocols showed the most promising effects on improving motor function and activities of daily living in stroke patients. Transcutaneous vagus nerve stimulation appeared to be a potentially effective intervention, but further research is needed to confirm its relative superiority.
ARCHIVES OF PHYSICAL MEDICINE AND REHABILITATION
(2023)
Article
Neurosciences
Xiaofang Wu, Rui Wang, Qunqiang Wu, Chunhua Liao, Jianshe Zhang, Huiduo Jiao, Baolin Chen, Shuyan Wang, Rui Liu
Summary: Upper limb motor impairments after stroke severely impact the quality of life of patients and their families. Transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS) has been shown to be effective in promoting upper limb motor recovery. This study investigated the combined effect of high frequency repetitive TMS and cervical nerve root magnetic stimulation on functional improvement in stroke patients.
FRONTIERS IN NEUROSCIENCE
(2023)
Review
Engineering, Biomedical
Jamille A. Feitosa, Corina A. Fernandes, Raphael F. Casseb, Gabriela Castellano
Summary: Virtual reality (VR) rehabilitation has been shown to improve motor and cognitive abilities in different populations. This study systematically reviewed the effects of VR intervention on cortical reorganization and functional improvement. The results demonstrated changes in brain activation and reorganization patterns in stroke patients, older adults, and patients with other neurological conditions, which were associated with functional improvement after VR intervention.
JOURNAL OF NEURAL ENGINEERING
(2022)
Article
Neurosciences
Zhengchen Cai, Giovanni Pellegrino, Jean-Marc Lina, Habib Benali, Christophe Grova
Summary: This study investigates the effects of paired associative stimulation on cortical excitability and task-related hemodynamic responses, and finds a positive correlation between them. The findings have important implications for understanding the fundamental properties of cortical function and excitability.
HUMAN BRAIN MAPPING
(2023)
Review
Orthopedics
Marco Bravi, Umile Giuseppe Longo, Andrea Laurito, Alessandra Greco, Martina Marino, Mirella Maselli, Silvia Sterzi, Fabio Santacaterina
Summary: A review and meta-analysis compared supervised and unsupervised rehabilitation following TKA and found no significant differences in long-term pain and physical function. However, the unsupervised group showed better results in the 6MWT and Timed up and go test at the 52-week follow-up.
Article
Chemistry, Analytical
Christian Tamantini, Cristiana Rondoni, Francesca Cordella, Eugenio Guglielmelli, Loredana Zollo
Summary: In Industry 4.0 scenarios, wearable sensing technology is used to develop monitoring solutions for workers' risk prevention. Current approaches focus on identifying risky events after they have occurred, such as falls. However, there is a need to develop methods that can identify the presence of risk conditions to prevent the occurrence of damage itself.
Article
Engineering, Biomedical
Marco Bravi, Fabio Santacaterina, Federica Bressi, Michelangelo Morrone, Andrea Renzi, Joshua Di Tocco, Emiliano Schena, Silvia Sterzi, Carlo Massaroni
Summary: This study aimed to compare the spatiotemporal and kinematic running parameters obtained by WalkerView with those recorded by a 3D motion capture system. The results showed excellent agreement between WalkerView and the motion capture system for mean step time and cadence, but lower agreement for kinematic variables. Therefore, WalkerView could serve as a practical and cost-effective tool for assessing spatiotemporal parameters of running in non-laboratory settings.
BIOMEDICAL ENGINEERING-BIOMEDIZINISCHE TECHNIK
(2023)
Article
Engineering, Biomedical
Martina Zaltieri, Daniela Lo Presti, Marco Bravi, Michele Arturo Caponero, Silvia Sterzi, Emiliano Schena, Carlo Massaroni
Summary: Due to incorrect sitting posture, upper body musculoskeletal disorders (UBMDs) are widespread among sedentary workers. Monitoring sitting behaviors and respiratory rate (RR) can help minimize UBMDs' occurrence and assess the workers' state of health. A flexible wearable system based on fiber Bragg grating (FBG) technology was proposed to recognize sitting postures and estimate RR, showing good performances in posture recognition and agreement with benchmark in RR estimation. The wearable system could provide support for understanding posture attitudes and gathering RR information to depict users' state of health.
IEEE TRANSACTIONS ON BIOMEDICAL ENGINEERING
(2023)
Article
Chemistry, Analytical
Federica Bressi, Laura Cricenti, Marco Bravi, Fabiana Pannunzio, Francesca Cordella, Martina Lapresa, Sandra Miccinilli, Fabio Santacaterina, Loredana Zollo, Silvia Sterzi, Benedetta Campagnola
Summary: This case report describes the potential benefits of combining Gloreha Sinfonia robotic hand treatment with conventional rehabilitation in a tetraparetic patient. The patient showed improvements in hand functionality and dexterity in the short term, but a worsening was observed at the two-month follow-up. Further research is needed to confirm these findings and identify the most appropriate modalities of robotic rehabilitation.
Article
Chemistry, Analytical
Cosimo Gentile, Giacomo Lunghi, Luca Rosario Buonocore, Francesca Cordella, Mario Di Castro, Alessandro Masi, Loredana Zollo
Summary: This paper presents the application of remote robotic systems in the CERN accelerator complex to perform various tasks, including safe handling of cables and connectors. Two new modules of the CERNTAURO framework are introduced to ensure the safety and usability of managing optical fibers and connectors. The first module detects touch and slippage, while the second module regulates grasping force and prevents slippage. The proposed strategy is validated with tests in the CERN laboratory, showing statistically significant improvements in time-based efficiency and overall task efficiency.
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Roberto Cittadini, Christian Tamantini, Francesco Scotto di Luzio, Clemente Lauretti, Loredana Zollo, Francesca Cordella
Summary: This paper aims to define a reliable and efficient approach for real-time affective state estimation. It identifies 13 optimal physiological features using ReliefF feature selection algorithm and compares the effectiveness of machine learning algorithms, such as KNN, in estimating affective states. The experimental results show that the KNN algorithm, adopted with the 13 identified optimal features, is the most effective approach for real-time affective state estimation.
SCIENTIFIC REPORTS
(2023)
Article
Food Science & Technology
Claudia Altamura, Nicoletta Brunelli, Giovanna Viticchi, Sergio Salvemini, Gianluca Cecchi, Marilena Marcosano, Luisa Fofi, Mauro Silvestrini, Fabrizio Vernieri
Summary: This study demonstrates that OBT-A alleviates the impact of migraines on frequency, functional disability, and pain intensity. The beneficial effect on pain intensity appears to be specific to pain characteristics related to C-fiber transmission and is associated with a reduction in migraine-related disability.
Article
Chemistry, Analytical
Riccardo Collu, Roberto Paolini, Martina Bilotta, Andrea Demofonti, Francesca Cordella, Loredana Zollo, Massimo Barbaro
Summary: Transcutaneous Electrical Nerve Stimulation (TENS) is a promising technique for eliciting referred tactile sensations in amputees. However, its application in daily life is limited by the lack of portable instrumentation. This study proposes a low-cost, wearable high-voltage compliant current stimulator with four independent channels for proper sensory stimulation.
Article
Chemistry, Multidisciplinary
Mattia Stefano, Francesca Cordella, Giulia Cozza, Anna Lisa Ciancio, Loredana Zollo
Summary: Sensory feedback restoration is crucial for improving the quality of life for upper-limb amputees using neuroprosthetics. This study utilizes hybrid FEM-Neuron computational models to analyze nerve fiber activation in different nerve models resembling the human median nerve. The effects of intraneural and extraneural electrodes on fiber activation and the dependence of activation order on stimulus intensity are evaluated through simulation and experimental trials.
APPLIED SCIENCES-BASEL
(2023)
Article
Computer Science, Artificial Intelligence
Federica Bressi, Benedetta Campagnola, Laura Cricenti, Fabio Santacaterina, Sandra Miccinilli, Giovanni Di Pino, Francesca Fiori, Marco D'Alonzo, Vincenzo Di Lazzaro, Lorenzo Ricci, Fioravante Capone, Alessandra Pacilli, Silvia Sterzi, Marco Bravi
Summary: This study aims to assess the effects of home-based robotic rehabilitation using the iCONE robotic device on stroke patients, despite their chronic condition and the absence of a therapist. The results showed significant improvements in robot-evaluated indices and the MAS of the elbow, and patients had a high acceptance of the robot. Therefore, this rehabilitation method is promising for stroke patients and can improve their quality of life.
FRONTIERS IN NEUROROBOTICS
(2023)
Article
Chemistry, Analytical
Chiara Romano, Andrea Nicolo, Lorenzo Innocenti, Marco Bravi, Sandra Miccinilli, Silvia Sterzi, Massimo Sacchetti, Emiliano Schena, Carlo Massaroni
Summary: Emerging evidence suggests that respiratory frequency is a valid marker of physical effort, leading to the interest in developing devices for monitoring this vital sign. This study proposes the use of a microphone embedded in a facemask to estimate respiratory frequency from breath sounds during walking and running. The results show relatively good agreement between the proposed system and the reference system, indicating that microphone sensors can be considered suitable for estimating respiratory frequency during exercise.
Review
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Adriano Bonura, Nicoletta Brunelli, Marilena Marcosano, Gianmarco Iaccarino, Luisa Fofi, Fabrizio Vernieri, Claudia Altamura
Summary: The calcitonin gene-related peptide (CGRP) is a neuropeptide with complex systemic impact beyond nociception. It plays a crucial role in vasodilation, inflammation, intestinal motility, and apoptosis. CGRP has contradictory effects, acting as a potent vasodilator in the cardiovascular system but not inducing arterial hypertension. It also exhibits both anti-inflammatory and pro-inflammatory effects as an immunomodulator.
INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF MOLECULAR SCIENCES
(2023)
Article
Neurosciences
Jawata Afnan, Nicolas von Ellenrieder, Jean-Marc Lina, Giovanni Pellegrino, Giorgio Arcara, Zhengchen Cai, Tanguy Hedrich, Chifaou Abdallah, Hassan Khajehpour, Birgit Frauscher, Jean Gotman, Christophe Grova
Summary: This study validates the ability of MEG to estimate resting state brain activity and compares it with the iEEG atlas. The results show that MEG estimates are more accurate in lateral regions and underestimate activity in deep regions, especially in the alpha band with high phase synchronization. Importantly, MEG-estimated spectra are more comparable to iEEG spectra after removing aperiodic components.