Sensory reweighting revealed by superior parietal lobule-based functional connectivity in chronic ankle instability

Motivation: The study aimed to determine if connections between association cortex and sensory areas differ in Chronic ankle instability (CAI) patients versus controls, and whether these connections correlate with Romberg ratios in patients. Goal(s): CAI involves postural control issues, possibly due to altered sensory integration from poor somatosensory feedback, but direct evidence of these changes is lacking. Approach: The cross-sectional study used rs-fMRI to assess brain connectivity and balance, analyzing static and dynamic connectivity. Results: CAI patients showed significantly higher Romberg ratios and functional connectivity compared to controls, with a notable inverse correlation between Romberg ratio and dynamic functional connectivity. Impact: The findings suggest that clinicians may focus on somatosensory rehabilitation for CAI, which could mitigate visual over-reliance in patients. This study prompts further research into central mechanisms of sensory reweighting, influencing treatment strategies and improving outcomes for ankle sprain sufferers.