Key result
Overground walking in severe chronic ataxia is linked to bilateral prefrontal cortex activation.
Why the study?
The activation of the prefrontal cortex during overground walking in ataxic patients and its correlation with clinical gait parameters was not established.
Does overground walking activate the prefrontal cortex in patients with severe chronic ataxia compared to healthy subjects?
Case-Control (n=34)
Does overground walking activate the prefrontal cortex in patients with severe chronic ataxia compared to healthy subjects?
p-value: p=<0.01
The prefrontal cortex is bilaterally activated during overground gait in patients with severe chronic ataxia, suggesting a compensatory mechanism for balance control.
PFC activation during ataxic gait may reflect compensatory balance control; leaves open its utility as a rehabilitation target.
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Caliandro et al. (2012) conducted a case-control in Ataxia (n=34). Overground walking in ataxic patients vs. Healthy subjects was evaluated on Changes in oxygenated ([O2Hb]t) and deoxygenated ([HHb]t) hemoglobin concentrations on the prefrontal cortex during gait (p=<0.01). Overground walking in patients with severe chronic ataxia was associated with bilateral prefrontal cortex activation (p<0.01 and p=0.01), which strongly correlated with clinical ataxia scores.
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