Effects of vibrotactile stimulation on the control of muscle tone and movement facilitation in children with cerebral injury

Scientific paper - Original scientific paper

• Title (croatian): ]Utjecaj vibrotaktilne stimulacije na kontrolu spastičnosti i na facilitaciju pokreta u djece s cerebralnom ozljedom
• Author: Ana Katušić
• Author: Vlatka Mejaški-Bošnjak
• Author's institution: University of Zagreb; School of Medicine
• Scientific / art field, discipline and subdiscipline: BIOMEDICINE AND HEALTHCARE; Clinical Medical Sciences

Abstract (english)

Afferent signals from the muscle’s proprioceptors play important role in the control of muscle tone and in the facilitation of movements. Peripheral afferent pathway enables the restoration of connections with supraspinal structures and so includes mechanism of synaptic inhibition in the performance of normal movement. Different sensory stimuli, as vibrotactile stimulation, excite muscle’s proprioceptors which then send sensorimotor information via spinal cord. In this way afferent signals promote cortical control and modulation of movements. The goal of this study is to evaluate the effects of vibrotactile stimulation on the spasticity and motor performance in children with cerebral injury. Subjects included in this study were 13 children who were developing the classification of spastic cerebral palsy. For all children perinatal brain damage was documented by medical reports and neonatal brain ultrasound scan. At the mean age of 3 years and 6 months subject underwent the assessment of motor development by Gross Motor Function Measurement (GMFM-88). Gross Motor Classification System (GMFCS) has been used to classify functions of lower extremities. Therapeutic intervention was conducted once a week during 3 months. All subjects were stimulated with vibrotactile stimuli of 40Hz in duration of 20 minutes in order to reduce spasticity. After the ending of the treatment subjects underwent second assessment of motor performance and the classification of lower extremities functions. The results have shown that there was a significant improvement in motor performance, what has been seen in the facilitation of rotations, better postural trunk stability and head control and in greater selectivity of movements. Further randomized, control trial investigations with bigger sample and included spasm scale are needed to gain better insight in the role of vibrotactile stimulation in the facilitation of normal movements.

Abstract (croatian)

Aferentni signali iz mišićnih proprioceptora igraju važnu ulogu u kontroli spastičnosti i u facilitaciji pokreta. Periferni aferentni putovi omogućuju obnavljanje veza između supraspinalnih struktura i tako uključuju mehanizam sinaptičke inhibicije u izvođenje normalnog pokreta. Različiti osjetilni podražaji, kao što je vibrotaktilna stimulacija, pobuđuju mišićne proprioceptore koji kroz kralježničnu moždinu šalju senzomotoričku informaciju. Na ovaj način aferentni signali sudjeluju u kortikalnoj kontroli i modulaciji pokreta. Cilj ovog istraživanja je ispitati utjecaj vibrotaktilne stimulacije na spastičnost i motoričku izvedbu u djece s cerebralnom ozljedom. 13 djece, koja su razvijala klasifikaciju spastične cerebralne paralize je uključeno u ovo istraživanje. Perinatalna ozljeda mozga dokumentirana je medicinskom dokumentacijom i nalazima neonatalnog ultrazvuka. U prosječnoj dobi od 3 godine i 6 mjeseci izvršena je procjena motoričkog razvoja testom grubih motoričkih funkcija (GMFM-88). Za klasifikaciju funkcija donjih ekstremiteta korišten je klasifikacijski sustav GMFCS (Gross Motor Classification System). Terapijska intervencija provođena je jednom tjedno kroz tri mjeseca. Sva su djeca izlagana vibrotaktilnom podražaju u trajanju od 20 minuta kako bi se utjecalo na smanjenje spastičnosti. Nakon završetka tretmana izvršena je druga procjena motoričkog razvoja kao i klasifikacija funkcija donjih ekstremiteta. Rezultati su pokazali značajan napredak u motoričkom izvođenju, što je vidljivo u facilitaciji rotacija, boljoj posturalnoj kontroli i kontroli glave te u povećanoj selektivnosti pokreta. Potrebna su daljnja istraživanja s kontrolnom skupinom, većim uzorkom i skalama spazma kako bi se dobio jasniji uvid o utjecaju vibrotaktilne stimulacije na facilitaciju normalnog pokreta.

• Keywords (english): Cerebral Palsy / diagnostic imaging; Cerebral Palsy / rehabilitation; Child, Preschool; Female; Humans; Leg; Male; Motor Skills / physiology; Muscle Tonus / physiology; Physical Stimulation / methods; Ultrasonography; Vibration / therapeutic use
• Language: english
• Publication type: Scientific paper - Original scientific paper
• Publication status: Published
• Peer review: Peer review
• Publication version: Published version
• Journal title: Collegium Antropologicum
• Numbering: vol. 35, no. S. 1, pp. 57-63
• p-ISSN: 0350-6134
• URN:NBN: urn:nbn:hr:105:972956
• Publication: 2011-01
• Document URL: https://hrcak.srce.hr/64042
• Type of resource: Text
• Access conditions: Open access
• Created on: 2024-03-28 11:59:16