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Functional MRI in the assessment of cortical activation during gait-related imaginary tasks

  • Movement Disorders - Original Article
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Abstract

Imaginary tasks can be used to investigate the neurophysiology of gait. In this study, we explored the cortical control of gait-related imagery in 21 healthy volunteers using functional magnetic resonance imaging. Imaginary tasks included gait initiation, stepping over an obstacle, and gait termination. Subjects watched a video clip that showed an actor in gait motion under an event-related design. We detected activation in the supplementary motor area during major gait-related imagery tasks, and especially during gait initiation. During gait termination and stepping over an obstacle, the amount of cortical resources allocated to the imaginary tasks included a large visuomotor network comprising the dorsal and ventral premotor areas. We conclude that our paradigm to study the cortical control of gait may help in elucidating the pathophysiology of higher-level gait disorders.

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Acknowledgments

The study was supported jointly by the National Science Council Taiwan (Grant NSC96-2321-B-182-002-MY2) and the ChangGung Memorial Hospital (Grant CMRPG360822).

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Medical Imaging and Radiological Sciences, ChangGung University, TaoYuan, Taiwan

    JiunJie Wang & YauYau Wai

  2. Department of Diagnostic Radiology and Intervention, ChangGung Memorial Hospital, LinKou, Taiwan

    JiunJie Wang & YauYau Wai

  3. Department of Neurology, ChangGung Memorial Hospital, LinKou, Taiwan

    YiHsin Weng & Ying-Zu Huang

  4. Department of Medicine, ChangGung University, TaoYuan, Taiwan

    KoonKwan Ng

  5. Department of Diagnostic Radiology, ChangGung Memorial Hospital, KeeLung, Taiwan

    KoonKwan Ng

  6. Department of Electrical Engineering and Computer Science, University of Wisconsin, Milwaukee, USA

    Leslie Ying

  7. Department of Electrical Engineering, ChangGung University, TaoYuan, Taiwan

    HaoLi Liu

  8. Department of Neurology, Cardinal Tien Hospital YungHo Branch, 80 Chung-Hsing St, Yung-Ho, Taipei, Taiwan

    ChiHong Wang

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  1. JiunJie Wang
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  2. YauYau Wai
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  3. YiHsin Weng
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  7. HaoLi Liu
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Correspondence to ChiHong Wang.

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Wang, J., Wai, Y., Weng, Y. et al. Functional MRI in the assessment of cortical activation during gait-related imaginary tasks. J Neural Transm 116, 1087–1092 (2009). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00702-009-0269-y

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00702-009-0269-y

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