Article

OBJECTIVE: To
explore the effectiveness of repetitive electrical stimulation referred to here
as tactile coactivation and to improve sensory discrimination and function in the
most involved hand of a person recovering from stroke. DESIGN: Pre-experimental
1-group (n=4) design with multiple measures. SETTING: Outpatient stroke treatment
center. PARTICIPANTS: Subjects with 6 months or longer poststroke with
self-reported sensory loss and a mild motor impairment in the most involved hand.
INTERVENTION: Electrical stimulation (coactivation) of the fingers of the
involved hand for 90 minutes 4 days a week for 6 weeks. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES:
Primary-dependent measures included touch threshold, tactile acuity, haptic
object recognition, motor tapping task, pegboard activities, and functional tasks
from the Wolf Motor Function Test. RESULTS: Posttreatment assessments revealed
improvements in sensory discrimination and motor task performance in all subjects
in varying degrees; these results held 4 weeks posttreatment. CONCLUSIONS: The
type of repetitive electrical stimulation or tactile coactivation used in this
study has not been explored previously in subjects with sensory loss caused by
stroke. The results of this pilot study suggest that coactivation may have the
potential to be a useful therapeutic modality for this population.

Langue : ANGLAIS