Therapeutic effects of functional electrical stimulation on motor cortex in children with spastic Cerebral Palsy

Annu Int Conf IEEE Eng Med Biol Soc. 2015:2015:3432-5. doi: 10.1109/EMBC.2015.7319130.

Abstract

In the present study we have evaluated the electroencephalogram (EEG) signal recorded during ankle dorsal and plantar flexion in children with spastic Cerebral Palsy (CP) after Functional Electrical Stimulation (FES) of the Tibialis Anterior (TA) muscles. The intervention group had 10 children with spastic diaplegic/hemiplegic CP within the age group of 5 to 14 years of age who received both FES for 30 minutes and the conventional physiotherapy for 30 minutes a day, while the control group had 5 children who received only conventional physiotherapy for 60(30 + 30) minutes a day only. Both group were treated for 5 days a week, up to 12 weeks. The EEG data were analyzed for Peak Alpha Frequency (PAF), sensorimotor rhythm (SMR), mu wave suppression and power spectral density (PSD) of all the bands. The results showed a decrease in SMR and mu wave suppression in the intervention group as compared to the control group, indicating a positive/greater improvement in performance of motor activities. Therefore, from this study we could conclude that FES combined with conventional physiotherapy improves the motor activity in children with spastic CP.

MeSH terms

  • Adolescent
  • Ankle Joint / physiopathology
  • Cerebral Palsy / physiopathology
  • Cerebral Palsy / therapy*
  • Child
  • Child, Preschool
  • Electric Stimulation
  • Electric Stimulation Therapy / methods*
  • Electroencephalography
  • Humans
  • Motor Cortex / physiopathology*
  • Muscle, Skeletal / physiology*
  • Muscle, Skeletal / physiopathology
  • Physical Therapy Modalities
  • Signal Processing, Computer-Assisted