Brain changes in stroke patients during rehabilitation: a longitudinal study
BackgroundTemporal changes in brain structure and function following rehabilitation, and their relationship with positive recovery in stroke patients experiencing hemiplegia, remain unclear. This study used multimodal magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) to investigate the longitudinal changes in the br...
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Frontiers Media S.A.
2025-07-01
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| Series: | Frontiers in Neuroscience |
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| Online Access: | https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fnins.2025.1636135/full |
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| author | Hongxing Wang Xuejin Cao Jia Quan Hengrui Zhou Yanli Liu Wei Wang Zan Wang Shenghong Ju Yuancheng Wang Yijing Guo |
| author_facet | Hongxing Wang Xuejin Cao Jia Quan Hengrui Zhou Yanli Liu Wei Wang Zan Wang Shenghong Ju Yuancheng Wang Yijing Guo |
| author_sort | Hongxing Wang |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | BackgroundTemporal changes in brain structure and function following rehabilitation, and their relationship with positive recovery in stroke patients experiencing hemiplegia, remain unclear. This study used multimodal magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) to investigate the longitudinal changes in the brains of stroke patients with good outcomes after motor rehabilitation.MethodsEight subcortical ischemic stroke patients with hemiplegia were enrolled. Multimodal MRI data and clinical assessments were collected in the stable post-acute period and at a 3-month follow-up. Functional connectivity (FC) was calculated for motor-related regions of interest (ROIs) based on functional MRI data. Gray matter volumes (GMVs) and diffusion tensor imaging (DTI) parameters were analyzed to evaluate the temporal changes during recovery.ResultsCompared with initial scans, follow-up scans revealed FC changes between several brain regions, e.g., FC increased between the ipsilesional thalamus and the contralesional middle temporal gyrus (MTG). Increased GMV was observed in the contralesional MTG, while GMV decreased in the contralesional cerebellum, correlating with Action Research Arm Test (ARAT) scores at follow-up.ConclusionThe findings suggest that MTG is a key area for neuronal activation and functional reconstruction in stroke patients during motor recovery. These results deepen our understanding of the imaging manifestations of structural and functional neural remodeling during rehabilitation. |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj-art-65bcaae61c7b42caa490f0b5a76d073c |
| institution | Kabale University |
| issn | 1662-453X |
| language | English |
| publishDate | 2025-07-01 |
| publisher | Frontiers Media S.A. |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Frontiers in Neuroscience |
| spelling | doaj-art-65bcaae61c7b42caa490f0b5a76d073c2025-08-20T03:56:09ZengFrontiers Media S.A.Frontiers in Neuroscience1662-453X2025-07-011910.3389/fnins.2025.16361351636135Brain changes in stroke patients during rehabilitation: a longitudinal studyHongxing Wang0Xuejin Cao1Jia Quan2Hengrui Zhou3Yanli Liu4Wei Wang5Zan Wang6Shenghong Ju7Yuancheng Wang8Yijing Guo9Department of Rehabilitation Medicine, Affiliated Zhongda Hospital of Southeast University, Nanjing, ChinaSchool of Acupuncture-Moxibustion and Tuina, School of Health Preservation and Rehabilitation, Nanjing University of Chinese Medicine, Nanjing, ChinaSchool of Acupuncture-Moxibustion and Tuina, School of Health Preservation and Rehabilitation, Nanjing University of Chinese Medicine, Nanjing, ChinaSchool of Acupuncture-Moxibustion and Tuina, School of Health Preservation and Rehabilitation, Nanjing University of Chinese Medicine, Nanjing, ChinaDepartment of Rehabilitation Medicine, Affiliated Zhongda Hospital of Southeast University, Nanjing, ChinaJiangsu Key Laboratory of Molecular and Functional Imaging, Department of Radiology, Zhongda Hospital, Medical School of Southeast University, Nanjing, ChinaDepartment of Neurology, Affiliated Zhongda Hospital of Southeast University, Medical School of Southeast University, Nanjing, ChinaJiangsu Key Laboratory of Molecular and Functional Imaging, Department of Radiology, Zhongda Hospital, Medical School of Southeast University, Nanjing, ChinaJiangsu Key Laboratory of Molecular and Functional Imaging, Department of Radiology, Zhongda Hospital, Medical School of Southeast University, Nanjing, ChinaDepartment of Neurology, Affiliated Zhongda Hospital of Southeast University, Medical School of Southeast University, Nanjing, ChinaBackgroundTemporal changes in brain structure and function following rehabilitation, and their relationship with positive recovery in stroke patients experiencing hemiplegia, remain unclear. This study used multimodal magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) to investigate the longitudinal changes in the brains of stroke patients with good outcomes after motor rehabilitation.MethodsEight subcortical ischemic stroke patients with hemiplegia were enrolled. Multimodal MRI data and clinical assessments were collected in the stable post-acute period and at a 3-month follow-up. Functional connectivity (FC) was calculated for motor-related regions of interest (ROIs) based on functional MRI data. Gray matter volumes (GMVs) and diffusion tensor imaging (DTI) parameters were analyzed to evaluate the temporal changes during recovery.ResultsCompared with initial scans, follow-up scans revealed FC changes between several brain regions, e.g., FC increased between the ipsilesional thalamus and the contralesional middle temporal gyrus (MTG). Increased GMV was observed in the contralesional MTG, while GMV decreased in the contralesional cerebellum, correlating with Action Research Arm Test (ARAT) scores at follow-up.ConclusionThe findings suggest that MTG is a key area for neuronal activation and functional reconstruction in stroke patients during motor recovery. These results deepen our understanding of the imaging manifestations of structural and functional neural remodeling during rehabilitation.https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fnins.2025.1636135/fullstrokehemiplegiamotor recoverymultimodal MRIlongitudinal study |
| spellingShingle | Hongxing Wang Xuejin Cao Jia Quan Hengrui Zhou Yanli Liu Wei Wang Zan Wang Shenghong Ju Yuancheng Wang Yijing Guo Brain changes in stroke patients during rehabilitation: a longitudinal study Frontiers in Neuroscience stroke hemiplegia motor recovery multimodal MRI longitudinal study |
| title | Brain changes in stroke patients during rehabilitation: a longitudinal study |
| title_full | Brain changes in stroke patients during rehabilitation: a longitudinal study |
| title_fullStr | Brain changes in stroke patients during rehabilitation: a longitudinal study |
| title_full_unstemmed | Brain changes in stroke patients during rehabilitation: a longitudinal study |
| title_short | Brain changes in stroke patients during rehabilitation: a longitudinal study |
| title_sort | brain changes in stroke patients during rehabilitation a longitudinal study |
| topic | stroke hemiplegia motor recovery multimodal MRI longitudinal study |
| url | https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fnins.2025.1636135/full |
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