Brief Communication

Increase in hand muscle strength of stroke patients after somatosensory stimulation

  1. Adriana B. Conforto MD,
  2. Alain Kaelin-Lang MD*,
  3. Leonardo G. Cohen MD*

Article first published online: 3 DEC 2001

DOI: 10.1002/ana.10070

Issue

Annals of Neurology

Annals of Neurology

Volume 51, Issue 1, pages 122–125, January 2002

Additional Information

How to Cite

Conforto, A. B., Kaelin-Lang, A. and Cohen, L. G. (2002), Increase in hand muscle strength of stroke patients after somatosensory stimulation. Ann Neurol., 51: 122–125. doi: 10.1002/ana.10070

Author Information

  1. Human Cortical Physiology Section, NINDS, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD

*Human Cortical Physiology Section, National Institutes of Health, Building 10, Room 5N23, 10 Center Drive, MSC 1430, Bethesda, MD 20892-1430

Publication History

  1. Issue published online: 31 DEC 2001
  2. Article first published online: 3 DEC 2001
  3. Manuscript Accepted: 14 SEP 2001
  4. Manuscript Revised: 13 SEP 2001
  5. Manuscript Received: 29 JUN 2001

Funded by

  • National Institutes of Neurological Diseases
  • Stroke Intramural Program

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Abstract

It has been proposed that somatosensory input in the form of peripheral nerve stimulation can influence functional measures of motor performance. We studied the effects of median nerve stimulation on pinch muscle strength (a function mediated predominantly by median nerve innervated muscles) in the affected hand of chronic stroke patients. A 2-hour period of median nerve stimulation elicited an increase in pinch strength that outlasted the stimulation period. The improvement in muscle strength correlated with stimulus intensity and was identified in the absence of motor training. These results suggest that somatosensory stimulation may be a promising adjuvant to rehabilitation of the motor deficits in stroke patients.

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