Amina Coffey1, Saroj Bista2, Antonio Fasano3, Teresa Buxo4, Matthew Mitchell5, Eileen Rose Giglia6, Stefan Dukic7, Matthew Fenech8, Megan Barry9, Andrew Wade3, Mark Heverin10, Muthuraman Muthuraman11, Richard G Carson12, Madeleine Lowery13, Orla Hardiman14, Bahman Nasseroleslami15. 1. Academic Unit of Neurology, School of Medicine, Trinity College Dublin, The University of Dublin, Ireland. Electronic address: coffeya1@tcd.ie. 2. Academic Unit of Neurology, School of Medicine, Trinity College Dublin, The University of Dublin, Ireland. Electronic address: sbista@tcd.ie. 3. Academic Unit of Neurology, School of Medicine, Trinity College Dublin, The University of Dublin, Ireland. 4. Academic Unit of Neurology, School of Medicine, Trinity College Dublin, The University of Dublin, Ireland. Electronic address: buxhernt@tcd.ie. 5. Academic Unit of Neurology, School of Medicine, Trinity College Dublin, The University of Dublin, Ireland. Electronic address: mitchem8@tcd.ie. 6. Academic Unit of Neurology, School of Medicine, Trinity College Dublin, The University of Dublin, Ireland. Electronic address: egiglia@tcd.ie. 7. Academic Unit of Neurology, School of Medicine, Trinity College Dublin, The University of Dublin, Ireland; Department of Neurology, University Medical Centre Utrecht Brain Centre, Utrecht University, Utrecht, the Netherlands. Electronic address: dukics@tcd.ie. 8. Academic Unit of Neurology, School of Medicine, Trinity College Dublin, The University of Dublin, Ireland. Electronic address: matthew.fenech.16@um.edu.mt. 9. Academic Unit of Neurology, School of Medicine, Trinity College Dublin, The University of Dublin, Ireland. Electronic address: megan.barry.1@ucdconnect.ie. 10. Academic Unit of Neurology, School of Medicine, Trinity College Dublin, The University of Dublin, Ireland. Electronic address: mark.heverin@tcd.ie. 11. Section of Movement disorders and Neurostimulation, Biomedical Statistics and Multimodal Signal Processing Unit, Department of Neurology, Johannes-Gutenberg-University Hospital, Mainz, Germany. Electronic address: mmuthura@uni-mainz.de. 12. Trinity College Institute of Neuroscience and School of Psychology, Trinity College Dublin, the University of Dublin, Ireland; School of Psychology, Queen's University Belfast, Northern Ireland, UK. Electronic address: richard.carson@tcd.ie. 13. School of Electrical and Electronic Engineering, University College Dublin, Dublin, Ireland. Electronic address: madeleine.lowery@ucd.ie. 14. Academic Unit of Neurology, School of Medicine, Trinity College Dublin, The University of Dublin, Ireland; Beaumont Hospital, Beaumont Road, Dublin 9, Ireland. Electronic address: hardimao@tcd.ie. 15. Academic Unit of Neurology, School of Medicine, Trinity College Dublin, The University of Dublin, Ireland. Electronic address: nasserob@tcd.ie.
Abstract
OBJECTIVE: Poliomyelitis results in changes to the anterior horn cell. The full extent of cortical network changes in the motor physiology of polio survivors has not been established. Our aim was to investigate how focal degeneration of the lower motor neurons (LMN) in infancy/childhood affects motor network connectivity in adult survivors of polio. METHODS: Surface electroencephalography (EEG) and electromyography (EMG) were recorded during an isometric pincer grip task in 25 patients and 11 healthy controls. Spectral signal analysis of cortico-muscular (EEG-EMG) coherence (CMC) was used to identify the cortical regions that are functionally synchronous and connected to the periphery during the pincer grip task. RESULTS: A pattern of CMC was noted in polio survivors that was not present in healthy individuals. Significant CMC in low gamma frequency bands (30-47 Hz) was observed in frontal and parietal regions. CONCLUSION: These findings imply a differential engagement of cortical networks in polio survivors that extends beyond the motor cortex and suggest a disease-related functional reorganisation of the cortical motor network. SIGNIFICANCE: This research has implications for other similar LMN conditions, including spinal muscular atrophy (SMA). CMC has potential in future clinical trials as a biomarker of altered function in motor networks in post-polio syndrome, SMA, and other related conditions.
OBJECTIVE:Poliomyelitis results in changes to the anterior horn cell. The full extent of cortical network changes in the motor physiology of polio survivors has not been established. Our aim was to investigate how focal degeneration of the lower motor neurons (LMN) in infancy/childhood affects motor network connectivity in adult survivors of polio. METHODS: Surface electroencephalography (EEG) and electromyography (EMG) were recorded during an isometric pincer grip task in 25 patients and 11 healthy controls. Spectral signal analysis of cortico-muscular (EEG-EMG) coherence (CMC) was used to identify the cortical regions that are functionally synchronous and connected to the periphery during the pincer grip task. RESULTS: A pattern of CMC was noted in polio survivors that was not present in healthy individuals. Significant CMC in low gamma frequency bands (30-47 Hz) was observed in frontal and parietal regions. CONCLUSION: These findings imply a differential engagement of cortical networks in polio survivors that extends beyond the motor cortex and suggest a disease-related functional reorganisation of the cortical motor network. SIGNIFICANCE: This research has implications for other similar LMN conditions, including spinal muscular atrophy (SMA). CMC has potential in future clinical trials as a biomarker of altered function in motor networks in post-polio syndrome, SMA, and other related conditions.