Stroke recovery induced by coordination dynamic therapy and quantified by the coordination dynamic recording method

Electromyogr Clin Neurophysiol. 2002 Mar;42(2):85-104.

Abstract

Based on measurements of relative phase and frequency coordination of time-space distributed firing of single neurons and neuron assemblies in the human nervous system, the concept of coordination dynamics to describe the integrative functions of the human central nervous system (CNS) and the finding of neurogenesis in the human CNS, the coordination dynamic therapy has been developed with which it is possible to repair the lesioned or malfunctioning human CNS. With the developed coordination dynamic recording method the organization (the coordination dynamics) of the CNS can be measured on-line non-invasively. By measuring the present coordination dynamics at different times with ongoing coordination dynamic therapy when exercising on a special coordination dynamic therapy device, the progress in re-organization and repair of the lesioned CNS can be quantified. In this paper it is reported that in 8 patients following stroke the lesioned CNS could partly be repaired by coordination dynamic therapy. The repair was quantified by the improvement of walking, hand function and the direct measurement of CNS organization (the coordination dynamics). In 4 patients the improvement of CNS organization (coordinations dynamics) was 70 +/- 14% within 3 months of therapy. In a patient where the intensive coordination dynamic therapy (at least 4 hours therapy with more than 15,000 coordinated movements per day) lasted longer than one year, also the difficult repairable hand functions could substantially be improved. It is shown that in the healthy CNS of the author the coordination dynamics improved in the short-term memory by 20% within 10 min and in a stroke patient by 70% within 30 min, when exercising on the special coordination dynamic therapy device. As in other learning therapies (school) it is believed, that by repeated learning of movements, vegetative and higher mental functions in the short-term memory, the learned CNS functions will also go into the long-term memory, which means the CNS has been reorganized. Improvements in the short-term memory are used to motivate the patient to perform a therapy.

MeSH terms

  • Adult
  • Ataxia / etiology
  • Ataxia / physiopathology*
  • Ataxia / rehabilitation*
  • Central Nervous System / physiopathology*
  • Electrophysiology
  • Exercise Movement Techniques*
  • Female
  • Follow-Up Studies
  • Hand / physiopathology
  • Humans
  • Male
  • Memory / physiology
  • Middle Aged
  • Outcome and Process Assessment, Health Care
  • Posture / physiology
  • Recovery of Function / physiology*
  • Stroke / complications
  • Stroke / physiopathology*
  • Stroke Rehabilitation*
  • Tape Recording
  • Time Factors
  • Walking / physiology