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Sanz I1, De la Cueva M2, Martínez B2, Rodriguez D2, Fernández S2, Calvo C3
1Universidad Europea de Madrid, Fisioterapia, Madrid, Spain, 2Universidad Europea de Madrid, Madrid, Spain, 3Universida de León, León, Spain
Background: The development and motor control of the human being is related to the influence of exteroceptive and interoceptive stimuli and the acquisition of motor and cognitive abilities.
Neuroscience has studied the involvement of different brain areas in functional tasks, while new lines of research seek the relationship between brain activation during different sensory input.
Physical therapist´s hands are used to provide tactile and proprioceptive stimuli with therapeutic purposes. Neurological Physical Therapy is intended to provoke an organized response of the Central Nervous System ( CNS) improving the functionality of the patient.
Vojta therapy is based on tactile and proprioceptive stimulation of specific body areas on a well determined and well defined postural base. The application of these stimuli triggers an innate locomotor program in our CNS. As a response to stimuli, muscular synergies appear containing the essential motor elements in human locomotion: straightening, coordinated phasic movement and postural control.
Purpose: The objective of this study was to describe the brain activity during the application of a tactile stimulus on the chest area according to the Vojta therapy protocol and an equal stimulus on the thigh area. For observation, an exploratory functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) study was performed.
Methods: It is a descriptive observational study using functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) with 16 healthy subjects divided into two groups. The same paradigm and protocol was used in both groups. A passive sensory stimulus was applied by a specialized physical therapist. The difference between both groups was the stimulation zone. The Vojta descriptive group (DV) was stimulated in the area between the 7th and 8th rib while the Simulated descriptive group (DS) was stimulated on the thigh. The fMRI was used to map the brain during the application of the stimulus by means of a block design.
The data were analyzed using the general linear model in SPM12 implemented in MATLAB.
Results: A statistical significance level of p 0.001 was used. After the comparison of both groups with respect to rest and the direct comparison between them, the activation of the DV group was observed in both cases, emphasizing the activation in the frontal cortical (AMS), temporal zones, the subcortical areas of the thalamus, basal ganglia (putamen), brainstem and the anterior lobe (vermis) in the cerebellum.
Conclusion(s): The stimulation performed in the chest area following the protocol of Vojta therapy causes an activation of different structures at the cortical, subcortical and cerebellar levels. The ipsilateral activation of the putamen stimulus area is especially significant and leaves open the possibility of a future line of research.
Implications: This pioneer study describe the response of the CNS to such a specific tactile stimulus. Knowledge of brain activation areas can help us in the rehabilitation process of patients with neurological disorders.
Keywords: Magnetic resonance imaging, neurology, physical therapy
Funding acknowledgements: No funding to declare
Neuroscience has studied the involvement of different brain areas in functional tasks, while new lines of research seek the relationship between brain activation during different sensory input.
Physical therapist´s hands are used to provide tactile and proprioceptive stimuli with therapeutic purposes. Neurological Physical Therapy is intended to provoke an organized response of the Central Nervous System ( CNS) improving the functionality of the patient.
Vojta therapy is based on tactile and proprioceptive stimulation of specific body areas on a well determined and well defined postural base. The application of these stimuli triggers an innate locomotor program in our CNS. As a response to stimuli, muscular synergies appear containing the essential motor elements in human locomotion: straightening, coordinated phasic movement and postural control.
Purpose: The objective of this study was to describe the brain activity during the application of a tactile stimulus on the chest area according to the Vojta therapy protocol and an equal stimulus on the thigh area. For observation, an exploratory functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) study was performed.
Methods: It is a descriptive observational study using functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) with 16 healthy subjects divided into two groups. The same paradigm and protocol was used in both groups. A passive sensory stimulus was applied by a specialized physical therapist. The difference between both groups was the stimulation zone. The Vojta descriptive group (DV) was stimulated in the area between the 7th and 8th rib while the Simulated descriptive group (DS) was stimulated on the thigh. The fMRI was used to map the brain during the application of the stimulus by means of a block design.
The data were analyzed using the general linear model in SPM12 implemented in MATLAB.
Results: A statistical significance level of p 0.001 was used. After the comparison of both groups with respect to rest and the direct comparison between them, the activation of the DV group was observed in both cases, emphasizing the activation in the frontal cortical (AMS), temporal zones, the subcortical areas of the thalamus, basal ganglia (putamen), brainstem and the anterior lobe (vermis) in the cerebellum.
Conclusion(s): The stimulation performed in the chest area following the protocol of Vojta therapy causes an activation of different structures at the cortical, subcortical and cerebellar levels. The ipsilateral activation of the putamen stimulus area is especially significant and leaves open the possibility of a future line of research.
Implications: This pioneer study describe the response of the CNS to such a specific tactile stimulus. Knowledge of brain activation areas can help us in the rehabilitation process of patients with neurological disorders.
Keywords: Magnetic resonance imaging, neurology, physical therapy
Funding acknowledgements: No funding to declare
Topic: Neurology
Ethics approval required: Yes
Institution: Hospital Ruber Internacional
Ethics committee: The ethic committee of the Ruber International hospital
Ethics number: registry number: 0761
All authors, affiliations and abstracts have been published as submitted.
