This study aimed to compare treatment effects among mirror therapy (MT) only, MT combined with neuromuscular electrical stimulation (NMES), and MT combined with 8 Hz binaural beats stimulation (BBS) on the LE motor recovery.
All subjects were randomly assigned into one of three groups (MT only, MT combined with NMES, or MT combined with 8 Hz BBS). In addition to conventional rehabilitation, each subject received an additional treatment protocol with a total of 15 sessions for 3 weeks (5 times per week, 20 minutes daily). All participants were assessed with the outcome measures before and after the 3-week treatment intervention. Outcome measures included the LE subscale of Fugl-Meyer assessment, the Timed Up and Go Test, and the Barthel Index. An 8-channel wearable dry electrode electroencephalography system was used to assess corticomotor excitability.
Seven participants completed the experiment in preliminary result. Only one participant (No.2) in mirror therapy group showed 12-second improvement in the Time Up and Go test, exceeding the minimal clinically important difference (MCID) of 8 seconds, suggesting a genuine improvement in walking ability. Another participant (No.4) in mirror therapy combined with NMES group showed a 2-point improvement on the Barthel Index, surpassing the MCID of 1.85 points, indicating a genuine improvement in the activity of daily living. The exception of the participant (No.7) in mirror therapy combined with BBS group, other participants showed a significant trend of increased corticomotor excitability in the primary motor cortex of lesioned brain.
The preliminary results did not yet support the mirror therapy combined with BBS program intervention would yield better functional recovery than the other two intervention of individuals with chronic stroke.
Further studies are warranted to recruit larger sample size to verify the differences of treatment efficacy.Further studies are warranted to recruit larger sample size to verify the differences of treatment efficacy.
corticomotor excitability
stroke