Instrumented assessment of lower and upper motor neuron signs in amyotrophic lateral sclerosis using robotic manipulation: an explorative study.

ABSTRACT:

Background

Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) is a lethal progressive neurodegenerative disease characterized by upper motor neuron (UMN) and lower motor neuron (LMN) involvement. Their varying degree of involvement results in a clinical heterogenous picture, making clinical assessments of UMN signs in patients with ALS often challenging. We therefore explored whether instrumented assessment using robotic manipulation could potentially be a valuable tool to study signs of UMN involvement.

Methods

We examined the dynamics of the wrist joint of 15 patients with ALS and 15 healthy controls using a Wristalyzer single-axis robotic manipulator and electromyography (EMG) recordings in the flexor and extensor muscles in the forearm. Multi-sinusoidal torque perturbations were applie

SUBMITTER: Stikvoort Garcia DJL 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC11520903 | biostudies-literature | 2024 Oct

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature