Directed neural connectivity changes in robot-assisted gait training: A partial Granger causality analysis

Vahab Youssofzadeh, Damiano Zanotto, Paul Stegall, Muhammad Naeem, Kongfatt Wong-Lin, Sunil K. Agrawal, Girijesh Prasad

Research output: Chapter in Book/Report/Conference proceedingConference contributionpeer-review

11 Scopus citations

Abstract

Now-a-days robotic exoskeletons are often used to help in gait training of stroke patients. However, such robotic systems have so far yielded only mixed results in benefiting the clinical population. Therefore, there is a need to investigate how gait learning and de-learning get characterised in brain signals and thus determine neural substrate to focus attention on, possibly, through an appropriate brain-computer interface (BCI). To this end, this paper reports the analysis of EEG data acquired from six healthy individuals undergoing robot-assisted gait training of a new gait pattern. Time-domain partial Granger causality (PGC) method was applied to estimate directed neural connectivity among relevant brain regions. To validate the results, a power spectral density (PSD) analysis was also performed. Results showed a strong causal interaction between lateral motor cortical areas. A frontoparietal connection was found in all robot-assisted training sessions. Following training, a causal 'top-down' cognitive control was evidenced, which may indicate plasticity in the connectivity in the respective brain regions.

Original languageEnglish
Title of host publication2014 36th Annual International Conference of the IEEE Engineering in Medicine and Biology Society, EMBC 2014
Pages6361-6364
Number of pages4
ISBN (Electronic)9781424479290
DOIs
StatePublished - 2 Nov 2014
Event2014 36th Annual International Conference of the IEEE Engineering in Medicine and Biology Society, EMBC 2014 - Chicago, United States
Duration: 26 Aug 201430 Aug 2014

Publication series

Name2014 36th Annual International Conference of the IEEE Engineering in Medicine and Biology Society, EMBC 2014

Conference

Conference2014 36th Annual International Conference of the IEEE Engineering in Medicine and Biology Society, EMBC 2014
Country/TerritoryUnited States
CityChicago
Period26/08/1430/08/14

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