Abstract #3294

Motor Network Connectivity Following Training with an MR Compatible Hand Induced- Robotic Device

Asimina Lazaridou¹,², Loukas Astrakas¹,², Dionyssios Mintzopoulos¹,², Azadeh Khanicheh³, Aneesh Singhal⁴, Michael Moskowitz², Bruce Rosen², Aria A. Tzika¹,⁵

¹NMR Surgical Laboratory, Massachusetts General Hospital and Shriners Burn Institute, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, United States; ²Radiology, Athinoula A. Martinos Center for Biomedical Imaging, Boston, MA, United States; ³Mechanical Engineering, Northeastern University, Boston, MA, United States; ⁴Department of Neurology, Stroke Research Center, Massachusetts General Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, United States; ⁵Radiology, Athinoula A. Martinos Center for Biomedical Imaging , Boston, MA, United States

Stroke may alter functional connectivity of motor execution networks. Our purpose was to demonstrate functional reorganization of motor systems by exploring connectivity alterations within the motor related areas using fMRI with a novel MR-compatible hand-induced robotic device (MR_CHIROD). Our findings suggest that enhancement of SMA activity benefits M1 dysfunction in stroke survivors. Assessing changes in connectivity by means of fMRI in conjunction with MR_CHIROD might be used in the future to further illustrate the neural network plasticity that underlies functional recovery in chronic stroke patients.