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Cortical control of gait in healthy humans: an fMRI study

  • Parkinson's Disease and Allied Conditions - Original Article
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Abstract

This study examined the cortical control of gait in healthy humans using functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI). Two block-designed fMRI sessions were conducted during motor imagery of a locomotor-related task. Subjects watched a video clip that showed an actor standing and walking in an egocentric perspective. In a control session, additional fMRI images were collected when participants observed a video clip of the clutch movement of a right hand. In keeping with previous studies using SPECT and NIRS, we detected activation in many motor-related areas including supplementary motor area, bilateral precentral gyrus, left dorsal premotor cortex, and cingulate motor area. Smaller additional activations were observed in the bilateral precuneus, left thalamus, and part of right putamen. Based on these findings, we propose a novel paradigm to study the cortical control of gait in healthy humans using fMRI. Specifically, the task used in this study—involving both mirror neurons and mental imagery—provides a new feasible model to be used in functional neuroimaging studies in this area of research.

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Acknowledgments

This project was supported jointly by the National Science Council Taiwan (NSC 96-2321-B-182-002-MY2) and ChangGung Memorial Hospital Medical Research Project (CMRPG360821). The facility for image analysis was supported by the biomedical engineering centre in the ChangGung University. The authors would like to thank the helpful discussion and comment from the Department of Neurology, Cardinal Tien Hospital, YungHo branch.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Neurology, Cardinal Tien Hospital Yung-Ho Branch, Taipei, Taiwan

    ChiHong Wang

  2. Department of Medical Imaging & Radiological Sciences, ChangGung University, TaoYuan, Taiwan

    YauYau Wai & JiunJie Wang

  3. Department of Diagnostic Radiology and Intervention, ChangGung Memorial Hospital, LinKou, Taiwan

    YauYau Wai

  4. Molecular Imaging Centre, ChangGung Memorial Hospital, LinKou, Taiwan

    YauYau Wai & JiunJie Wang

  5. Department of Psychology, National Taiwan University, Taipei,  Taiwan

    BoCheng Kuo & Yei-Yu Yeh

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  1. ChiHong Wang
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  2. YauYau Wai
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  3. BoCheng Kuo
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  4. Yei-Yu Yeh
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  5. JiunJie Wang
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Correspondence to JiunJie Wang.

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YauYau Wai and ChiHong Wang contributed equally to this work.

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Wang, C., Wai, Y., Kuo, B. et al. Cortical control of gait in healthy humans: an fMRI study. J Neural Transm 115, 1149–1158 (2008). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00702-008-0058-z

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00702-008-0058-z

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