Characteristics of corticomuscular coupling during wheelchair Tai Chi in patients with spinal cord injury

This study explores how the brain and muscles communicate during Wheelchair Tai Chi (WCTC) in people with spinal cord injury (SCI). It compares this communication to that during regular aerobic exercise. The researchers measured brain activity using functional near-infrared spectroscopy (fNIRS) and muscle activity using surface electromyography (sEMG). They then looked at how these signals synchronized during the exercises. The study found that SCI patients might compensate for reduced brain-muscle communication by increasing muscle activation. WCTC showed potential in improving this communication compared to aerobic exercise.

• 1
  SCI patients showed changes in brain connectivity and increased muscle activation compared to healthy controls, suggesting they need more effort to perform the same tasks.
• 2
  During WCTC, SCI patients showed significantly higher coherence values between specific muscles (left biceps brachii, right triceps brachii) and the opposite side of the brain, compared to aerobic exercise.
• 3
  The study suggests SCI patients compensate for reduced brain-muscle communication by increasing muscle activation.