Mechanical finger sensory stimulation effects on brain function in post-stroke patients: A resting-state fMRI study.

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE: Stroke, as a common neurological disorder, often leads to varying degrees of upper limb motor dysfunction in patients. Mechanical digit sensory stimulation (MDSS), an emerging sensory intervention approach, has demonstrated potential in clinical settings for promoting motor function recovery. However, its underlying neural brain network mechanisms remain unclear. This study employs resting-state functional magnetic resonance imaging (rs-fMRI) combined with clinical functional assessment methods to investigate the effects of MDSS on improving limb motor function and activities of daily living in ischemic stroke patients during the recovery phase, and to elucidate the characteristic changes in brain functional network connectivity following MDSS intervention.

METHODS: The study included 60 patients in the recovery phase of post-stroke hemiplegia and implemented standardized MDSS on the fingernail bed of the affected side. The Fugl-Meyer Assessment (FMA) and the Modified Barthel Index (MBI) were used to evaluate motor function and activities of daily living, respectively. Resting-state functional connectivity (FC) and fractional amplitude of low-frequency fluctuations (fALFF) analyses were performed before and after the intervention.

RESULTS: After MDSS intervention, the patients showed significant improvements in both FMA total scores (P < 0.001) and MBI scores (P < 0.001). rs-fMRI analysis revealed a significant increase in fALFF values in the right postcentral gyrus, basal ganglia, and cerebellar regions (P < 0.05). Functional connectivity analysis further demonstrated enhanced connectivity in the sensorimotor network, cerebellar-cortical circuit, and frontoparietal integration pathway. Notably, the functional connectivity strength between the left cerebellar lobule VI and the right paracentral lobule showed a significant negative correlation with FMA scores (P < 0.05).

CONCLUSION: MDSS, as a non-invasive rehabilitation treatment, demonstrates good safety and effectively promotes motor function recovery in stroke patients during the recovery phase. Its mechanisms of action include enhancing functional connectivity in sensorimotor-related brain regions and suppressing abnormal compensation in non-motor areas, thereby optimizing neural resource redistribution. This study provides neurobiological evidence supporting MDSS as a standardized, safe, and effective adjunctive therapy for stroke rehabilitation.