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Author Friedman, J.; Amiaz, A.; Korman, M. pdf  url
doi  openurl
  Title The online and offline effects of changing movement timing variability during training on a finger-opposition task Type Journal Article
  Year 2022 Publication Scientific Reports Abbreviated Journal Sci Rep  
  Volume 12 Issue (up) 1 Pages 13319  
  Keywords Fingers; Humans; *Learning; *Motor Skills; Movement; Psychomotor Performance; Upper Extremity  
  Abstract In motor learning tasks, there is mixed evidence for whether increased task-relevant variability in early learning stages leads to improved outcomes. One problem is that there may be a connection between skill level and motor variability, such that participants who initially have more variability may also perform worse on the task, so will have more room to improve. To avoid this confound, we experimentally manipulated the amount of movement timing variability (MTV) during training to test whether it improves performance. Based on previous studies showing that most of the improvement in finger-opposition tasks comes from optimizing the relative onset time of the finger movements, we used auditory cues (beeps) to guide the onset times of sequential movements during a training session, and then assessed motor performance after the intervention. Participants were assigned to three groups that either: (a) followed a prescribed random rhythm for their finger touches (Variable MTV), (b) followed a fixed rhythm (Fixed control MTV), or (c) produced the entire sequence following a single beep (Unsupervised control MTV). While the intervention was successful in increasing MTV during training for the Variable group, it did not lead to improved outcomes post-training compared to either control group, and the use of fixed timing led to significantly worse performance compared to the Unsupervised control group. These results suggest that manipulating MTV through auditory cues does not produce greater learning than unconstrained training in motor sequence tasks.  
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  ISSN 2045-2322 ISBN Medium  
  Area Expedition Conference  
  Notes PMID:35922460; PMCID:PMC9349301 Approved no  
  Call Number Serial 115  
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Author Steinhart, S.; Weiss, P.L.; Friedman, J. pdf  url
doi  openurl
  Title Proximal and distal movement patterns during a graphomotor task in typically developing children and children with handwriting problems Type Journal Article
  Year 2021 Publication Journal of Neuroengineering and Rehabilitation Abbreviated Journal J Neuroeng Rehabil  
  Volume 18 Issue (up) 1 Pages 178  
  Keywords Arm; Biomechanical Phenomena; Child; *Handwriting; Humans; Motor Skills; *Movement; Upper Extremity; Distal joints; Handwriting; Motor control; Movement analysis; Proximal; Stability  
  Abstract BACKGROUND: Therapists specializing in handwriting difficulties in children often address motor problems including both proximal and distal movements in the upper extremity. Kinematic measures can be used to investigate various aspects of handwriting. This study examined differences in movement patterns in proximal and distal joints of the upper extremity during graphomotor tasks between typically developing children with and without handwriting problems. Additionally, it explored relationships between movement patterns, speed, and legibility of writing. METHODS: Forty-one children, aged 7-11 years, were assessed with the Aleph Aleph Ktav Yad Hebrew Handwriting assessment and the Beery Test of Visual Motor Integration and, based on their scores, were divided into a research group (with handwriting difficulties) and a control group (without handwriting difficulties). Upper extremity joint movement patterns were analyzed with a motion capture system. Differences in the quality of shapes traced and copied on a graphics tablet positioned horizontally and vertically were compared. Between-group differences and relationships with speed and legibility were analyzed. RESULTS: In both groups, there was greater movement in the distal compared to the proximal joints, greater movement when performing the task in a horizontal compared to a vertical plane, and greater movement when tracing than copying. Joint movements in the arm executed scaled-down versions of the shapes being drawn. While the amount of joint displacement was similar between groups, children in the research group showed greater dissimilarity between the drawn shape and the shape produced by the proximal joints. Finally, the drawing measure on the tablet was a significant predictor of legibility, speed of writing, visual motor integration and motor coordination, whereas the dissimilarity measure of joint movement was a significant predictor of speed of writing and motor coordination. CONCLUSIONS: This study provides support for the role of the distal upper extremity joints in the writing process and some guidance to assist clinicians in devising treatment strategies for movement-related handwriting problems. While we observed differences in proximal joint movements between the children with and without handwriting difficulties, the extent to which they are responsible for the differences in drawing quality remains to be determined. Further studies should use a similar methodology to examine additional tasks such as drawing shapes of varying sizes.  
  Address Sagol School of Neuroscience, Tel Aviv University, Tel Aviv, Israel. jason@tau.ac.il  
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  Series Volume Series Issue Edition  
  ISSN 1743-0003 ISBN Medium  
  Area Expedition Conference  
  Notes PMID:34930334; PMCID:PMC8690895 Approved no  
  Call Number Serial 118  
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Author Levin, M.F.; Berman, S.; Weiss, N.; Parmet, Y.; Banina, M.C.; Frenkel-Toledo, S.; Soroker, N.; Solomon, J.M.; Liebermann, D.G. url  doi
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  Title ENHANCE proof-of-concept three-arm randomized trial: effects of reaching training of the hemiparetic upper limb restricted to the spasticity-free elbow range Type
  Year 2023 Publication Scientific Reports Abbreviated Journal Sci Rep  
  Volume 13 Issue (up) 1 Pages 22934  
  Keywords Humans; Elbow; *Transcranial Direct Current Stimulation; Muscle Spasticity/therapy/complications; Upper Extremity; *Elbow Joint; *Stroke/complications; *Stroke Rehabilitation/methods  
  Abstract Post-stroke motor recovery processes remain unknown. Timescales and patterns of upper-limb (UL) recovery suggest a major impact of biological factors, with modest contributions from rehabilitation. We assessed a novel impairment-based training motivated by motor control theory where reaching occurs within the spasticity-free elbow range. Patients with subacute stroke (</= 6 month; n = 46) and elbow flexor spasticity were randomly allocated to a 10-day UL training protocol, either personalized by restricting reaching to the spasticity-free elbow range defined by the tonic stretch reflex threshold (TSRT) or non-personalized (non-restricted) and with/without anodal transcranial direct current stimulation. Outcomes assessed before, after, and 1 month post-intervention were elbow flexor TSRT angle and reach-to-grasp arm kinematics (primary) and stretch reflex velocity sensitivity, clinical impairment, and activity (secondary). Results were analyzed for 3 groups as well as those of the effects of impairment-based training. Clinical measures improved in both groups. Spasticity-free range training resulted in faster and smoother reaches, smaller (i.e., better) arm-plane path length, and closer-to-normal shoulder/elbow movement patterns. Non-personalized training improved clinical scores without improving arm kinematics, suggesting that clinical measures do not account for movement quality. Impairment-based training within a spasticity-free elbow range is promising since it may improve clinical scores together with arm movement quality.Clinical Trial Registration: URL: http://www.clinicaltrials.gov . Unique Identifier: NCT02725853; Initial registration date: 01/04/2016.  
  Address Department of Physical Therapy, Faculty of Medicine, Stanley Steyer School of Health Professions, Tel Aviv University, POB 39040, 61390, Ramat Aviv, Tel Aviv, Israel. dlieberm@tauex.tau.ac.il  
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  Series Volume Series Issue Edition  
  ISSN 2045-2322 ISBN Medium  
  Area Expedition Conference  
  Notes PMID:38129527; PMCID:PMC10739929 Approved no  
  Call Number Serial 121  
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Author Lowenthal-Raz, J.; Liebermann, D.G.; Friedman, J.; Soroker, N. url  doi
openurl 
  Title Kinematic descriptors of arm reaching movement are sensitive to hemisphere-specific immediate neuromodulatory effects of transcranial direct current stimulation post stroke Type Journal Article
  Year 2024 Publication Scientific Reports Abbreviated Journal Sci Rep  
  Volume 14 Issue (up) 1 Pages 11971  
  Keywords Humans; *Transcranial Direct Current Stimulation/methods; Male; Female; Middle Aged; *Stroke/physiopathology/therapy; Biomechanical Phenomena; Aged; *Arm/physiopathology; *Movement/physiology; *Stroke Rehabilitation/methods; Single-Blind Method; Cross-Over Studies  
  Abstract Transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS) exerts beneficial effects on motor recovery after stroke, presumably by enhancement of adaptive neural plasticity. However, patients with extensive damage may experience null or deleterious effects with the predominant application mode of anodal (excitatory) stimulation of the damaged hemisphere. In such cases, excitatory stimulation of the non-damaged hemisphere might be considered. Here we asked whether tDCS exerts a measurable effect on movement quality of the hemiparetic upper limb, following just a single treatment session. Such effect may inform on the hemisphere that should be excited. Using a single-blinded crossover experimental design, stroke patients and healthy control subjects were assessed before and after anodal, cathodal and sham tDCS, each provided during a single session of reaching training (repeated point-to-point hand movement on an electronic tablet). Group comparisons of endpoint kinematics at baseline-number of peaks in the speed profile (NoP; smoothness), hand-path deviations from the straight line (SLD; accuracy) and movement time (MT; speed)-disclosed greater NoP, larger SLD and longer MT in the stroke group. NoP and MT revealed an advantage for anodal compared to sham stimulation of the lesioned hemisphere. NoP and MT improvements under anodal stimulation of the non-lesioned hemisphere correlated positively with the severity of hemiparesis. Damage to specific cortical regions and white-matter tracts was associated with lower kinematic gains from tDCS. The study shows that simple descriptors of movement kinematics of the hemiparetic upper limb are sensitive enough to demonstrate gain from neuromodulation by tDCS, following just a single session of reaching training. Moreover, the results show that tDCS-related gain is affected by the severity of baseline motor impairment, and by lesion topography.  
  Address Faculty of Medicine, Tel-Aviv University, Tel Aviv, Israel. nachum@soroker.online  
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  Series Volume Series Issue Edition  
  ISSN 2045-2322 ISBN Medium  
  Area Expedition Conference  
  Notes PMID:38796610; PMCID:PMC11127956 Approved no  
  Call Number Serial 125  
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Author Tamir-Ostrover, H.; Hassin-Baer, S.; Fay-Karmon, T.; Friedman, J. url  doi
openurl 
  Title Quantifying Changes in Dexterity as a Result of Piano Training in People with Parkinson's Disease Type Journal Article
  Year 2024 Publication Sensors (Basel, Switzerland) Abbreviated Journal Sensors (Basel)  
  Volume 24 Issue (up) 11 Pages  
  Keywords Humans; *Parkinson Disease/physiopathology; Pilot Projects; Male; Aged; Female; Quality of Life; Middle Aged; Motor Skills/physiology; Music; Surveys and Questionnaires; Activities of Daily Living; Fingers/physiology/physiopathology; Parkinson's disease; dexterity; force sensors; music; piano; sonification; training; uncontrolled manifold  
  Abstract People with Parkinson's disease often show deficits in dexterity, which, in turn, can lead to limitations in performing activities of daily life. Previous studies have suggested that training in playing the piano may improve or prevent a decline in dexterity in this population. In this pilot study, we tested three participants on a six-week, custom, piano-based training protocol, and quantified dexterity before and after the intervention using a sensor-enabled version of the nine-hole peg test, the box and block test, a test of finger synergies using unidimensional force sensors, and the Quantitative Digitography test using a digital piano, as well as selected relevant items from the motor parts of the MDS-Unified Parkinson's Disease Rating Scale (MDS-UPDRS) and the Parkinson's Disease Questionnaire (PDQ-39) quality of life questionnaire. The participants showed improved dexterity following the training program in several of the measures used. This pilot study proposes measures that can track changes in dexterity as a result of practice in people with Parkinson's disease and describes a potential protocol that needs to be tested in a larger cohort.  
  Address Sagol School of Neuroscience, Tel Aviv University, Tel Aviv 6997801, Israel  
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  Series Volume Series Issue Edition  
  ISSN 1424-8220 ISBN Medium  
  Area Expedition Conference  
  Notes PMID:38894110; PMCID:PMC11174779 Approved no  
  Call Number Serial 124  
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