Journal List > Brain Neurorehabil > v.8(1) > 1054755

TOOLS
Seo, Kim, Oh, Kim, and Chung: Cortical Activity Measured with EEG during Stepping on a Recumbent Stepper
Original Article

Brain & Neurorehabilitation 2015; 8(1): 39-45.

Published online: 31 March 2015

DOI: https://doi.org/10.12786/bn.2015.8.1.39

Cortical Activity Measured with EEG during Stepping on a Recumbent Stepper

Han Gil Seo, M.D.1, Kwang Dong Kim, M.D.1, Byung-Mo Oh, M.D., Ph.D.1, June Sic Kim, M.D., Ph.D.2, 3, Chun Kee Chung, M.D., Ph.D.3

1Department of Rehabilitation Medicine, Seoul National University College of Medicine, Korea.

2MEG Center, Seoul National University Hospital, Korea.

3Department of Neurosurgery, Seoul National University Hospital, Korea.

Correspondence to: Byung-Mo Oh, Department of Rehabilitation Medicine, Seoul National University College of Medicine, Seoul National University Hospital, 101 Dahak-ro, Jungno-gu, Seoul 110-744, Korea. Tel: 02-2072-1358, Fax: 02-743-7473, keepwiz@gmail.com

Received 8 October 2014       Revised 6 November 2014       Accepted 19 January 2015

Copyright © 2015 Korean Society for Neurorehabilitation

(open-access):

This is an Open Access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution Non-Commercial License (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/3.0/) which permits unrestricted non-commercial use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited.

Abstract

Objective

Recent neuroimaging studies have shown a strong involvement of the cortex as well as brainstem locomotor center in locomotion. In the present study, cortical activity during constant stepping was investigated using electroencephalography (EEG).

Method

Five healthy volunteers participated in this study. Sixty-four channel EEG was measured for 10 min while the participants performed constant stepping on a cadence of 100 rpm (50 cycles per 1 min) using a recumbent stepper. Surface electromyography (EMG) was also measured at the bilateral vastus medialis muscles. Each stepping cycle was epoched from the onset of EMG signal of the right vastus medialis muscle. Averaged event-related potentials (ERP) and event-related spectral perturbations (ERSP) of all subjects were calculated at all EEG channels.

Results

Periodic change of ERP was centered on the CZ and FPZ electrodes. While ERP at the CZ started to increase at 200 and 800 ms, ERP at the FPZ started to increase at -50 and 600 ms. ERSP was remarkable at the CZ during stepping cycles. According to the stepping cycle, power increases were pronounced at low-gamma frequency band and also observed at beta band.

Conclusion

This study showed cortical activity during constant stepping using EEG in healthy participants. Periodic cortical activities were remarkable at the sensorimotor cortex area, and precedent activities were observed at the prefrontal area. EEG measurement during stepping on a recumbent stepper may be a valuable tool in investigating cortical activates related to walking in patients with gait disorders.

Keywords: electroencephalography, gait, locomotion

Figures and Tables

Fig. 1

Experimental setup and location of EEG electrodes. A subject steps on a cadence of 100 rpm (50 cycles per 1 min) using a recumbent stepper. M1, M2, OB1, and OB2 electrodes are not shown in the figure.

bn-8-39-g001
Fig. 2

Averaged EMG activity at bilateral vastus medialis (VM) muscles during stepping cycles in a subject.

bn-8-39-g002
Fig. 3

Averaged ERPs of all subjects at whole EEG channels. Periodic change of ERP was centered on the CZ and FPZ electrodes.

bn-8-39-g003
Fig. 4

Averaged ERPs of all subjects at midline EEG channels.

bn-8-39-g004
Fig. 5

Averaged ERSPs of all subjects at whole EEG channels. Lower two time-frequency plots show ERSPs at the FPZ and CZ. Power increases are pronounced at low-gamma frequency band and also observed at beta band at the CZ.

bn-8-39-g005

Notes

This study was supported by 2013 Research Grant from the Korean Society for Neuro Rehabilitation.

References

1. Guertin PA. Central pattern generator for locomotion: anatomical, physiological, and pathophysiological considerations. Front Neurol. 2012; 3:183.
2. la Fougere C, Zwergal A, Rominger A, Forster S, Fesl G, Dieterich M, Brandt T, Strupp M, Bartenstein P, Jahn K. Real versus imagined locomotion: a [18F]-FDG PET-fMRI comparison. Neuroimage. 2010; 50:1589–1598.
3. Wang J, Wai Y, Weng Y, Ng K, Huang YZ, Ying L, Liu H, Wang C. Functional MRI in the assessment of cortical activation during gait-related imaginary tasks. J Neural Transm. 2009; 116:1087–1092.
4. Dobkin BH, Firestine A, West M, Saremi K, Woods R. Ankle dorsiflexion as an fMRI paradigm to assay motor control for walking during rehabilitation. Neuroimage. 2004; 23:370–381.
5. Miyai I, Tanabe HC, Sase I, Eda H, Oda I, Konishi I, Tsunazawa Y, Suzuki T, Yanagida T, Kubota K. Cortical mapping of gait in humans: a near-infrared spectroscopic topography study. Neuroimage. 2001; 14:1186–1192.
6. Suzuki M, Miyai I, Ono T, Kubota K. Activities in the frontal cortex and gait performance are modulated by preparation. An fNIRS study. Neuroimage. 2008; 39:600–607.
7. Gwin JT, Gramann K, Makeig S, Ferris DP. Electrocortical activity is coupled to gait cycle phase during treadmill walking. Neuroimage. 2011; 54:1289–1296.
8. Stoloff RH, Zehr EP, Ferris DP. Recumbent stepping has similar but simpler neural control compared to walking. Exp Brain Res. 2007; 178:427–438.
9. Delorme A, Makeig S. EEGLAB: an open source toolbox for analysis of single-trial EEG dynamics including independent component analysis. J Neurosci Methods. 2004; 134:9–21.
10. Pfurtscheller G, Lopes da Silva FH. Event-related EEG/MEG synchronization and desynchronization: basic principles. Clin Neurophysiol. 1999; 110:1842–1857.
11. Jahn K, Deutschlander A, Stephan T, Kalla R, Hufner K, Wagner J, Strupp M, Brandt T. Supraspinal locomotor control in quadrupeds and humans. Prog Brain Res. 2008; 171:353–362.
12. Wieser M, Haefeli J, Butler L, Jancke L, Riener R, Koeneke S. Temporal and spatial patterns of cortical activation during assisted lower limb movement. Exp Brain Res. 2010; 203:181–191.
13. Sur S, Sinha VK. Event-related potential: An overview. Ind Psychiatry J. 2009; 18:70–73.
14. Miller EK, Cohen JD. An integrative theory of prefrontal cortex function. Annu Rev Neurosci. 2001; 24:167–202.
15. Raethjen J, Govindan RB, Binder S, Zeuner KE, Deuschl G, Stolze H. Cortical representation of rhythmic foot movements. Brain Res. 2008; 1236:79–84.
16. Brown P. Cortical drives to human muscle: the Piper and related rhythms. Prog Neurobiol. 2000; 60:97–108.
17. Mima T, Steger J, Schulman AE, Gerloff C, Hallett M. Electroencephalographic measurement of motor cortex control of muscle activity in humans. Clin Neurophysiol. 2000; 111:326–337.
18. Wagner J, Solis-Escalante T, Grieshofer P, Neuper C, Muller-Putz G, Scherer R. Level of participation in robotic-assisted treadmill walking modulates midline sensorimotor EEG rhythms in able-bodied subjects. Neuroimage. 2012; 63:1203–1211.
TOOLS
Similar articles