Open AccessAgonist-antagonist myoneural interface amputation preserves proprioceptive sensorimotor neurophysiology in lower limbs
Author(s) -
Shriya Srinivasan,
Greta Tuckute,
Jasmine Zou,
Samantha Gutierrez-Arango,
Hyungeun Song,
Robert Barry,
Hugh M. Herr
Publication year - 2020
Publication title -
science translational medicine
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 6.819
H-Index - 216
eISSN - 1946-6242
pISSN - 1946-6234
DOI - 10.1126/scitranslmed.abc5926
Subject(s) - agonist , proprioception , neuroscience , physical medicine and rehabilitation , antagonist , neurophysiology , agonist antagonist , amputation , medicine , psychology , receptor , surgery
The brain undergoes marked changes in function and functional connectivity after limb amputation. The agonist-antagonist myoneural interface (AMI) amputation is a procedure that restores physiological agonist-antagonist muscle relationships responsible for proprioceptive sensory feedback to enable greater motor control. We compared results from the functional neuroimaging of individuals ( n = 29) with AMI amputation, traditional amputation, and no amputation. Individuals with traditional amputation demonstrated a significant decrease in proprioceptive activity, measured by activation of Brodmann area 3a, whereas functional activation in individuals with AMIs was not significantly different from controls with no amputation ( P < 0.05). The degree of proprioceptive activity in the brain strongly correlated with fascicle activity in the peripheral muscles and performance on motor tasks ( P < 0.05), supporting the mechanistic basis of the AMI procedure. These results suggest that surgical techniques designed to restore proprioceptive peripheral neuromuscular constructs result in desirable central sensorimotor plasticity.