Brain functional connectivity and activity during motor control in children with cerebral palsy: a pilot cross-sectional fNIRS study.

Abstract

Background: Cerebral palsy (CP) is a neurological disorder caused by non-progressive brain injuries during fetal development or infancy, primarily characterized by impairments in motor control. While motor control challenges in CP have been extensively studied, limited attention has been paid to brain activation patterns and functional connectivity during motor tasks, particularly in pediatric populations. This study aims to compare brain activity and functional connectivity between children with CP and typically developing (TD) children during motor control tasks.

Methods: This cross-sectional study employed functional near-infrared spectroscopy (fNIRS) to investigate brain activity and functional connectivity during motor tasks in children with CP. Participants included 6 children with bilateral CP, 6 with hemiplegic CP (HCP), and 5 TD children. Connectivity between critical brain regions, such as the sensory-motor cortex (SMC) and somatosensory association cortex (SAC), was analyzed. Furthermore, the relationship between functional connectivity and motor control performance was examined.

Results: Children with bilateral CP (BCP) exhibited significantly reduced functional connectivity between the bilateral SMC and the SAC compared to TD children (P<0.05). However, no significant differences in functional connectivity were observed between children with HCP and either TD children or those with BCP (P>0.05), suggesting neural connectivity patterns in HCP are comparable to those in TD peers. A positive correlation was identified between functional connectivity and motor control, indicating that stronger connectivity is associated with better motor control outcomes.

Conclusions: This study provides new insights into the functional connectivity of the brain in children with CP, highlighting differences in connectivity patterns between BCP and TD children. The findings underscore the importance of functional connectivity in motor control and offer potential implications for developing targeted therapeutic strategies. Understanding these connectivity patterns can aid in refining interventions aimed at improving motor function in children with CP.