Shao Guangjian, Xu Gongcheng, Huo Congcong, Nie Zichao, Zhang Yizheng, Yi Li, Wang Dongyang, Shao Zhiyong, Weng Shanfan, Sun Jinyan, Li Zengyong
School of Mechatronic Engineering and Automation, Foshan University, Foshan, China.
Beijing Key Laboratory of Rehabilitation Technical Aids for Old-Age Disability, National Research Center for Rehabilitation Technical Aids, Beijing, China.
Biomed Opt Express. 2023 Dec 6;15(1):77-94. doi: 10.1364/BOE.504669. eCollection 2024 Jan 1.
Virtual reality (VR) technology has been demonstrated to be effective in rehabilitation training with the assistance of VR games, but its impact on brain functional networks remains unclear. In this study, we used functional near-infrared spectroscopy imaging to examine the brain hemodynamic signals from 18 healthy participants during rest and grasping tasks with and without VR game intervention. We calculated and compared the graph theory-based topological properties of the brain networks using phase locking values (PLV). The results revealed significant differences in the brain network properties when VR games were introduced compared to the resting state. Specifically, for the VR-guided grasping task, the modularity of the brain network was significantly higher than the resting state, and the average clustering coefficient of the motor cortex was significantly lower compared to that of the resting state and the simple grasping task. Correlation analyses showed that a higher clustering coefficient, local efficiency, and modularity were associated with better game performance during VR game participation. This study demonstrates that a VR game task intervention can better modulate the brain functional network compared to simple grasping movements and may be more beneficial for the recovery of grasping abilities in post-stroke patients with hand paralysis.
虚拟现实（VR）技术已被证明在借助VR游戏进行康复训练时是有效的，但其对脑功能网络的影响仍不清楚。在本研究中，我们使用功能近红外光谱成像技术，来检测18名健康参与者在休息以及进行有和没有VR游戏干预的抓握任务期间的脑血流动力学信号。我们使用锁相值（PLV）计算并比较了基于图论的脑网络拓扑特性。结果显示，与静息状态相比，引入VR游戏时脑网络特性存在显著差异。具体而言，对于VR引导的抓握任务，脑网络的模块化显著高于静息状态，并且运动皮层的平均聚类系数与静息状态和简单抓握任务相比显著更低。相关性分析表明，在参与VR游戏期间，较高的聚类系数、局部效率和模块化与更好的游戏表现相关。本研究表明，与简单抓握动作相比，VR游戏任务干预可以更好地调节脑功能网络，并且可能对患有手部麻痹的中风后患者抓握能力的恢复更有益。
