Vanbilsen Nele, Feys Peter, Rosso Mattia, Van Wijmeersch Bart, Kos Daphne, Leman Marc, Kotz Sonja A, Moumdjian Lousin
Faculty of Rehabilitation Sciences, REVAL Rehabilitation Research Center, University of Hasselt, Diepenbeek, Belgium.
Universitair Multiple Sclerosis Centrum (UMSC) Hasselt-Pelt, Hasselt, Belgium.
Front Neurol. 2025 May 2;16:1547573. doi: 10.3389/fneur.2025.1547573. eCollection 2025.
Persons with relapsing and remitting multiple sclerosis (MS) can synchronize steps with music and metronomes at different tempi. However, progressing demyelination, loss of neural connectivity and increased cognitive impairment likely affects how persons with progressive MS (PwPMS) synchronize movements with external beats. We tested how PwPMS tap to music and metronomes at high and low tempi in order to understand auditory-motor capacities behaviorally in PwPMS. Synchronization at brain level was measured using EEG. We aim (1) to investigate whether PwPMS can synchronize taps to various tempi and musical structures (music and metronomes) compared to healthy controls (HCs) (2) to measure neural entrainment to understand the neural basis of synchronization.
Participants synchronized finger taps to beats in music and metronomes at five tempi: preferred tapping frequency (0%), slow (-8, -4%), and fast (4, 8%). A mixed model analyzed synchronization outcomes, while regression identified clinical factors affecting consistency. Spearman-rank correlations assessed correlations between neural entrainment and behavioral synchronization consistency.
Sixteen HCs and nineteen PwPMS (mean age = 52.42, mean EDSS = 4.24) participated. No significant differences were seen in behavioral and neural synchronization outcomes between PwPMS and HCs across tempi. Behaviorally, synchronization was higher with the metronomes than with music ( = 0.01), yet non-significant at neural level. Disability ( = 0.02) and manual dexterity ( < 0.001) affected synchronization consistency for metronomes, while cognitive impairment affected synchronization consistency for music.
PwPMS show preserved auditory-motor synchronization capacities however influenced by motor and cognitive factors. The study results support considering the use of auditory-motor synchronization for rehabilitation of PwPMS.
复发缓解型多发性硬化症（MS）患者能够在不同节奏下与音乐及节拍器同步脚步动作。然而，进行性脱髓鞘、神经连接丧失以及认知障碍加剧可能会影响进行性MS患者（PwPMS）将动作与外部节拍同步的方式。我们测试了PwPMS在高低两种节奏下如何跟随音乐和节拍器敲击，以便从行为学角度了解PwPMS的听觉运动能力。使用脑电图测量大脑层面的同步情况。我们旨在：（1）研究与健康对照者（HCs）相比，PwPMS是否能够将敲击动作与各种节奏及音乐结构（音乐和节拍器）同步；（2）测量神经夹带以了解同步的神经基础。
参与者在五种节奏下将手指敲击动作与音乐和节拍器的节拍同步：偏好敲击频率（0%）、慢速（-8，-4%）和快速（4，8%）。混合模型分析同步结果，而回归分析确定影响一致性的临床因素。斯皮尔曼等级相关性评估神经夹带与行为同步一致性之间的相关性。
16名HCs和19名PwPMS（平均年龄=52.42，平均扩展残疾状态量表[EDSS]=4.24）参与研究。在不同节奏下，PwPMS和HCs在行为和神经同步结果方面未观察到显著差异。在行为上，与节拍器同步的程度高于与音乐同步（P=0.01），但在神经层面不显著。残疾程度（P=0.02）和手部灵活性（P<0.001）影响与节拍器同步的一致性，而认知障碍影响与音乐同步的一致性。
PwPMS显示出保留的听觉运动同步能力，但受到运动和认知因素的影响。研究结果支持考虑将听觉运动同步用于PwPMS的康复治疗。
