Cortical activity during sensorial tactile stimulation in healthy adults through Vojta therapy. A randomized pilot controlled trial

Abstract

Background: Brain's is stimulated by Vojta Therapy through selected body areas activating stored innate motor programs which are exported as coordinate movement and muscle contractions to trunk and limbs. The aim of this pilot study is to know the responses at cortical level to a specific tactile input, assessed by electroencephalography (EEG), compared to a sham stimulation, in healthy subjects.

Methods: A randomized-controlled trial was conducted. Participants were randomly distributed into two groups: a non-specific tactile input-group (non-STI-group) (n = 20) and a Vojta specific tactile input-group (V-STI-group) (n = 20). The non-STI-group was stimulated in a non specific area (quadriceps distal area) and V-STI-group was stimulated in a specific area (intercostal space, at the mammillary line between the 7th and 8th ribs) according to the Vojta therapy. Recording was performed with EEG for 10 min considering a first minute of rest, 8 min during the stimulus and 1 min after the stimulus. EEG activity was recorded from 32 positions with active Ag/AgCl scalp electrodes following the 10-20 system. The continuous EEG signal was split into consecutive segments of one minute.

Results: The V-STI-group showed statistically significant differences in the theta, low alpha and high alpha bands, bilaterally in the supplementary motor (SMA) and premotor (PMA) areas (BA6 and BA8), superior parietal cortex (BA5, BA7) and the posterior cingulate cortex (BA23, BA31). For the V-STI-group, all frequency bands presented an initial bilateral activation of the superior and medial SMA (BA6) during the first minute. This activation was maintained until the fourth minute. During the fourth minute, the activation decreased in the three frequency bands. From the fifth minute, the activation in the superior and medial SMA rose again in the three frequency bands CONCLUSIONS: Our findings highlight that the specific stimulation area at intercostal space, on the mammillary line between 7 and 8th ribs according to Vojta therapy differentially increased bilateral activation in SMA (BA6) and Pre-SMA (BA8), BA5, BA7, BA23 and BA31 in the theta, low and high alpha bands in healthy subjects. These results could indicate the activation of innate locomotor circuits during stimulation of the pectoral area according to the Vojta therapy. Trial registration Retrospectively registered. This randomized controlled trial has been registered at ClinicalTrials.gov Identifier: NCT04317950 (March 23, 2020).

Keywords: Brain activity; Cortical activation; Electroencephalography; Reflex locomotion; Tactile stimulation; Vojta therapy.

Conflict of interest statement

The authors declare no conflict of interest.

Figures

Fig. 1

CONSORT flow diagram

Fig. 2

Colored t-values of voxels at different frequency bands that presented statistically significant differences between the first resting minute and the 8-min stimulation period for the two groups of study (top). The arrows on the top right point to the only colored parts in the sham stimulation group

Fig. 3

Colored t-values of voxels at different frequency bands that presented statistically significant differences between the first resting minute and last resting minute for the V-STI-group

Fig. 4

Standardized source power differences with respect to the first resting minute in consecutive minutes of reflex locomotion stimulation at theta band (4–7 Hz) for the V-STI-group. Implicated Brodmann areas are sketched over the cortex template on the right, according to the LORETA-KEY software

Fig. 5

Standardized source power differences with respect to the first resting minute in consecutive minutes of reflex locomotion stimulation at low alpha band (7–10 Hz) for the V-STI-group. Implicated Brodmann areas are sketched over the cortex template on the right, according to the LORETA-KEY software

Fig. 6

Standardized source power differences with respect to the first resting minute in consecutive minutes of reflex locomotion stimulation at high alpha band (10–13 Hz) for the V-STI-group. Implicated Brodmann areas are sketched over the cortex template on the right, according to the LORETA-KEY software