Evaluating a novel MR‐compatible foot pedal device for unipedal and bipedal motion: Test–retest reliability of evoked brain activity

• Published in: Human brain mapping Vol. 42; no. 1; pp. 128 - 138
• Main Authors: Doolittle, Jade D., Downey, Ryan J., Imperatore, Julia P., Dowdle, Logan T., Lench, Daniel H., McLeod, John, McCalley, Daniel M., Gregory, Chris M., Hanlon, Colleen A.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Hoboken, USA John Wiley & Sons, Inc 01.01.2021
• Subjects: Adult; Ankle; bipedal movement; Brain; brain activity; Cerebellum; Cerebellum - diagnostic imaging; Cerebellum - physiology; Correlation coefficient; Correlation coefficients; Cortex (motor); Diagnostic Techniques, Neurological - instrumentation; Equipment Design - standards; Evaluation; Feet; Female; fMRI; Functional magnetic resonance imaging; Functional Neuroimaging - standards; Head movement; Head Movements - physiology; Humans; lower extremity; Lower Extremity - physiology; Magnetic Resonance Imaging; Male; Motor Activity - physiology; Motor Cortex - diagnostic imaging; Motor Cortex - physiology; motor impairment; MR‐compatible device; Nerve Net - diagnostic imaging; Nerve Net - physiology; Network reliability; Neuroimaging; Plantar flexion; Psychomotor Performance - physiology; rehabilitation; Reliability analysis; Reproducibility of Results; Young Adult; fMRI; rehabilitation; MR-compatible device; bipedal movement; brain activity; lower extremity; motor impairment
• ISSN: 1065-9471; 1097-0193
• DOI: 10.1002/hbm.25209

The purpose of this study was to develop and evaluate a new, open‐source MR‐compatible device capable of assessing unipedal and bipedal lower extremity movement with minimal head motion and high test–retest reliability. To evaluate the prototype, 20 healthy adults participated in two magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) visits, separated by 2–6 months, in which they performed a visually guided dorsiflexion/plantar flexion task with their left foot, right foot, and alternating feet. Dependent measures included: evoked blood oxygen level‐dependent (BOLD) signal in the motor network, head movement associated with dorsiflexion/plantar flexion, the test–retest reliability of these measurements. Left and right unipedal movement led to a significant increase in BOLD signal compared to rest in the medial portion of the right and left primary motor cortex (respectively), and the ipsilateral cerebellum (FWE corrected, p < .001). Average head motion was 0.10 ± 0.02 mm. The test–retest reliability was high for the functional MRI data (intraclass correlation coefficients [ICCs]: >0.75) and the angular displacement of the ankle joint (ICC: 0.842). This bipedal device can robustly isolate activity in the motor network during alternating plantarflexion and dorsiflexion with minimal head movement, while providing high test–retest reliability. Ultimately, these data and open‐source building instructions will provide a new, economical tool for investigators interested in evaluating brain function resulting from lower extremity movement. We present a new, open‐source MR‐compatible device capable of assessing unipedal and bipedal lower extremity movement with minimal head motion and high test–retest reliability. This bipedal device can robustly isolate activity in the motor network during alternating plantarflexion and dorsiflexion. These data and open‐source building instructions will provide a new, economical tool for investigators interested in evaluating brain function resulting from lower extremity movement.