KFU scientists won a grant in the field of restorative medicine and rehabilitation technologies

CrimeaPRESS reports:

Scientists from the Crimean Federal University won a grant from the Russian Science Foundation in the field of restorative medicine and rehabilitation technologies. The grant is for three years. The total amount of financing will be six million rubles.

The project is aimed at studying the physiological mechanisms of restoring the motor functions of the upper limbs in children suffering from cerebral palsy. To do this, we use the exoskeleton of the hand. Children with pathology of the central nervous system do not understand how to work with their hands. When the exoskeleton of the hand starts the process of movement, the child builds functional connections from head to hands. In studies, we proceed from the fact that the zone of the hand and the zone of speech muscles in the cerebral cortex are nearby, which can also improve the patient’s speech , — the press service of the university quotes the director of the scientific and clinical center «Health Technologies and rehabilitation” KFU Sergey Vlasenko.

According to scientists, among the diseases of the nervous system, the main cause of childhood disability is cerebral palsy. Most often, children with this disease have impaired motor and cognitive functions, so it is difficult for them to take care of themselves in everyday life.

To improve these functions, we propose to use a new modern method of rehabilitation. It is based on the use of electroencephalogram biofeedback to control a robotic device — a hand exoskeleton. A special computer program processes the signals of the child’s brain at the moment when he imagines the movement of his hand, and sends a signal to the exoskeleton of the hand. Thus, the exohand performs the movement together with the child, as a result of which he learns to do it independently , — says Elena Biryukova, Associate Professor of the Department of Human and Animal Physiology and Biophysics of the Crimean Federal University.

In addition, university scientists will also conduct biochemical studies, which will allow studying the growth factors of the nervous tissue, taking into account the activation of higher mental functions. Research will help determine recovery mechanisms and develop individual rehabilitation route lines for diagnostic and corrective measures.