Experimental analysis of EMG feedback in treating cerebral palsy

Three subjects diagnosed as having severe choreoathetoid cerebral palsy were trained in the use of EMG feedback procedures. Both between- and within-session controls, including reversals of baseline, attempted muscle control with feedback, and muscle control without feedback, were employed to analyze the contribution of feedback procedures to improvements in muscle control. The data (1) indicate that feedback enhanced muscle control and (2) provide evidence of generalization of feedback effects to no-feedback conditions and untrained muscles.This work was supported in part by Grants No. 917 and MC-R-240418 (MCH), No. 1RO3MH-30346-01 (NIMH), and No. R-294-78 (United Cerebral Palsy Research and Educational Foundation).