73 ALTERED VISUOMOTOR PROCESSING IN NA 4 groups with a non-parametric 2-sample t-test, using TFCE-based permutation testing (5000 permutations). 143 Brain-behaviour-symptom correlations In exploratory analyses, we correlated task-related cerebral activity in clusters showing significant effects involving group (NA, healthy) with relevant clinical measures (functional capability of the upper limb (DASH-score), persistent pain (VAS-score) and relative serratus anterior muscle strength (i.e. affected minus unaffected muscle strength)), and with behavioural performance measures (matching the cerebral effects and those showing significant group effects). We additionally explored correlations between the same behavioural and clinical measures. Data availability statement The data are available through the corresponding author on reasonable request. Results Table 1 shows the characteristics of participants included in data analysis. There were no significant group differences in age (t(60) = 0.04, p = 0.97), or sex (χ2(1) = 0.04, p = 0.85). The analysis of serratus anterior strength yielded a significant GROUP x SIDE interaction effect (F (1,60) = 20.5, p < 0.001, part . η2 = 0.26) . NA patients exerted significantly less strength with their affected, right (dominant) compared to their left serratus anterior muscle (F (1,38) = 22.4, p < 0.001, part . η2 = 0.37), whereas healthy participants exerted significantly more strength with the serratus anterior muscle on their right (dominant), compared to their left side (F (1,22) = 7.9, p = 0.010, part . η2 = 0.26) . Moreover, NA patients exerted significantly less force with their right serratus anterior muscle than healthy participants (F (1,61) = 13.6, p < 0.001, part . η2 = 0.19) . This confirms that NA patients had lateralized symptoms of the right upper limb (Table 1). Table 1 Participant characteristics Participants characteristics of the participants that were included in the final analyses. Mean ± standard deviation are displayed for all measures, except for the serratus anterior strength which shows the mean ± standard error of the mean. NA = neuralgic amyotrophy; DASH = disabilities of arm, shoulder and hand; VAS = Visual Analogue Scale. a Significant difference between left and right serratus strength within NA patients (p < 0.001); b Significant difference in right serratus strength between NA patients and healthy participants (p < 0.001); c Significant difference between left and right serratus strength within healthy participants (p = 0.010).
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