The goal of this observational study is to learn how neuromuscular fatigue develops after stroke and how changes in brain activity, muscle activity, and their interaction contribute to reduced motor performance in stroke survivors compared to healthy individuals. The study will include adults with a first-ever stroke in the subacute phase and age-matched healthy volunteers.
The main questions it aims to answer are:
* How does neuromuscular fatigue develop during repeated muscle contractions after stroke compared to healthy individuals?
* How do brain activity, muscle activity, and brain-muscle interaction change during fatigue after stroke?
Researchers will compare stroke participants and healthy control participants to determine whether fatigue-related changes are more strongly associated with altered brain activity, altered muscle activity, or disrupted brain-muscle communication after stroke.
Participants will:
* Perform repeated leg muscle contractions until fatigue while seated in an experimental setup
* Wear non-invasive sensors to record brain activity (EEG) and muscle activity (EMG) during the task
* Complete the study during a single experimental session in which fatigue-related changes will be measured throughout the task