Search Our Scientific Publications & Authors

Neural Plast 2020 15;2020:9484298. Epub 2020 Jun 15.

Department of Rehabilitation Sciences and Physiotherapy, University of Antwerp, Movant, Wilrijk, Belgium.

Recovery of motor function after stroke involves many biomarkers. This review attempts to identify the biomarker effects responsible for recovery of motor function following the use of Constraint-Induced Movement Therapy (CIMT) and discuss their implications for research and practice. From the studies reviewed, the biomarker effects identified include improved perfusion of motor areas and brain glucose metabolism; increased expression of proteins, namely, Brain-Derived Neurotrophic Factor (BDNF), Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor (VEGF), and Growth-Associated Protein 43 (GAP-43); and decreased level of Gamma-Aminobutyric Acid (GABA). Read More

J Neural Eng 2020 Jun 30. Epub 2020 Jun 30.

School of Computer Science and Engineering, Nanyang Technological University, Singapore, Singapore, SINGAPORE.

Stroke is one of the leading causes of long-term disability among adults and contributes to major socio-economic burden globally. Stroke frequently results in multifaceted impairments including motor, cognitive and emotion deficits. In recent years, Brain-Computer Interface (BCI) based therapy has shown promising results for post-stroke motor rehabilitation. Read More

Clin Rehabil 2020 Jul 2:269215520938423. Epub 2020 Jul 2.

Neuroengineering and Medical Robotics Laboratory, Department of Electronics, Information and Bioengineering, Politecnico di Milano, Milan, MI, Italy.

Objective: To investigate the effects of cycling with functional electrical stimulation on walking, muscle power and tone, balance and activities of daily living in subacute stroke survivors.

Data Sources: Ten electronic databases were searched from inception to February 2020.

Review Methods: Inclusion criteria were: subacute stroke survivors (<6 months since stroke), an experimental group performing any type of cycling training with electrical stimulation, alone or in addition to usual care, and a control group performing usual care alone. Read More

Nutrients 2020 Jun 29;12(7). Epub 2020 Jun 29.

Department of Rehabilitation Medicine, Dokkyo Medical University, 880, Kitakobayashi, Mibu, Shimotsuga, Tochigi 3210293, Japan.

Previous studies have suggested that the nutritional status after stroke is independently associated with long-term outcomes and that sarcopenia delays poststroke rehabilitation and worsens the prognosis. However, many stroke patients have a deteriorated nutritional status and a decreased muscle mass in the acute phase. This prospective study included 179 patients who were admitted to the stroke rehabilitation unit. Read More

Cell Rep 2020 Jun;31(13):107834

Burke Neurological Institute, 785 Mamaroneck Avenue, White Plains, NY 10605, USA; Feil Family Brain and Mind Research Institute, Weill Cornell Medicine, 1600 York Avenue, New York, NY 10065, USA; Department of Chemistry and Life Science, United States Military Academy, West Point, NY 10996, USA. Electronic address:

The astrocytic response to injury is characterized on the cellular level, but our understanding of the molecular mechanisms controlling the cellular processes is incomplete. The astrocytic response to injury is similar to wound-healing responses in non-neural tissues that involve epithelial-to-mesenchymal transitions (EMTs) and upregulation in ZEB transcription factors. Here we show that injury-induced astrogliosis increases EMT-related genes expression, including Zeb2, and long non-coding RNAs, including Zeb2os, which facilitates ZEB2 protein translation. Read More

J Neurosci 2020 Jun 30. Epub 2020 Jun 30.

Department of Cellular and Molecular Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, University of Ottawa

Lesion size and location affect the magnitude of impairment and recovery following stroke, but the precise relationship between these variables and functional outcome is unknown. Herein, we systematically varied the size of strokes in motor cortex and surrounding regions to assess effects on impairment and recovery of function. Female Sprague Dawley rats (N=64) were evaluated for skilled reaching, spontaneous limb use, and limb placement over a 7-week period post-stroke. Read More

Stem Cells Transl Med 2020 Jun 29. Epub 2020 Jun 29.

Lund Stem Cell Center, Lund University, Lund, Sweden.

Several neurodegenerative diseases cause loss of cortical neurons, leading to sensory, motor, and cognitive impairments. Studies in different animal models have raised the possibility that transplantation of human cortical neuronal progenitors, generated from pluripotent stem cells, might be developed into a novel therapeutic strategy for disorders affecting cerebral cortex. For example, we have shown that human long-term neuroepithelial-like stem (lt-NES) cell-derived cortical neurons, produced from induced pluripotent stem cells and transplanted into stroke-injured adult rat cortex, improve neurological deficits and establish both afferent and efferent morphological and functional connections with host cortical neurons. Read More

Brain 2020 Jun 29. Epub 2020 Jun 29.

School of Psychology, University of Birmingham, Birmingham, UK.

Accurate predictions of motor impairment after stroke are of cardinal importance for the patient, clinician, and healthcare system. More than 10 years ago, the proportional recovery rule was introduced by promising that high-fidelity predictions of recovery following stroke were based only on the initially lost motor function, at least for a specific fraction of patients. However, emerging evidence suggests that this recovery rule is subject to various confounds and may apply less universally than previously assumed. Read More

Neural Regen Res 2020 Dec;15(12):2318-2326

Department of Neurosurgery, The First Affiliated Hospital of Chongqing Medical University, Chongqing, China.

Emerging evidence indicates that pentraxin 3 is an acute-phase protein that is linked with the immune response to inflammation. It is also a newly discovered marker of anti-inflammatory A2 reactive astrocytes, and potentially has multiple protective effects in stroke; however, its role in the adult brain after traumatic brain injury is unknown. In the present study, a moderate model of traumatic brain injury in mice was established using controlled cortical impact. Read More

BMC Neurol 2020 Jun 27;20(1):254. Epub 2020 Jun 27.

Fondazione Santa Lucia, IRCCS, Rome, Italy.

Background: Stroke is a leading cause of long-term disability. Cost-effective post-stroke rehabilitation programs for upper limb are critically needed. Brain-Computer Interfaces (BCIs) which enable the modulation of Electroencephalography (EEG) sensorimotor rhythms are promising tools to promote post-stroke recovery of upper limb motor function. Read More

Brain Behav 2020 Jun 26:e01742. Epub 2020 Jun 26.

The Nethersole School of Nursing, The Chinese University of Hong Kond, New Territories, Hong Kong.

Background: Stroke survivors often experience upper-limb motor deficits and achieve limited motor recovery within six months after the onset of stroke. We aimed to systematically review the effects of robot-assisted therapy (RT) in comparison to usual care on the functional and health outcomes of subacute stroke survivors.

Methods: Randomized controlled trials (RCTs) published between January 1, 2000 and December 31, 2019 were identified from six electronic databases. Read More

Top Stroke Rehabil 2020 Jun 26:1-8. Epub 2020 Jun 26.

Department of Rehabilitation Medicine I, School of Medicine, Fujita Health University , Toyoake, Japan.

Background: Assessing abnormal gait patterns could indicate compensatory movements, which could be an index for recovery and a process of motor learning. To quantify the degree of posterior pelvic tilt, contralateral vaulting is necessary.

Objectives: This study aimed to develop and evaluate the validity of quantitative indices for posterior pelvic tilt and contralateral vaulting in hemiplegic patients. Read More

Neurology 2020 Jun 25. Epub 2020 Jun 25.

Athinoula A. Martinos Center for Biomedical Imaging, Department of Radiology, Massachusetts General Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Charlestown, MA, USA.

Objective: To elucidate the timeframe and spatial patterns of cortical reorganization after different stroke-induced basal ganglia lesions, we measured cortical thickness at five timepoints over a six-month period. We hypothesized that cortical reorganization would occur very early and that, along with motor recovery, it would vary based on the stroke lesion site.

Methods: Thirty-three patients with unilateral basal ganglia stroke and 23 healthy control participants underwent MRI scanning and behavioral testing. Read More

Transl Stroke Res 2020 Jun 25. Epub 2020 Jun 25.

Texas Biomedical Device Center, BSB11 800 W Campbell Rd, Richardson, TX, 75080, USA.

Vagus nerve stimulation (VNS) paired with rehabilitative training enhances recovery of function in models of stroke and is currently under investigation for use in chronic stroke patients. Dosing is critical in translation of pharmacological therapies, but electrical stimulation therapies often fail to comprehensively explore dosing parameters in preclinical studies. Varying VNS parameters has non-monotonic effects on plasticity in the central nervous system, which may directly impact efficacy for stroke. Read More

Front Neurosci 2020 5;14:506. Epub 2020 Jun 5.

The Engineering Technology Research Center of Education Ministry of China, Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory on Brain Function Repair and Regeneration, Department of Neurosurgery, Zhujiang Hospital, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou, China.

Intracerebral hemorrhage (ICH) is associated with high morbidity and mortality rates. Currently, there is no promising treatment that improves prognosis significantly. While a thorough investigation of the pathological process within the primary site of injury in the brain has been conducted by the research field, the focus was mainly on gray matter injury, which partly accounted for the failure of discovery of clinically efficacious treatments. Read More

Front Neurosci 2020 9;14:473. Epub 2020 Jun 9.

Stem Cell Facility (DBT-Centre of Excellence for Stem Cell Research), All India Institute of Medical Sciences, New Delhi, India.

Stroke has a debilitating effect on the human body and a serious negative effect on society, with a global incidence of one in every six people. According to the World Health Organization, 15 million people suffer stroke worldwide each year. Of these, 5 million die and another 5 million are permanently disabled. Read More

Acupunct Med 2020 Jun 23:964528420920297. Epub 2020 Jun 23.

College of Rehabilitation Medicine, Fujian University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Fuzhou, China.

Background: To evaluate whether electroacupuncture (EA) treatment at LI11 and ST36 could reduce motor impairments and enhance brain functional recovery in a rat model of ischemic stroke.

Methods: A rat model of middle cerebral artery occlusion (MCAO) was established. EA at LI11 and ST36 was started at 24 h (MCAO + EA group) after ischemic stroke modeling. Read More

Can J Physiol Pharmacol 2020 Jun 23. Epub 2020 Jun 23.

Pharmazz Inc, Willowbrook, Illinois, United States.

Stimulation of endothelin-B receptors by its agonist, IRL-1620 (INN: sovateltide), provides neuroprotection and neurological and motor function improvement following cerebral ischemia. We investigated the effect of sovateltide on stem and progenitor cells mediated neural regeneration and its effect on the cerebral tissue repair, and restoration of neurological and motor function. Sovateltide (5 µg/kg) was injected intravenously in permanent middle cerebral artery occluded (MCAO) rats at 4, 6, and 8 hrs at day 0, 3 and 6. Read More

Appl Physiol Nutr Metab 2020 Jun 23. Epub 2020 Jun 23.

University of Toronto Department of Anesthesia, 177410, Hyperbaric medicine, Toronto, Ontario, Canada ;

Neuroplasticity and recovery after stroke can be enhanced by a rehabilitation program pertinent to upper limb motor function exercise and mental imagery (EMI) as well as hyperbaric oxygen therapy (HBOT). We assessed the feasibility and safety of the combined approach utilizing both HBOT and EMI, and derived preliminary estimates of its efficacy. In this randomized controlled trial, twenty-seven patients with upper extremity hemiparesis 3-48 months after stroke were randomized to receive either a complementary rehabilitation program HBOT-EMI (intervention group), or EMI alone (control group). Read More

Occup Ther Int 2020 24;2020:2387378. Epub 2020 May 24.

Department of Sport Performance, National Taiwan University of Sport, Taichung, Taiwan.

Objectives: Spontaneous arm use in patients with poststroke hemiparesis is crucial to the recovery of functional interaction. Patients with stroke and subsequent right hemiparesis have more difficulty adapting to a right-handed environment. The aim of this study was to use wearable devices to assess the asymmetry and difference in the amount of activity of the nondominant and dominant affected hands among patients with stroke and right hemiparesis. Read More

J Hand Ther 2020 Jun 18. Epub 2020 Jun 18.

School of Razi, Kermanshah, Iran.

Study Design: This is a single-blinded clinical trial study. Clinical Trial Number registry: IRCT201610223551N4.

Introduction: Stroke is the second cause of death around the world. Read More

Exp Brain Res 2020 Jun 17. Epub 2020 Jun 17.

Department of Rehabilitation Medicine, Juntendo University Graduate School of Medicine, Tokyo, Japan.

Spinal reciprocal inhibition (RI) and intracortical inhibition are important physiological mechanisms for voluntary movement control and functional recovery of voluntary movement in patients with stroke. Spasticity, which impairs motor performance, is one of the major manifestations of stroke. RI may be involved in reducing spasticity. Read More

NPJ Sci Learn 2020 4;5. Epub 2020 Jun 4.

Human Cortical Physiology and Neurorehabilitation Section, National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke, Bethesda, MD 20814 USA.

Performance improvements during early human motor skill learning are suggested to be driven by short periods of rest during practice, at the scale of seconds. To reveal the unknown mechanisms behind these "micro-offline" gains, we leveraged the sampling power offered by online crowdsourcing (cumulative over all experiments = 951). First, we replicated the original in-lab findings, demonstrating generalizability to subjects learning the task in their daily living environment ( = 389). Read More

Curr Neurol Neurosci Rep 2020 Jun 15;20(8):29. Epub 2020 Jun 15.

Department of Neurology, David Geffen School of Medicine, University of California, Los Angeles, 710 Westwood Plaza, Rm 3-232, Los Angeles, CA, 90095, USA.

Purpose Of Review: Recent advances in the machine learning field, especially in deep learning, provide the opportunity for automated, detailed, and unbiased analysis of motor behavior. Although there has not yet been wide use of these techniques in the motor rehabilitation field, they have great potential. In this review, I describe how the current state of machine learning can be applied to 3D kinematic analysis, and how this will have an impact on neurorehabilitation. Read More

Medicine (Baltimore) 2020 Jun;99(24):e20752

Department of Rehabilitation Medicine.

Introduction: Repetitive peripheral magnetic stimulation (rPMS) therapy is an innovative and minimally invasive neurorehabilitative technique and has been shown to facilitate neural plasticity. However, there is at present no research that clarifies the dose-response of rPMS therapy on the recovery of upper limb hemiparesis after stroke. This trial aims to clarify the dose-response of rPMS therapy combined with intensive occupational therapy (OT) for chronic stroke patients with moderate to severe upper limb hemiparesis. Read More

J Neuroeng Rehabil 2020 06 15;17(1):73. Epub 2020 Jun 15.

Department of Rehabilitation Medicine, Ruijin Hospital, School of Medicine, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai, China.

Background: Non-invasive brain stimulation techniques have been shown in several studies to improve the motor recovery of the affected upper-limbs in stroke patients. This study aims to investigate whether or not cathodal transcranial direct current stimulation (c-tDCS), combined with virtual reality (VR), is superior to VR alone in reducing motor impairment and improving upper limb function and quality of life in stroke patients.

Methods: Forty patients who suffered ischemic stroke between 2 weeks to 12 months were recruited for this single-blind randomized control trial. Read More

J Neuroeng Rehabil 2020 06 15;17(1):76. Epub 2020 Jun 15.

Institute of Neuroscience and Physiology, Department of Clinical Neuroscience, Rehabilitation Medicine, Sahlgrenska Academy, University of Gothenburg, Gothenburg, Sweden.

Background: Reduction of compensation and improved movement quality indicate recovery after stroke. Since clinical measures alone are often inadequate to distinguish between behavioral recovery and compensation, kinematic analysis of functional tasks has been recommended.

Objective: To quantify longitudinal changes and residual deficits in movement performance and quality during the first year after stroke using kinematic analysis of drinking task. Read More

Clin Rehabil 2020 Jun 11:269215520932964. Epub 2020 Jun 11.

Faculty of Psychology, Education and Sport Science, University of Regensburg, Regensburg, Germany.

Objective: This systematic review and meta-analysis investigates the effects of resistance training in supporting the recovery in stroke patients.

Data Sources: PubMed, the Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials and the PEDro databases were reviewed up to 30 April 2020.

Review Methods: Randomized controlled trials were included, who compared: (i) resistance training with no intervention, (ii) resistance training with other interventions and (iii) different resistance training protocols in stroke rehabilitation. Read More

Stroke 2020 Jul 10;51(7):2208-2218. Epub 2020 Jun 10.

Korean Medical Science Research Center for Healthy-Aging (S.M.A., M.E.P., H.K.S., B.T.C.), Pusan National University, Yangsan, Republic of Korea.

Background And Purpose: The therapeutic use of transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS), an adjuvant tool for stroke, induces long-term changes in cortical excitability, for example, the secretion of activity-dependent growth factors. We assessed the proper therapeutic configuration of high-definition tDCS (HD-tDCS) in the subacute stage of ischemic stroke and its underlying expression profiling of growth factors to propose a new method for ensuring better therapeutic effects.

Methods: Male C57BL/6J mice were subjected to middle cerebral artery occlusion, after which repetitive HD-tDCS (20 minutes, 55 µA/mm, charge density 66 000 C/m) was applied from subacute phases of their ischemic insult. Read More

Arq Neuropsiquiatr 2020 Jun;78(6):361-369

Universidade Federal Fluminense, Programa de Pós-Graduação em Neurociências/Neurologia, Rio de Janeiro RJ, Brasil.

Background: Active games based on virtual reality have been widely used in the rehabilitation of many clinical conditions. However, studies on the use of Xbox/Kinect are rare, and technology application in stroke treatment is not clear yet.

Objective: To verify the outcomes (O) analyzed in randomized controlled trials (C; S) that investigated the use of Xbox/Kinect (I) in patients with stroke (P). Read More

BMC Psychiatry 2020 Jun 9;20(1):291. Epub 2020 Jun 9.

Department of Preventive Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, Chulalongkorn University, Bangkok, Thailand.

Background: Depression affects about 30% of stroke survivors within 5 years. Timely diagnosis and management of post-stroke depression facilitate motor recovery and improve independence. The original version of the Patient Health Questionnaire-9 (PHQ-9) is recognized as a good screening tool for post-stroke depression. Read More

J Neural Eng 2020 Jun 9. Epub 2020 Jun 9.

Center for Neuroprosthetics and Institute of Bioengineering, Ecole Polytechnique Federale de Lausanne, Lausanne, SWITZERLAND.

Objective: Several training programs have been developed in the past to restore motor functions after stroke. Their efficacy strongly relies on the possibility to assess individual levels of impairment and recovery rate. However, commonly used clinical scales rely mainly on subjective functional assessments and are not able to provide a complete description of patients' neuro-biomechanical status. Read More

Front Hum Neurosci 2020 19;14:171. Epub 2020 May 19.

Laboratoire de Simulation et de Modélisation du Mouvement, School of Kinesiology and Physical Activity Sciences, Faculty of Medicine, Université de Montréal, Montreal, QC, Canada.

Background: Clinical tests for detecting central and peripheral shoulder fatigue are limited. The discrimination of these two types of fatigue is necessary to better adapt recovery intervention. The Kinematic Theory of Rapid Human Movements describes the neuromotor impulse response using lognormal functions and has many applications in pathology detection. Read More

NeuroRehabilitation 2020 May 30. Epub 2020 May 30.

Department of Rehabilitation Medicine, Dokkyo Medical University Saitama Medical Center, Saitama, Japan.

Background: It is very difficult for patients with severe upper extremity (UE) paresis after stroke to achieve full recovery because of the lack of a definitive approach for improving severe UE paresis immediately after onset.

Objective: to investigate the effects of repetitive peripheral magnetic stimulation (rPMS) on severe UE paresis during early acute phase of stroke.

Methods: Nineteen participants with severe UE disability met the criteria. Read More

NeuroRehabilitation 2020 May 30. Epub 2020 May 30.

Department of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, Veterans Health Service Medical Center, Seoul, South Korea.

Background: Robot-assisted gait training (RAGT) can improve walking ability after stroke but the underlying mechanisms are unknown.

Objective: We evaluated the changes in the injured brain after RAGT and compared the effects of early start and late start of RAGT.

Methods: Eleven patients with hemiplegia after stroke undergoing inpatient rehabilitation were examined within 3 months of stroke onset and were randomly assigned into two groups. Read More

NeuroRehabilitation 2020 May 30. Epub 2020 May 30.

School of Physical Therapy and Rehabilitation, Pamukkale University, Denizli, Turkey.

Background: Hemiplegic shoulder pain (HSP) after stroke has negative effects on functional use of hemiplegic arm.

Objective: This study aimed to investigate the effects of HSP on upper extremity motor function and proprioception.

Methods: A hundred and twenty-two patients with hemiplegia were included in this study. Read More

Neurorehabil Neural Repair 2020 Jun 7:1545968320932135. Epub 2020 Jun 7.

Department of Rehabilitation Medicine, Amsterdam UMC, Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam, Amsterdam, The Netherlands.

. Patients with an upper limb motor impairment are likely to develop wrist hyper-resistance during the first months post stroke. The time course of wrist hyper-resistance in terms of neural and biomechanical components, and their interaction with motor recovery, is poorly understood. Read More

Neurorehabil Neural Repair 2020 Jul 7;34(7):661-671. Epub 2020 Jun 7.

University of Oxford, Oxford, UK.

. Sleep is important for consolidation of motor learning, but brain injury may affect sleep continuity and therefore rehabilitation outcomes. . Read More

Disabil Rehabil Assist Technol 2020 Jun 8:1-7. Epub 2020 Jun 8.

School of Computer, Data and Mathematical Sciences, Western Sydney University - Parramatta Campus, Rydalmere, Australia.

Stroke is the main cause of long-term disability and happens mostly in the older population. Stroke affected patients experience either of the cognitive, visual or motor losses and recovery requires time and patience as they have to do physical exercises every day and at times repetitively. There are various types of stroke rehabilitation exercises focussing on technological solutions that include therapies performed using games. Read More

Neurol Sci 2020 Jun 6. Epub 2020 Jun 6.

Department of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, Faculty of Medicine, Bezmialem Vakif University, Adnan Menderes Blv. 34093 Fatih, Istanbul, Turkey.

Introduction: This study aimed to evaluate the benefits of adding electromuscular stimulation (EMS) to the flexors of wrist muscles on the nonparetic limb in conventional stroke training to strengthen homologous agonist and antagonist muscles on the paretic side in patients with subacute stroke.

Methods: The EMS group patients (n = 15) received conventional therapy for 30 sessions for 6 weeks (60 min/session) with 30 min of electrical stimulation to their nonparetic forearm using wrist flexors, with 5 min of pre- and post-warm-up. The transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation (TENS) group patients (n = 15) received the same conventional rehabilitation training with 30 min of conventional antalgic TENS at a barely sensible level to their nonparetic forearm. Read More

Eur J Transl Myol 2020 Apr 1;30(1):8826. Epub 2020 Apr 1.

Interdepartmental Research Centre of Myology (CIR-Myo), Department of Biomedical Sciences, University of Padova, Italy.

More than half a century of skeletal muscle research is continuing at Padua University (Italy) under the auspices of the Interdepartmental Research Centre of Myology (CIR-Myo), the European Journal of Translational Myology (EJTM) and recently also with the support of the A&CM-C Foundation for Translational Myology, Padova, Italy. The Volume 30(1), 2020 of the EJTM opens with the collection of abstracts for the conference "2020 Padua Muscle Days: Mobility Medicine 30 years of Translational Research". This is an international conference that will be held between March 18-21, 2020 in Euganei Hills and Padova in Italy. Read More

Ther Adv Neurol Disord 2020 21;13:1756286420925679. Epub 2020 May 21.

Department of Physical and Rehabilitation Medicine, Center for Prevention and Rehabilitation, Heart Vascular Stroke Institute, Samsung Medical Center, Sungkyunkwan University School of Medicine, Department of Health Sciences and Technology, Department of Medical Device Management & Research, Department of Digital Health, SAIHST, Sungkyunkwan University, 81 Irwon-ro, Gangnam-gu, Seoul 06351, Republic of Korea.

Background: Recovery prediction can assist in the planning for impairment-focused rehabilitation after a stroke. This study investigated a new prediction model based on a lesion network analysis. To predict the potential for recovery, we focused on the next link-step connectivity of the direct neighbors of a lesion. Read More

Front Hum Neurosci 2020 15;14:156. Epub 2020 May 15.

Health and Rehabilitation Research Institute, Auckland University of Technology, Auckland, New Zealand.

Background: Endogenous paired associative stimulation (ePAS) is a neuromodulatory intervention that has potential to aid stroke recovery. ePAS involves pairing endogenous electroencephalography (EEG) signals known as movement-related cortical potentials (MRCPs), with peripheral electrical stimulation. Previous studies have used transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS) to demonstrate changes in corticomotor excitability following ePAS. Read More

Stroke 2020 Jul 5;51(7):e119-e120. Epub 2020 Jun 5.

PneumoCardioVascular Laboratory, Hospital Universitário Onofre Lopes, Empresa Brasileira de Serviços Hospitalares (EBSERH), Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Norte (UFRN), Natal, RN, Brazil (L.A.M., V.R.R., G.A.F.F.).

Glia 2020 Jun 4. Epub 2020 Jun 4.

Dalton Cardiovascular Research Center, University of Missouri, Columbia, Missouri, USA.

Focal ischemic stroke (FIS) is a leading cause of human death. Glial scar formation largely caused by reactive astrogliosis in peri-infarct region (PIR) is the hallmark of FIS. Glial cell-derived neurotrophic factor (GDNF) was originally isolated from a rat glioma cell-line supernatant and is a potent survival neurotrophic factor. Read More

J Int Med Res 2020 Jun;48(6):300060520927881

Department of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, The First Hospital of Jilin University, Changchun, Jilin, China.

Objective: To clarify the efficacy of functional magnetic stimulation (FMS) in improving hemiplegic upper extremity function in patients with sub-acute stroke.

Methods: In this randomized controlled trial, 40 sub-acute stroke patients with hemiplegia were recruited from inpatient wards in the Department of Rehabilitation and randomly assigned to two groups. In the FMS group, magnetic stimulation was applied to extensor muscle groups of the affected upper extremity. Read More

Zh Nevrol Psikhiatr Im S S Korsakova 2020 ;120(4):115-122

Russian Medical Academy of Continuous Professional Education, Moscow, Russia.

One of the important problems of modern neurology is the cognitive impairment caused by focal brain damage in stroke and traumatic brain injury. Cognitive deficit has a negative impact on the quality of life of the patient and his environment, to a large extent hindering the possibility of a full social and professional recovery. Such patients need a comprehensive rehabilitation treatment, including cognitive rehabilitation, motor rehabilitation and drug correction. Read More

J Mol Neurosci 2020 Jun 2. Epub 2020 Jun 2.

College of Pharmacy, Pharmaceutical Sciences Department, Larkin University, 18301 N Miami ave, Miami, FL, 33169, USA.

The search for novel neuroprotection strategies in ischemic stroke continues, as revascularization using tissue-plasminogen activator is the only pharmacological method currently available to patients. The purpose of this review article is to summarize research findings regarding the erythropoietin-producing hepatocellular receptor pathway as an emerging novel molecular target for neuroprotection in ischemic stroke. Ephrin-Eph interactions represent a new strategy in neuroprotection. Read More

J Rehabil Med 2020 Jun 12;52(6):jrm00071. Epub 2020 Jun 12.

Department of Rehabilitation and Brain Trauma, Turku University Hospital, PO Box 52, FI-20521 Turku, Finland. E-mail:

Objective: To compare to what extent the presence of contralateral spatial neglect affects functional recovery and outcome among patients with right or left stroke after subacute inpatient rehabilitation.

Methods: Observational cohort study comparing functional improvement and outcome. The same admission data-set was used as in part 1 of this study. Read More

Medicine (Baltimore) 2020 May;99(22):e20282

Department of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, College of Medicine, Yeungnam University, Department of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, College of Medicine, Yeungnam University 317-1, Daemyungdong, Namku, Taegu, Republic of Korea.

Introduction: The aberrant pyramidal tract (APT) refers to the collateral pathway of the pyramidal tract (PT) descending through the medial lemniscus in the midbrain and pons. We report on a patient who showed changes of the APT from the early stage to the chronic stage concurrent with motor recovery following an infarct in the cerebral peduncle.

Patient Concerns: An 84-year-old female patient presented with moderate motor weakness of her upper and lower extremities (2/2) due to cerebral infarct on the right cerebral peduncle of midbrain. Read More