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Neurorehabil Neural Repair 2019 Feb 13:1545968319829454. Epub 2019 Feb 13.

3 Curtin University, Perth, Western Australia, Australia.

Stroke is the third leading cause of death in the developed world and the primary cause of adult disability. The most common site of stroke is the middle cerebral artery (MCA), an artery that supplies a range of areas involved in both language and motor function. As a consequence, many stroke patients experience a combination of language and motor deficits. Read More

Physiotherapy 2019 Jan 11. Epub 2019 Jan 11.

School of Health Sciences, University of East Anglia, Norwich Research Park, Norwich, NR4 7TJ, UK. Electronic address:

Objective: To determine the predictive markers for the occurrence of upper limb spasticity in the first 12 months after stroke.

Data Sources: A systematic review was undertaken of the databases MEDLINE, EMBASE, CINAHL and PEDRO to 31st December 2017.

Study Selection: Non-experimental or experimental studies that included a control group with spasticity who did not receive an experimental intervention which investigated at least one variable (explanatory variable) measured at baseline against the development (or not) of spasticity at a future time point within 12 months post stroke were selected independently by two reviewers. Read More

Trials 2019 Feb 11;20(1):114. Epub 2019 Feb 11.

Faculdade de Motricidade Humana, Universidade de Lisboa, CIPER - Centro Interdisciplinar de Estudo da Performance Humana, Lisbon, Portugal.

Background: Cognitive impairment and cerebrovascular pathology are both frequent with ageing. Cognitive impairment due to vascular pathology of the brain, termed vascular cognitive impairment (VCI), is one of the most frequent causes of cognitive impairment in elderly subjects. Thus far, VCI has no specific pharmacological treatment. Read More

Neurorehabil Neural Repair 2019 Feb;33(2):130-140

1 The University of Auckland, Auckland, New Zealand.

Background: Stroke is a leading cause of adult disability owing largely to motor impairment and loss of function. After stroke, there may be abnormalities in γ-aminobutyric acid (GABA)-mediated inhibitory function within primary motor cortex (M1), which may have implications for residual motor impairment and the potential for functional improvements at the chronic stage.

Objective: To quantify GABA neurotransmission and concentration within ipsilesional and contralesional M1 and determine if they relate to upper limb impairment and function at the chronic stage of stroke. Read More

Stroke 2019 Feb 7:STROKEAHA118022647. Epub 2019 Feb 7.

From the Institution of Stem Cells and Neuroregeneration, Nanjing Medical University, China (H.-Y.N., Y.-X.S., Y.-H.L., B.C., D.-L.W., Y.Z., J.D., H.-Y.L., K.X., T.-Y.L., L.C., H.-Y.W., C.-X.L., D.-Y.Z.).

Background and Purpose- Stroke is a major public health concern worldwide. Although clinical treatments have improved in the acute period after stroke, long-term therapeutics remain limited to physical rehabilitation in the delayed phase. This study is aimed to determine whether nNOS (neuronal NO synthase)-CAPON (carboxy-terminal postsynaptic density-95/discs large/zona occludens-1 ligand of nNOS) interaction may serve as a new therapeutic target in the delayed phase for stroke recovery. Read More

Evid Based Complement Alternat Med 2019 2;2019:4245753. Epub 2019 Jan 2.

Department of Neurology and Stroke Center, Dongzhimen Hospital, The First Affiliated Hospital of Beijing University of Chinese Medicine, Beijing, China.

Stroke is a leading cause of motor disability. Acupuncture is an effective therapeutic strategy for poststroke motor impairment. However, its mechanism is still elusive. Read More

Neuroimage Clin 2019 Jan 22;22:101685. Epub 2019 Jan 22.

Department of Health Sciences and Research, College of Health Professions, Medical University of South Carolina, 77 President St, MSC 700, Charleston, SC 29425, USA; Department of Otolaryngology - Head and Neck Surgery, Medical University of South Carolina, 135 Rutledge Ave, MSC 550, Charleston, SC 29425, USA.

Dysphagia is a common deficit after a stroke, and it is frequently associated with pneumonia, malnutrition, dehydration, and poor quality of life. It is not yet fully clear which brain regions are directly related to swallowing, and how lesions affect swallow physiology. This study aimed to assess the statistical relationship between acute stroke lesion locations and impairment of specific aspects of swallow physiology. Read More

Neurorehabil Neural Repair 2019 Feb 1;33(2):96-111. Epub 2019 Feb 1.

2 Jewish Rehabilitation Hospital Site, Centre for Interdisciplinary Research in Rehabilitation of Greater Montreal (CRIR), Laval, Canada.

Background: Clinical trials have demonstrated some benefits of electromyogram-triggered/controlled neuromuscular electrical stimulation (EMG-NMES) on motor recovery of upper limb (UL) function in patients with stroke. However, EMG-NMES use in clinical practice is limited due to a lack of evidence supporting its effectiveness.

Objective: To perform a systematic review and meta-analysis to determine the effects of EMG-NMES on stroke UL recovery based on each of the International Classification of Functioning, Disability, and Health (ICF) domains. Read More

J Int Neuropsychol Soc 2019 Jan 31:1-9. Epub 2019 Jan 31.

1Center for Cognitive Science,Indian Institute of Technology Gandhinagar,Gujarat,India.

Objectives: To investigate whether the relationship between arm use and motor impairment post-stroke is influenced by the hemisphere of damage.

Methods: Right-handed patients with unilateral left hemisphere damage (LHD) or right (RHD) (n=58; 28 LHD, 30 RHD) were recruited for this study. The Arm Motor Ability Test and Functional Impact Assessment were used to derive arm use patterns. Read More

J Neuroeng Rehabil 2019 Jan 28;16(1):16. Epub 2019 Jan 28.

Laboratory of Integrative Motor Behaviour, Centre for Neuroscience Studies, Queen's University, 18 Stuart St, Kingston, ON, K7L 3N6, Canada.

Background: Robotic technologies to measure human behavior are emerging as a new approach to assess brain function. Recently, we developed a robot-based postural Load Task to assess corrective responses to mechanical disturbances to the arm and found impairments in many participants with stroke compared to a healthy cohort (Bourke et al, J NeuroEngineering Rehabil 12: 7, 2015). However, a striking feature was the large range and skewed distribution of healthy performance. Read More

Gait Posture 2019 Jan 2;69:66-78. Epub 2019 Jan 2.

Department of Psychology, Nottingham Trent University, 50 Shakespeare St, Nottingham, NG1 4FQ, UK. Electronic address:

Background: Analysis of sensorimotor synergies has been greatly advanced by the Uncontrolled Manifold (UCM) approach. The UCM method is based on partitioning inter-trial variance displayed by elemental variables into 'good' (V) and 'bad' (V) variability that, respectively, indicate maintenance or loss of task stability. In clinical populations, these indices can be used to investigate the strength, flexibility, stereotypy and agility of synergistic control. Read More

Biomed Res Int 2018 20;2018:6985963. Epub 2018 Dec 20.

Department of Rehabilitation Sciences, The Hong Kong Polytechnic University, Hong Kong.

Objective: This study aimed to (1) investigate the interrater, intrarater, and test-retest reliabilities, as well as the minimal detectable change, of the Maximal Step Length test (MSL) in stroke survivors, (2) examine the concurrent validity of MSL with other stroke-specific impairment measurements in stroke survivors, and (3) compare the MSL performances of stroke survivors and those of age-matched healthy older adults in different directions.

Design: Cross-sessional study.

Setting: University-based research laboratory. Read More

Front Neurol 2018 4;9:1105. Epub 2019 Jan 4.

Biomechanics, Rehabilitation, and Integrative Neuroscience Lab, Department of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, School of Medicine, University of California, Davis, Sacramento, CA, United States.

Short intracortical inhibition (SICI) is a GABA-mediated phenomenon, argued to mediate selective muscle activation during coordinated motor activity. Markedly reduced SICI has been observed in the acute period following stroke and, based on findings in animal models, it has been posited this disinhibitory phenomenon may facilitate neural plasticity and contribute to early motor recovery. However, it remains unresolved whether SICI normalizes over time, as part of the natural course of stroke recovery. Read More

Neurochem Res 2019 Jan 19. Epub 2019 Jan 19.

Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation Center, The Second Affiliated Hospital and Yuying Children's Hospital of Wenzhou Medical University, No. 109, Xueyuanxi Road, Wenzhou, 325027, Zhejiang, China.

Exercise has been regarded as an effective rehabilitation strategy to facilitate motor and cognitive functional recovery after stroke, even though the complex effects associated with exercise-induced repair of cerebral ischemic injury are not fully elucidated. The enhancement of angiogenesis and neurogenesis, and the improvement of synaptic plasticity following moderate exercise are conducive to functional recovery after ischemic damage. Our previous studies have confirmed the angiogenesis and neurogenesis through the caveolin-1/VEGF pathway in MCAO rats. Read More

PLoS One 2019 17;14(1):e0210876. Epub 2019 Jan 17.

McConnell Brain Imaging Center, Montreal Neurological Institute, Montreal, Quebec, Canada.

Reconsolidation theory posits that upon retrieval, consolidated memories are destabilized and need to be restabilized in order to persist. It has been suggested that experience with a competitive task immediately after memory retrieval may interrupt these restabilization processes leading to memory loss. Indeed, using a motor sequence learning paradigm, we have recently shown that, in humans, interference training immediately after active task-based retrieval of the consolidated motor sequence knowledge may negatively affect its performance levels. Read More

Brain Behav Immun 2019 Jan 10. Epub 2019 Jan 10.

Women's Health in Neuroscience Program, Neuroscience and Experimental Therapeutics, College of Medicine, Texas A&M University, Bryan, TX 77807, United States. Electronic address:

Women are more likely to develop Post Stroke Depression (PSD) than men and generally do not respond well to anti-depressants with age. This study investigated the effect of microRNA mir363-3p treatment on PSD using a physiologically-relevant animal model. Our previous work showed that mir363-3p treatment, delivered post-stroke, effectively reduces infarct volume in the acute phase of stroke in middle-aged females but not males. Read More

Front Neurol 2018 18;9:1122. Epub 2018 Dec 18.

University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston, and TIRR Memorial Hermann Research Center, Houston, TX, United States.

Front Neurol 2018 11;9:1072. Epub 2018 Dec 11.

Toulouse NeuroImaging Center, Inserm, Université de Toulouse, UPS, Toulouse, France.

Stroke is the first cause of disability in adults in western countries. Infarct of the internal capsule (IC) may be related to motor impairment and poor prognosis in stroke patients. Functional deficits due to medium-sized infarcts are difficult to predict, except if the specific site of the lesion is taken into account. Read More

J Clin Neurol 2019 Jan;15(1):54-61

Department of Physical and Rehabilitation Medicine, Sungkyunkwan University School of Medicine, Seoul, Korea.

Background And Purpose: Few studies have investigated the relationship between the specific functional factors potentially associated with functional level and stroke recurrence. We conducted a study of patients with noncardioembolic ischemic stroke (NCIS) to determine the functional factors affecting recurrence within the first year.

Methods: In total, 568 first-ever NCIS patients (age=65. Read More

J Clin Neurosci 2019 Jan 4. Epub 2019 Jan 4.

IRCCS Centro Neurolesi "Bonino Pulejo", Messina, Italy. Electronic address:

Traumatic brain injury (TBI) is a clinical condition characterized by brain damage due to an external, rapid and violent force. TBI causes attention, memory, affectivity, behaviour, planning, and executive dysfunctions, with a significant impact on the quality of life of the patient and of his/her family. Cognitive and motor rehabilitation programs are essential for clinical recovery of TBI patients, improving functional outcomes and the quality of life. Read More

Disabil Rehabil 2019 Jan 7:1-7. Epub 2019 Jan 7.

a Toronto Rehabilitation Institute , University Health Network , Toronto , ON , Canada.

Purpose: To describe the change in spatiotemporal gait asymmetry after discharge from stroke rehabilitation and examine the relationship with change in other clinical outcome measures.

Methods: Secondary analysis of a prospective cohort study was conducted. Swing time and step length symmetry, balance, mobility, gait speed, and motor impairment were assessed at discharge and 6 months later. Read More

Disabil Rehabil 2019 Jan 7:1-10. Epub 2019 Jan 7.

a Department of Rehabilitation Sciences , The Hong Kong Polytechnic University , Hung Hom , Hong Kong.

Purpose: To identify the existing evidence evaluating the cost-effectiveness of physiotherapy treatments for people with neurological disorders.

Methods: Multiple databases were searched from database inception until July 2018. Studies estimating the cost-effectiveness as incremental cost-effectiveness ratios, cost per quality-adjusted life year, cost per disability-adjusted life year and cost per other measurable results were included. Read More

Motor Control 2019 Jan 1:1-17. Epub 2019 Jan 1.

1 University of British Columbia.

Background: Ankle plantarflexor muscle impairment contributes to asymmetrical postural control poststroke.

Objective: This study examines the relationship of plantarflexor electromyography (EMG) with anterior-posterior center of pressure (APCOP) in people poststroke during progressive challenges to standing balance.

Methods: Ten people poststroke and 10 controls participated in this study. Read More

Braz J Phys Ther 2018 Dec 24. Epub 2018 Dec 24.

NeuroGroup, Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais (UFMG), Belo Horizonte, MG, Brazil. Electronic address:

Background: The identification of the predictors of locomotion ability could help professionals select variables to be considered during clinical evaluations and interventions.

Objective: To investigate which impairment measures would best predict locomotion ability in people with chronic stroke.

Methods: Individuals (n=115) with a chronic stroke were assessed. Read More

Neurorehabil Neural Repair 2018 Dec 29:1545968318818902. Epub 2018 Dec 29.

1 McGill University, Montréal, QC, Canada.

Background: Passive robot-generated arm movements in conjunction with proprioceptive decision making and feedback modulate functional connectivity (FC) in sensory motor networks and improve sensorimotor adaptation in normal individuals. This proof-of-principle study investigates whether these effects can be observed in stroke patients.

Methods: A total of 10 chronic stroke patients with a range of stable motor and sensory deficits (Fugl-Meyer Arm score [FMA] 0-65, Nottingham Sensory Assessment [NSA] 10-40) underwent resting-state functional magnetic resonance imaging before and after a single session of robot-controlled proprioceptive training with feedback. Read More

Zh Nevrol Psikhiatr Im S S Korsakova 2018 ;118(11):20-29

Pirogov Russian National Research Medical University, Moscow, Russia; Skolkovo Institute of Science and Technology, Moscow, Russia.

Aim: To analyze clinical and fMRI indicators related with the therapeutic effectiveness of complex restorative treatment including intensive speech therapy in various clinical forms and severity of the aphasia syndrome.

Material And Methods: The study included 40 right-handed patients with aphasia syndrome after the first hemispheric ischemic stroke. Patients were studied 3 month after disease onset. Read More

IEEE Trans Neural Syst Rehabil Eng 2019 Feb 24;27(2):218-227. Epub 2018 Dec 24.

Remote monitoring of gait performance offers possibilities for objective evaluation and tackling impairment in motor ability, gait, and balance in populations, such as elderly, stroke, multiple sclerosis, and Parkinson's. This requires a wearable and unobtrusive system capable of estimating ambulatory gait and balance measures, such as the extrapolated center of mass (XCoM) and dynamicmargin of stability. These estimations require the knowledge of 3-D forces and moments (F&M) and accurate foot positions. Read More

Front Aging Neurosci 2018 6;10:400. Epub 2018 Dec 6.

Department of Motor Sciences and Wellness, Parthenope University of Naples, Naples, Italy.

There is general agreement that the neuropathological processes leading to Alzheimer's disease (AD) begin decades before the clinical onset. In order to detect early topological changes, we applied functional connectivity and network analysis to magnetoencephalographic (MEG) data obtained from 16 patients with amnestic Mild Cognitive Impairment (aMCI), a prodromal stage of AD, and 16 matched healthy control (HCs). Significant differences between the two groups were found in the theta band, which is associated with memory processes, in both temporal poles (TPs). Read More

Stroke 2018 Dec;49(12):2990-2998

Physical Therapy Department, Faculty of Medicine, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, Canada (D.A.J.).

Background and Purpose- Functional community ambulation requires the ability to perform mobility and cognitive task simultaneously (dual-tasking). This single-blinded randomized controlled study aimed to examine the effects of dual-task exercise in chronic stroke patients. Methods- Eighty-four chronic stroke patients (24 women; age, 61. Read More

Front Neurol 2018 5;9:1063. Epub 2018 Dec 5.

Department of Neuroscience, Mayo Clinic, Jacksonville, FL, United States.

Now that genetic testing can identify persons at risk for developing amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) many decades before symptoms begin, there is a critical need for biomarkers that signal the onset and progression of degeneration. The search for candidate disease biomarkers in patients with mutations in the gene has included imaging, physiology, and biofluid measurements. In cross-sectional imaging studies, C9+ ALS patients display diffuse reductions of gray and white matter integrity compared to ALS patients without mutations. Read More

J Cell Biochem 2018 Dec 11. Epub 2018 Dec 11.

Neurosurgery Department, No. 215 Hospital of Shaanxi Nuclear Industry, Xianyang, Shaanxi, China.

Background: Stroke is a leading cause of long-term disability and further one of the main causes of motor impairment. The current study aimed to investigate whether miR-124 polymorphism (rs531564) influences the motor function of patients after stroke.

Methods: In total, 56 patients with stroke-induced motor dysfunction were enrolled. Read More

Brain Cogn 2019 02 3;129:16-24. Epub 2018 Dec 3.

Kessler Foundation, 1199 Pleasant Valley Way, West Orange, NJ 07052, USA; Rutgers New Jersey Medical School, Newark, NJ 07102, USA. Electronic address:

Emerging research suggests spatial neglect after right stroke is linked to dysfunctional attention and motor networks. Advanced functional connectivity analysis clarified brain network recovery, however we need to know how networks participate in adaptive motor performance. We need to verify network changes associated with validated functional measures and spatial-motor performance in spatial neglect, especially in patients with large brain lesions and significant disability. Read More

Neuroimage Clin 2018 Dec 3. Epub 2018 Dec 3.

Department of Neurology, Jinling Hospital, Nanjing University School of Medicine, Nanjing 210002, China. Electronic address:

Background: Repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation (rTMS) can modulate cortical excitability, and may be beneficial for motor recovery after stroke. However, the neuroplasticity effects of rTMS have not been thoroughly investigated in the early stage after stroke.

Objective: To comprehensively assess the effects of high- and low-frequency repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulations on motor recovery in early stroke patients, using a randomized controlled trial based on clinical, neurophysiological and functional imaging assessments. Read More

Neuroradiology 2019 Feb 5;61(2):175-182. Epub 2018 Dec 5.

ITAB-Institute of Advanced Biomedical Technologies, University "G. D'Annunzio" Chieti-Pescara, Chieti, Italy.

Purpose: To investigate modifications of Magnetic Resonance Diffusion Tensor Imaging (DTI) and Diffusion Kurtosis Imaging (DKI) metrics in lateral white matter (WM) bundles of the cervical spinal cord in patients with previous stroke in the vascular territory of the middle cerebral artery (MCA).

Methods: Twenty consecutive patients with a previous ischemic stroke of the MCA territory and a varying degree of upper motor impairment were enrolled. DKI was centered at the C3C4 and C5C6 intervertebral level. Read More

PM R 2018 Nov;10(11):1261-1270

School of Physical and Occupational Therapy, McGill University, Montreal, QC, Canada(†).

Background: Efforts to augment post-stroke upper limb (UL) motor improvement include the use of newer interventions such as noninvasive brain stimulation (NIBS) and task practice in virtual reality environments (VEs). Despite increasing interest in using a combination of these 2 interventions, the effectiveness of this combination to enhance UL motor improvement outcomes has not been examined.

Objective: To evaluate the effectiveness of a combination of NIBS and task practice in a VE to augment post-stroke UL motor improvement. Read More

BMJ Open 2018 Nov 25;8(11):e026435. Epub 2018 Nov 25.

Brain Behaviour Laboratory, Physical Therapy, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC, Canada.

Introduction: In individuals with early (indexed ≤7 days poststroke) and severe upper limb paresis (shoulder abduction and finger extension score of <5 out of 10), our objectives are to: (1) determine if biomarkers of brain structure and function collected at <1 month poststroke explain who will experience clinically important recovery over the first 12 months poststroke; (2) compare stroke survivors' perceptions of personally meaningful recovery to clinically important recovery; and (3) characterise the trajectory of change in measures of motor function, brain structure and function.

Methods And Analysis: Prospective observational study with an inception cohort of 78 first-time stroke survivors. Participants will be recruited from a single, large tertiary stroke referral centre. Read More

JAMA Neurol 2018 Nov 26. Epub 2018 Nov 26.

Non Invasive Brain Stimulation Unit/Department of Behavioral and Clinical Neurology, Santa Lucia Foundation IRCCS, Rome, Italy.

Importance: Gait and balance impairment is associated with poorer functional recovery after stroke. The cerebellum is known to be strongly implicated in the functional reorganization of motor networks in patients with stroke, especially for gait and balance functions.

Objective: To determine whether cerebellar intermittent θ-burst stimulation (CRB-iTBS) can improve balance and gait functions in patients with hemiparesis due to stroke. Read More

Neurochem Int 2019 Jan 22;122:120-138. Epub 2018 Nov 22.

Department of Physiology, University of Louisville School of Medicine, Louisville, KY, 40202, USA. Electronic address:

The objectives of this study are to identify the mechanism of mitochondrial dysfunction during cerebral ischemic/reperfusion (I/R) injury and the therapeutic potential of tetrahydrocurcumin (THC) to mitigate mitochondrial dysfunction in experimental stroke model. In our study, 8-10 weeks old male C57BL/6 wild-type mice were subjected to middle cerebral artery occlusion (MCAO) for 40 min, followed by reperfusion for 72 h. THC (25mg/kg-BW/day) was injected intraperitoneally once daily for 3 days after 4 h of ischemia. Read More

Front Neurosci 2018 8;12:752. Epub 2018 Nov 8.

Department of Radiology, University of Wisconsin - Madison, Madison, WI, United States.

Stroke is a leading cause of persistent upper extremity (UE) motor disability in adults. Brain-computer interface (BCI) intervention has demonstrated potential as a motor rehabilitation strategy for stroke survivors. This sub-analysis of ongoing clinical trial (NCT02098265) examines rehabilitative efficacy of this BCI design and seeks to identify stroke participant characteristics associated with behavioral improvement. Read More

Front Neurol 2018 7;9:923. Epub 2018 Nov 7.

Department of Physical Therapy and Human Movement Sciences, Northwestern University, Chicago, IL, United States.

In this study, we explored whether improved hand function is possible in poststroke chronic hemiparetic individuals with severe upper limb motor impairments when they participate in device-aided task-specific practice. Eight participants suffering from chronic stroke (>1-year poststroke, mean: 11.2 years) with severely impaired upper extremity movement (Upper Extremity Subscale of the Fugl-Meyer Motor Assessment (UEFMA) score between 10 and 24) participated in this study. Read More

J Exp Neurosci 2018 5;12:1179069518809060. Epub 2018 Nov 5.

Robinson Research Institute, Adelaide Medical School, The University of Adelaide, Adelaide, SA, Australia.

Stroke is a leading cause of adult disability. New treatments capable of assisting recovery hold significant potential to improve quality of life for many stroke survivors. Transcranial direct current stimulation is one technique that has received much attention due to its potential to promote neuroplasticity and enhance recovery. Read More

Conf Proc IEEE Eng Med Biol Soc 2018 Jul;2018:3618-3621

There is an increasing population of people living with both HIV and stroke around the world with no effective neurorehabilitation strategies to deal with the combination of physical, cognitive, and social impairment that result from both diseases. This gap is caused by a lack of tools that are able to assess the various impairments across the HIV-stroke spectrum. Rehabilitation robotics provide a potential approach to address this problem. Read More

Conf Proc IEEE Eng Med Biol Soc 2018 Jul;2018:3160-3164

The development of motor impairment after the onset of an injury such as stroke may result in long-term compensatory behaviors. Because compensation often evolves in ambient settings (outside the purview of monitoring clinicians), there is a need for quantitative tools capable of accurately detecting the subtleties of compensation and related reduction in interlimb coordination. Improvement in interlimb coordination may serve as a marker of recovery from stroke, and rehabilitation progress. Read More

Conf Proc IEEE Eng Med Biol Soc 2018 Jul;2018:2503-2506

Wearable inertial sensing has been beneficial in the development of measures of motor impairment after stroke. While most early work focused on the use of accelerometry, recent work has increasingly shown that rate gyroscopes may provide complementary information. Differences in performance of accelerometers and gyroscopes in activity recognition may be due to the nature of the impairment. Read More

Conf Proc IEEE Eng Med Biol Soc 2018 Jul;2018:2337-2340

The active participation of the stroke survivor during Functional Electrical Stimulation (FES) cycling system is an interesting question that we would like to investigate, since active rehabilitation can promote a better motor function recovery than passive training. In this pilot study, a smart FES cycling system which can assess the participants cycling effort was proposed to record real-time Electromyography (EMG) and torque during lower limb training for chronic stroke survivors. The rehabilitation goals were to increase the lower-limb muscle strength and enhance the muscle coordination. Read More

Neural Plast 2018 21;2018:1318093. Epub 2018 Oct 21.

Department of Neurology, Jinling Hospital, Nanjing University School of Medicine, Nanjing 210002, China.

Purpose: This study was aimed at evaluating the motor cortical excitability and connectivity underlying the neural mechanism of motor deficit in acute stroke by the combination of functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) and electrophysiological measures.

Methods: Twenty-five patients with motor deficit after acute ischemic stroke were involved. General linear model and dynamic causal model analyses were applied to fMRI data for detecting motor-related activation and effective connectivity of the motor cortices. Read More

Sci Rep 2018 Nov 12;8(1):16688. Epub 2018 Nov 12.

Institute of Medical Psychology and Behavioral Neurobiology, University of Tübingen, Tübingen, Germany.

The motor impairment occurring after a stroke is characterized by pathological muscle activation patterns or synergies. However, while robot-aided myoelectric interfaces have been proposed for stroke rehabilitation, they do not address this issue, which might result in inefficient interventions. Here, we present a novel paradigm that relies on the correction of the pathological muscle activity as a way to elicit rehabilitation, even in patients with complete paralysis. Read More

Neurorehabil Neural Repair 2018 11;32(11):953-960

1 Donders Institute for Brain, Cognition and Behaviour, Radboud University Medical Center, Nijmegen, The Netherlands.

Background: The relationships between motor impairment of the affected leg, postural control asymmetry, and impaired body sway control after stroke are not well understood.

Objective: To examine the relationship between motor impairment of the affected leg and reduced contribution of this leg to body sway control (ie, dynamic control asymmetry [DCA]) and to determine the relationships between impaired body sway control, DCA, and weight-bearing asymmetry (WBA).

Methods: We assessed quiet-standing balance with eyes open in 70 persons with a unilateral supratentorial chronic stroke using 2 force plates. Read More

J Stroke Cerebrovasc Dis 2019 Feb 5;28(2):381-388. Epub 2018 Nov 5.

Department of Physical Therapy, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, Canada. Electronic address:

Background And Aims: In addition to overt stroke lesions, co-occurring covert lesions, including white matter hyperintensities (WMH) and covert lacunar infarcts (CLI), contribute to poststroke outcome. The purpose of this study was to examine the relationship between covert lesions, and motor and cognitive outcomes in individuals with chronic stroke.

Methods: Volumetric quantification of clinically overt strokes, covert lesions (periventricular and deep: pWMH, dWMH, pCLI, dCLI), ventricular and sulcal CSF (vCSF, sCSF), and normal appearing white (NAWM) and gray matter (NAGM) was performed using structural magnetic resonance imaging. Read More

Front Neurol 2018 22;9:853. Epub 2018 Oct 22.

Restorative Neurology Clinic, Burke Neurological Institute, White Plains, NY, United States.

This study aimed to determine the extent to which robotic arm rehabilitation for chronic stroke may promote recovery of speech and language function in individuals with aphasia. We prospectively enrolled 17 individuals from a hemiparesis rehabilitation study pairing intensive robot assisted therapy with sham or active tDCS and evaluated their speech ( = 17) and language ( = 9) performance before and after a 12-week (36 session) treatment regimen. Performance changes were evaluated with paired -tests comparing pre- and post-test measures. Read More