NeuroRehabilitation
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NeuroRehabilitation · Jan 2015
Long-term effects of contralesional rTMS in severe stroke: safety, cortical excitability, and relationship with transcallosal motor fibers.
Contralesional hemispheric repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation (rTMS) may improve motor function in mild to moderate stroke and effects are considered to be mediated through transcallosal motor fibers. ⋯ Our results suggest that noninvasive neuromodulation of the contralesional hemisphere may present a possibility to assist adaptive neuroplastic changes in severe chronic stroke. Implementation of DTI-derived measures of transcallosal microstructural integrity may allow for individually-tailored interventions to guide processes of interhemispheric neuroplasticity. Further research is warranted to establish the clinical value of these findings in neurorehabilitation settings for subjects with chronic severe stroke.
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NeuroRehabilitation · Jan 2015
ReviewComprehensive rehabilitative care across the spectrum of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis.
Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS or Lou Gehrig's disease) is a neurodegenerative disease that results in progressive muscle weakness and wasting. There is no known cure and the disease is uniformly fatal. ⋯ Patient-centered, multidisciplinary care has a significant impact on the life of people with ALS and is the current standard of care for this patient population.
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NeuroRehabilitation · Jan 2015
Dysarthria and dysphagia in Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis with spinal onset: a study of quality of life related to swallowing.
Dysarthria and dysphagia are the most common clinical problems encountered in Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis and may reduce the quality of life. ⋯ Dysarthria and dysphagia were common symptoms in patients with spinal onset of ALS and the swallowing quality of life decrease was directly related to with severity of dysarthria and dysphagia.
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Sleep disorders and nocturnal hypoxia are common in patients with cerebrovascular disease. Sleep-disordered breathing is associated with a poor functional outcome in stroke patients. ⋯ This study showed that nocturnal oxygen saturation was not associated with functional outcome in therehabilitation phase of stroke patients.
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Traumatic brain injury (TBI) is a leading cause of death in Mexico, and Mexican TBI caregivers have been shown to experience significant mental health problems and high levels of family needs. ⋯ Interventions for TBI caregivers in Mexico-and likely in other global regions with high levels of familism-should include an emphasis on overall family health, the delineation of family roles regarding household responsibilities, the improvement of social support networks and the social presence of family members, and the provision of complete and relevant information regarding TBI. When these needs are more comprehensively met, caregiver mental health will likely improve.