Top Stroke Rehabil
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Acoustic startle reflex (ASR) can be used as a tool to examine reticulospinal excitability. The potential role of reticulospinal mechanisms in the development of spasticity has been suggested but not tested. ⋯ Preliminary findings of exaggerated ASR responses and associated contralateral overflow only in spastic biceps muscles in patients with chronic stroke suggest the important role of reticulospinal mechanisms in the development of spasticity.
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The impact of unilateral brain damage, such as that caused by stroke, on the interaction between higher cognitive functions and walking remains uncertain. We compared cognitive-motor interference (CMI) during dual-task (DT) walking between chronic stroke survivors and young adults performing explicitly different cognitive tasks. ⋯ CMI pattern in chronic stroke survivors differs significantly with type of cognitive task. Gradual cognitive decline with chronicity of condition might have a role in altering the CMI pattern in this population. Future studies of DT interventions for stroke survivors might benefit from incorporating working memory tasks in their protocols.