Neurorehabilitation and neural repair
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Neurorehabil Neural Repair · Aug 2016
Subcortical Volume Loss in the Thalamus, Putamen, and Pallidum, Induced by Traumatic Brain Injury, Is Associated With Motor Performance Deficits.
Traumatic brain injury (TBI) has been associated with altered microstructural organization of white matter (WM) and reduced gray matter (GM). Although disrupted WM organization has been linked to poorer motor performance, the predictive value of GM atrophy for motor impairments in TBI remains unclear. ⋯ Our results reveal that GM atrophy is associated with motor impairments in TBI, providing new insights into the etiology of motor control impairments following brain trauma.
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Neurorehabil Neural Repair · Aug 2016
Vagus Nerve Stimulation During Rehabilitative Training Improves Forelimb Recovery After Chronic Ischemic Stroke in Rats.
Stroke is a leading cause of long-term disability. Currently, there are no consistently effective rehabilitative treatments for chronic stroke patients. Our recent studies demonstrate that vagus nerve stimulation (VNS) paired with rehabilitative training improves recovery of function in multiple models of stroke. Here, we evaluated the ability of VNS paired with rehabilitative training to improve recovery of forelimb strength when initiated many weeks after a cortical and subcortical ischemic lesion in subjects with stable, chronic motor deficits. ⋯ VNS paired with rehabilitative training confers significantly greater recovery of forelimb function after chronic ischemic stroke in rats.