scholarly journals Rehabilitation strategy for post-stroke recovery using an innovative elbow exoskeleton

Author(s):  
Soumya K Manna ◽  
Venketesh N Dubey

Intensive and adaptive rehabilitation therapy is beneficial for post-stroke recovery. Three modes of rehabilitation are generally performed at different stages after stroke: external force-based control in the acute stage, assistive force-based rehabilitation in the midway of recovery and resistive force-based rehabilitation in the last stage. To achieve the above requirements, an innovative elbow exoskeleton has been developed to incorporate the three modes of rehabilitation in a single structure. The structure of the exoskeleton has been designed in such a way that the whole working region is divided into three where each region can provide a different mode of rehabilitation. Recovery rate can be varied for individuals since it depends on various parameters. To evaluate the rate of recovery, three joint parameters have been identified: range of angular movement, angular velocity and joint torque. These parameters are incorporated into the framework of planning a novel rehabilitation strategy, which is discussed in this article along with the structural description of the designed exoskeleton.

2020 ◽  
Vol 11 (6) ◽  
pp. 1264-1272 ◽  
Author(s):  
Daniela Pinter ◽  
Thomas Gattringer ◽  
Simon Fandler-Höfler ◽  
Markus Kneihsl ◽  
Sebastian Eppinger ◽  
...  

Abstract Information on microstructural white matter integrity has been shown to explain post-stroke recovery beyond clinical measures and focal brain damage. Especially, knowledge about early white matter changes might improve prediction of outcome. We investigated 42 acute reperfused ischemic stroke patients (mean age 66.5 years, 40% female, median admission NIHSS 9.5) with a symptomatic MRI-confirmed unilateral middle cerebral artery territory infarction 24–72 h post-stroke and after 3 months. All patients underwent neurological examination and brain MRI. Fifteen older healthy controls (mean age 57.3 years) were also scanned twice. We assessed fractional anisotropy (FA), mean diffusivity (MD), axial (AD), and radial diffusivity (RD). Patients showed significantly decreased white matter integrity in the hemisphere affected by the acute infarction 24–72 h post-stroke, which further decreased over 3 months compared with controls. Less decrease in FA of remote white matter tracts was associated with better stroke recovery even after correcting for infarct location and extent. A regression model including baseline information showed that the modified Rankin Scale and mean FA of the genu of the corpus callosum explained 53.5% of the variance of stroke recovery, without contribution of infarct volume. Furthermore, early dynamic FA changes of the corpus callosum within the first 3 months post-stroke independently predicted stroke recovery. Information from advanced MRI measures on white matter integrity at the acute stage, as well as early dynamic white matter degeneration beyond infarct location and extent, improve our understanding of post-stroke reorganization in the affected hemisphere and contribute to an improved prediction of recovery.


2018 ◽  
Vol 19 (1) ◽  
pp. 53-57
Author(s):  
Ana Maria Bumbea ◽  
Roxana Carmen Dumitraşcu ◽  
Bogdan Ştefan Bumbea ◽  
Anca Emanuela Muşetescu ◽  
Otilia Rogoveanu ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  

2020 ◽  
Vol 26 (26) ◽  
pp. 3115-3121
Author(s):  
Jun Yang ◽  
Jingjing Zhao ◽  
Xu Liu ◽  
Ruixia Zhu

LncRNAs (long non-coding RNAs) are endogenous molecules, involved in complicated biological processes. Increasing evidence has shown that lncRNAs play a vital role in the post-stroke pathophysiology. Furthermore, several lncRNAs were reported to mediate ischemia cascade processes include apoptosis, bloodbrain barier breakdown, angiogenesis, microglial activation induced neuroinflammation which can cause neuron injury and influence neuron recovery after ischemic stroke. In our study, we first summarize current development about lncRNAs and post-stroke, focus on the regulatory roles of lncRNAs on pathophysiology after stroke. We also reviewed genetic variation in lncRNA associated with functional outcome after ischemic stroke. Additionally, lncRNA-based therapeutics offer promising strategies to decrease brain damage and promote neurological recovery following ischemic stroke. We believe that lncRNAs will become promising for the frontier strategies for IS and can open up a new path for the treatment of IS in the future.


2020 ◽  
Vol 22 (1) ◽  
pp. 99
Author(s):  
Aleah Holmes ◽  
Yan Xu ◽  
Juneyoung Lee ◽  
Michael E. Maniskas ◽  
Liang Zhu ◽  
...  

Social isolation and loneliness are risk factors for stroke. Elderly women are more likely to be isolated. Census data shows that in homeowners over the age of 65, women are much more likely to live alone. However, the underlying mechanisms of the detrimental effects of isolation have not been well studied in older females. In this study, we hypothesized that isolation impairs post-stroke recovery in aged female mice, leading to dysregulated microRNAs (miRNAs) in the brain, including those previously shown to be involved in response to social isolation (SI). Aged C57BL/6 female mice were subjected to a 60-min middle cerebral artery occlusion and were randomly assigned to either single housing (SI) or continued pair housing (PH) immediately after stroke for 15 days. SI immediately after stroke led to significantly more brain tissue loss after stroke and higher mortality. Furthermore, SI significantly delayed motor and sensory recovery and worsened cognitive function, compared to PH. A decrease in cell proliferation was seen in the dentate gyrus of SI mice assessed by bromodeoxyuridine (BrdU) labeling. miRNAome data analysis revealed changes in several miRNAs in the brain, such as miR-297a-3p and miR-200c-3p, which are known to regulate pathways involved in cell proliferation. In conclusion, our data suggest that SI can lead to a poor post-stroke recovery in aged females and dysregulation of miRNAs and reduced hippocampal cell proliferation.


2019 ◽  
Vol 10 (3) ◽  
pp. 79
Author(s):  
Reham AbdElhamed AbdElmawla Elsaid ◽  
Amina Mohamed AbdElfatah Sliman

Objective: Stroke is considered the main health problem and the second leading cause of death worldwide. Stroke resulting in varied and unpredictable complications if not managed correctly in the acute stage with intensive rehabilitation therapy which may affect stroke prognosis, and resulting functional decline. Therefore, the aim of the study was to explore the consequences of rehabilitation versus conventional care on physiological parameters during the acute stroke recovery period.Methods: The quasi-experimental research design was used in the neurology department at Mansoura University Hospital. A convenient sample of sixty-four adult patients of both sex with stroke, who corresponded to inclusion criteria was assigned into two equal groups, study group (rehabilitation group) and control group (conventional care).Results: The results indicates, acute phase rehabilitation limit physiological parameters deterioration during acute stroke recovery period comparing to conventional care only.Conclusions: Acute phase stroke rehabilitation has a significant positive impact on physiological parameters.


Stroke ◽  
2014 ◽  
Vol 45 (suppl_1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Takeshi Hiu ◽  
Tonya Bliss ◽  
Jeanne Paz ◽  
Eric Wang ◽  
Zoya Farzampour ◽  
...  

Background: Stroke is a major cause of disability yet pharmacotherapy targeting the recovery phase is lacking. Cortical circuit reorganization adjacent to the stroke site promotes recovery, thus elucidating mechanisms that promote this plasticity could lead to new therapeutics. Tonic neuronal inhibition, mediated by extrasynaptic GABA A receptors,inhibits post-stroke recovery. However, effects of phasic (synaptic) GABA signaling - which promotes plasticity during development - are unknown. Here we use a combined approach of i) array tomography to determine the composition of GABA synapses in the post-stroke mouse brain, ii) electrophysiology to determine whether stroke leads to functional changes in GABA-mediated phasic inhibition, and (iii) treatment with zolpidem, an FDA-approved GABA agonist, to modulate recovery. Results: We found, using array tomography, a 1.7-fold increase in the number of GABAergic synapses containing the α1 receptor subunit in layer 5 of the peri-infarct cortex (synapse number/μm 3 : 0.039±0.006 (control) vs 0.064±0.006 (stroke); P<0.01), but not in layer 2/3. There was an associated increase in spontaneous inhibitory post-synaptic currents (sIPSC) specific to layer 5 pyramidal neurons (sIPSC charge (fC): -403±27.8 (control) vs -724±166 (stroke); p=0.03). This effect was transient, occurring during the onset of functional recovery. To test whether the increased phasic inhibitory GABAergic signaling promotes stroke recovery, we treated animals with zolpidem, an agonist with high affinity for α1 subunit-containing GABA A receptors. Low dose zolpidem increased GABA A phasic signaling in layer 5 pyramidal cells and notably increased the rate and extent of behavioral recovery without altering infarct size. Conclusions: These data provide the first evidence that enhanced GABA A -mediated synaptic activity during the recovery phase improves stroke outcome. These data identify modulation of phasic GABA signaling as a novel therapeutic strategy for stroke, indicate zolpidem as a potential drug to improve recovery, and underscore the necessity to distinguish the role of tonic and phasic GABA inhibition in stroke recovery.


2021 ◽  
Vol 429 ◽  
pp. 119651
Author(s):  
Anita Anisovska ◽  
Mariusz Janta ◽  
Anna Tomašová ◽  
Slavomír Guťan ◽  
Barbora Garajová ◽  
...  

Stroke ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 52 (Suppl_1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Aleah Holmes ◽  
Yan Xu ◽  
Juneyoung Lee ◽  
Liang Zhu ◽  
Venugopal Reddy Venna ◽  
...  

Background: Social isolation (SI) and loneliness are risk factors for stroke. Epidemiological studies have shown that women tend to have a higher risk of stroke at later age and elderly women are more likely to be isolated. The mechanisms underlying the detrimental effects of SI have not been well studied in older females. We hypothesized that SI in aged female mice would lead to impaired post-stroke recovery and could lead to differential regulation of microRNAs (miRNAs). Methods: In this study, aged C57BL/6N female mice were subjected to a 60-minute middle cerebral artery occlusion (MCAO) and were randomly assigned to either single housing (SI) or continued pair housing (PH) immediately after stroke for 15 days. Infarct size, mortality and recovery was assessed using open field, the adhesive-tape removal task and the Y-maze test. MiRNAs were comprehensively analyzed by miRNAome analysis on stroke brain, and changes in hippocampal cell proliferation was assessed from perfused brain sections. Results: Importantly, SI immediately after stroke led to significantly larger tissue loss and higher mortality in aged females, it also significantly delayed motor/sensory recovery in the adhesive removal test and impaired overall locomotor activity. In addition, these mice also demonstrated worse post-stroke cognitive function. In parallel, brains of these mice showed reduced miR-297a-3p expression and increased miR-18a-3p and miR-200c-3p expression with SI compared to PH cohort and reduced hippocampal cell proliferation. Conclusion: The results from this study suggest that SI after stroke can increase mortality and significantly impair post-stroke recovery in aged female mice. These worse outcomes are in parallel to the significant changes in several miRNAs and reduced hippocampal cell proliferation.


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