Gauthier L, Taub E, Perkins C, Ortmann M, Mark W, Uswatte G
This study aimed to investigate whether rehabilitation strategies could affect structural changes to the brain in adult stroke patients.
The study randomly assigned chronic stroke patients to either a constraint-induced movement therapy (CIMT) group, or a comparison therapy (CT) group.
Results showed that not only did the CIMT group gain increased use of the affected upper limb; they showed a marked increase in grey matter in the motor and sensory areas representing the upper limb also. The authors suggest that this research highlights the importance of structural brain remodelling to treat motor deficit post stroke.
Stroke, 2008,39, 1520-1525