Deans' stroke musings: The effect of combined somatosensory stimulation and task-specific training on upper limb function in chronic stroke: A double-blind randomized controlled trial

Changing stroke rehab and research worldwide now.Time is Brain! trillions and trillions of neurons that DIE each day because there are NO effective hyperacute therapies besides tPA(only 12% effective). I have 523 posts on hyperacute therapy, enough for researchers to spend decades proving them out. These are my personal ideas and blog on stroke rehabilitation and stroke research. Do not attempt any of these without checking with your medical provider. Unless you join me in agitating, when you need these therapies they won't be there.

What this blog is for:

My blog is not to help survivors recover, it is to have the 10 million yearly stroke survivors light fires underneath their doctors, stroke hospitals and stroke researchers to get stroke solved. 100% recovery. The stroke medical world is completely failing at that goal, they don't even have it as a goal. Shortly after getting out of the hospital and getting NO information on the process or protocols of stroke rehabilitation and recovery I started searching on the internet and found that no other survivor received useful information. This is an attempt to cover all stroke rehabilitation information that should be readily available to survivors so they can talk with informed knowledge to their medical staff. It lays out what needs to be done to get stroke survivors closer to 100% recovery. It's quite disgusting that this information is not available from every stroke association and doctors group.

Wednesday, May 13, 2015

The effect of combined somatosensory stimulation and task-specific training on upper limb function in chronic stroke: A double-blind randomized controlled trial

You'll have to hope your doctor makes changes to your stroke protocols based on this without you needing to remind her/him that this article is out there.
http://search.naric.com/research/rehab/redesign_record.cfm?search=2&type=all&criteria=J70716&phrase=no&rec=127139
Neurorehabilitation and Neural Repair , Volume 29(2) , Pgs. 143-152.

NARIC Accession Number: J70716. What's this?
ISSN: 1545-9683.
Author(s): Fleming, Melanie K.; Sorinola, Isaac O.; Roberts-Lewis, Sarah F.; Wolfe, Charles D.; Wellwood, Ian; Newham, Di J..
Publication Year: 2015.
Number of Pages: 10.
Abstract: Study explored the effect and underlying mechanisms of combining somatosensory stimulation (SS) with task-specific training (TST) on upper-limb function and arm use in chronic stroke survivors. SS involves low-intensity electrical stimulation of peripheral nerves, inducing paraesthesia without substantial motor output. In this double-blinded randomized controlled trial, 33 patients were block randomized to 2 groups: active or sham SS. They received 12 sessions of 2 hours of SS (active or sham) to all 3 upper limb nerves immediately before 30 minutes of TST. The primary outcome was the Action Research Arm Test (ARAT) score. Secondary outcomes were time to perform the ARAT, Fugl-Meyer Assessment score (FM), Motor Activity Log (MAL), and Goal Attainment Scale (GAS). Underlying mechanisms were explored using transcranial magnetic stimulation stimulus-response curves and intracortical inhibition. Outcomes were assessed at baseline, immediately following the intervention, and 3 and 6 months (mean 96 and 190 days) after the intervention. The active group demonstrated greater improvement in ARAT score and time immediately postintervention, but not at 3- or 6-month follow-ups. Within-group improvements were seen for both groups for ARAT and GAS, but for the active group only for FM and MAL. Corticospinal excitability did not change. The results indicated long-lasting improvements in upper-limb function following TST. The additional benefit of SS was seen immediately post treatment, but did not persist and the underlying mechanisms remain unclear.
Descriptor Terms: ELECTRICAL STIMULATION, EXERCISE, LIMBS, MOTOR SKILLS, NERVES, PHYSICAL THERAPY, STROKE, TASK ANALYSIS.

Can this document be ordered through NARIC's document delivery service*?: Y.

Citation: Fleming, Melanie K., Sorinola, Isaac O., Roberts-Lewis, Sarah F., Wolfe, Charles D., Wellwood, Ian, Newham, Di J.. (2015). The effect of combined somatosensory stimulation and task-specific training on upper limb function in chronic stroke: A double-blind randomized controlled trial. Neurorehabilitation and Neural Repair, 29(2), Pgs. 143-152. Retrieved 5/13/2015, from REHABDATA database.