https://www.theherald.com.au/story/5371886/the-mysterious-brains-capacity-to-change-and-heal/?cs=305
Hunter researchers are working on ways to change the brain to help it heal.
Another way of putting this is they’re trying to encourage brain plasticity, which refers to the mysterious organ’s ability to change throughout life.
Stroke researcher Gillian Mason said the Hunter Medical Research Institute’s neuroscience team “has been testing new ways to change the brain’s biochemistry, to provide an optimal healing environment for brain cells”.
“We’ve been studying rehabilitation methods that prime the brain for rewiring to make it more plastic,” Ms Mason said.
Ms Mason’s comments come ahead of an HMRI seminar at New Lambton Bowling Club on Wednesday, titled Spotlight on Stroke.
The free event, which runs from 2pm to 7.30pm, is open to the public.
“People will learn about discoveries our researchers are making about the brain’s incredible ability to heal after a stroke,” Ms Mason said.
Professor Neil Spratt and other stroke researchers will reveal why some people suffer debilitating fatigue after stroke and a promising new therapy for it.
“HMRI’s main focus is on translating new scientific discoveries into real-life rehabilitative medicine,” Ms Mason said.
“So, some of the discoveries people will learn about on Wednesday are things that can be tried straight away at home, like certain types of exercise that you can learn to boost the brain’s ability to recover.
“Our own local and internationally-respected guru of exercise science, Professor Robin Callister, will explain more about how this works.”
Ms Mason said talking about exercise was “so much easier than doing it”.
Given this, exercise scientist Sarah Valkenborghs will show people her list of “exercise hacks”, which means she’ll advise people how to exercise to help with rehabilitation – even “when it’s really hard”.
Associate Professor Coralie English, who leads a team of physical-activity researchers, wrote the newest national stroke treatment guidelines. She will advise how to determine what is likely to work best at different stages of recovery.
Ms Mason has listened deeply to people affected by stroke.
“I haven’t had a stroke, so I don’t get to claim I understand what it’s like to live with the effects of stroke,” she said.
“People tell me they’re changed forever when they’ve had a stroke.”
Only those who have suffered a stroke can really know what this is like.
“There are so many invisible effects. It can be exhausting to explain yourself and constantly educate your closest people on what is different now.”
She said the seminar would help stroke survivors connect to a network.
“We’ll hear from speakers who, over many years since their strokes, have assembled supportive teams of experts and advocates,” she said.
These people had made their way from “the hospital bed to feeling the wind in their hair”.
They had connected with people who “get them”, which helped “reduce isolation, stress and uncertainty”.
“It’s more than just a nice thing to do. It can change your brain biochemistry for the better.”
She said stroke survivors co-designed the event.
“Meredith Burke, who is the consumer representative on the stroke register committee, will be interviewing professors and neuroscientists for our panel discussions,” she said.
The event includes an expo from 4pm to 6pm, at which people can see equipment and technology used in research studies, like a mobile fitness-testing system and the robot HELLEN [Hunter Exoskeleton for Lower Limb Exercise and Neuro-rehabilitation].
Local support groups and healthcare organisations will be available to chat about services.
Researchers, doctors and health professionals will also be available for a chat.
People can join research studies on the day. The event will also be streamed live on HMRI’s Facebook page.
Register interest in research studies at hmri.org.au/stroke-register or by calling 4042-0093.
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