Glucose Levels Signal the Growth of Myelin

 

Ask your competent? doctor EXACTLY how much myelin damage you have post stroke and THE EXACT PROTOCOLS TO FIX THAT DAMAGE!

demyelinating (24 posts to May 2012)

demyelination (12 posts to November 2021)

myelin (79 posts to April 2011)

myelin regeneration (3 posts to August 2024)

myelin repair (5 posts to January 2025)

Do you prefer your doctor, hospital and board of director's incompetence NOT KNOWING? OR NOT DOING? Your choice; let them be incompetent or demand action!

Glucose Levels Signal the Growth of Myelin

Summary: Scientists have long wondered why myelin, the brain’s essential insulation, develops at different speeds in different regions. A new study reveals that glucose isn’t just fuel; it’s a traffic signal.

High sugar levels tell stem-like cells to multiply, while low sugar levels signal them to stop dividing and start maturing into myelin-forming cells. This metabolic “gear shift” ensures the brain’s wiring is built at exactly the right time and place.

Key Facts

• The Glucose Signal: In the developing brain, regions with high glucose levels act as nurseries for Oligodendrocyte Progenitor Cells (OPCs), causing them to divide rapidly. When glucose levels drop, these cells receive the signal to mature into myelin-producing oligodendrocytes.
• The ACLY Enzyme: The researchers identified an enzyme called ATP-citrate lyase (ACLY) as the key translator. It turns glucose into a molecule (acetyl-CoA) that enters the cell nucleus to “turn on” the genes needed for multiplication.
• Metabolic Switch: Once the cells mature, they stop relying on glucose for development. Instead, they switch to alternative fuels like ketone bodies to actually build the myelin membrane.
• Ketogenic Rescue: In mice lacking the ACLY enzyme, myelin production was stunted. However, when these mice were placed on a ketogenic diet, the alternative fuel source bypassed the glucose bottleneck and improved the myelin deficits.
• Critical Windows: The developmental stage studied (32–40 weeks in human gestation) is a high-risk period for premature babies. Understanding this metabolic signal could lead to new ways to protect the white matter of preemies.

Source: CUNY

Researchers at the Advanced Science Research Center at the CUNY Graduate Center (CUNY ASRC) have uncovered a surprising link between low brain sugar levels and the development of myelin — the protective coating that allows nerve cells to communicate rapidly and efficiently.

The study, set for publication in Nature Neuroscience, reveals that the glucose-sensing ability of stem-like cells during early development helps them determine whether they should multiply and remain undifferentiated or mature into myelin-forming cells, thereby shaping brain development.

Myelin is the membrane of specialized cells called oligodendrocytes, which arise from progenitor cells, called oligodendrocyte progenitor cells (OPCs). Myelination begins before birth and continues into adulthood, supporting critical milestones such as sitting, crawling, walking, and talking.

Scientists have long puzzled over why myelin forms at different times in different brain regions. The CUNY ASRC team discovered that local changes in glucose (the brain’s main energy source) act as a signal that directs behavior during development.

Using advanced technology at the CUNY ASRC MALDI Imaging Core Facility (co-directed by professors Rinat Abzalimov and Ye He), the researchers mapped glucose levels across developing mouse brains. They found that glucose levels vary by region and over time. Areas with higher glucose levels had more actively dividing OPCs while areas with lower glucose levels contained cells beginning to mature into myelin-producing oligodendrocytes.

“Our findings show that glucose is not just fuel for the brain, it’s also a signal for the cells to divide,” said lead author Sami Sauma, a postdoctoral researcher with the CUNY ASRC Neuroscience Initiative who received his Ph.D. from Graduate Center.

“We found that when glucose levels are high in a particular brain region, progenitors use it to drive proliferation. As glucose levels shift, the same cells switch gears and begin maturing. It’s a beautifully coordinated metabolic system that helps shape brain development.”

At the center of this process is an enzyme called ATP-citrate lyase (ACLY). ACLY converts glucose-derived molecules into acetyl-CoA in the cell nucleus, enabling chemical changes to DNA-associated proteins that activate genes required for cell proliferation.

When the researchers genetically deleted ACLY in OPCs, those cells could no longer multiply effectively. As a result, mice showed a temporary reduction in myelin due to a smaller pool of progenitor cells. Remarkably, however, the cells were still able to mature into myelin-producing oligodendrocytes by switching to alternative metabolic sources.The team discovered that while progenitor cells depend on glucose-derived acetyl-CoA to multiply, mature oligodendrocytes rely on acetyl-CoA generated outside the nucleus from other fuels, such as ketone bodies, to produce myelin.

In fact, when transgenic mice lacking the ACLY enzyme in OPCs were placed on a ketogenic diet, which increases ketone levels in the blood, their myelin deficits improved.

“This study reveals that the same cell lineage interprets different metabolic signals at distinct stages of development,” said Patrizia Casaccia, founding director of the CUNY ASRC Neuroscience Initiative and Einstein Professor of Biology at the CUNY Graduate Center.

“By understanding how glucose and alternative energy sources regulate proliferation and myelin formation, we are uncovering new metabolic strategies that could be harnessed to protect myelin in the developing brain and even promote repair in disease states.”

The developmental window studied in mouse models corresponds to approximately 32 to 40 weeks of human gestation, which is a critical period when premature birth can result in white matter injury. The findings suggest that metabolic support during this vulnerable stage could help protect progenitor cells responsible for building myelin.

The implications may also extend to neurological disorders characterized by myelin loss in children and adults, including multiple sclerosis. By targeting the metabolic pathways that regulate progenitor cell proliferation and oligodendrocyte maturation, researchers may be able to design new therapies to enhance myelin repair.

As scientists continue to uncover how metabolism shapes brain development, this research highlights a powerful and potentially modifiable influence on how the brain builds its essential wiring.

Funding: The study was supported by the National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke at the National Institutes of Health.

Key Questions Answered:

Q: Does “low brain sugar” mean I should avoid sugar during pregnancy?

A: No. “Low sugar” in this context refers to localized, natural metabolic shifts within specific brain regions as they develop. This study is about how cells sense sugar, not a recommendation to change dietary intake. The brain always requires a steady supply of glucose to function.

Q: Could a ketogenic diet help treat myelin-related diseases like MS?

A: The study found that ketones can provide an alternative “fuel” for myelin formation when the primary glucose pathway is broken. While this is promising for neonatal brain injury and potentially Multiple Sclerosis, more research is needed before the ketogenic diet can be prescribed as a standardized clinical treatment for myelin repair.

Q: Why do different parts of the brain develop myelin at different times?

A: This study provides a major clue: glucose levels vary across the brain in a timed sequence. By mapping these “glucose gradients,” researchers showed that the brain essentially uses sugar levels to orchestrate the construction of its electrical wiring in a specific, prioritized order.

Editorial Notes:

• This article was edited by a Neuroscience News editor.
• Journal paper reviewed in full.
• Additional context added by our staff.About this neuroscience research news

Author: Shawn Rhea
Source: CUNY
Contact: Shawn Rhea – CUNY
Image: The image is credited to Sami Sauma

Original Research: Closed access.
“Glucose-dependent spatial and temporal modulation of oligodendrocyte progenitor cell proliferation via ACLY-regulated histone acetylation” by Sami Sauma, Stephanie Stransky, Ipek Selcen, Simone Sidoli, Rinat Abzalimov, Ye He & Patrizia Casaccia. Nature Neuroscience
DOI:10.1038/s41593-026-02263-7

Climate Change Is Making Strokes More Frequent And Deadly, Warns World Stroke Organization

If you were actually a useful organization you would have built 100% recovery protocols; but no, useless fucking press releases! Just another fucking failure of stroke associations! I'd fire everyone there and have it run by survivors; that would ensure excellence!

Climate Change Is Making Strokes More Frequent And Deadly, Warns World Stroke Organization

Climate change poses an escalating threat to brain health, with extreme heat, rapid humidity shifts and exposure to dust and sandstorms increasing the risk of having a stroke, according to a scientific statement by experts from the World Stroke Organization.(Experts solve problems, novices put out press releases!)

 New Delhi:

Climate change poses an escalating threat to brain health, with extreme heat, rapid humidity shifts and exposure to dust and sandstorms increasing the risk of having a stroke, according to a scientific statement by experts from the World Stroke Organization.

Published in the International Journal of Stroke, the statement summarises the latest evidence on the association between stroke and the environmental factors exacerbated by climate change, including extreme temperatures, temperature variability, humidity, dust and sandstorms, among others.

Senior lead author Anna Ranta, professor from the University of Otago's department of medicine, New Zealand, and a member of the World Stroke Organization's board of directors, said an unstable climate increases the risk both of having a stroke and of patients dying as a result.

"Temperature extremes and rapid swings in temperature, humidity and air pressure have a physiological effect on the human body. Hot temperatures can cause dehydration, 'thickening' the blood and raising the risk of blocked blood vessels, while humidity and air pressure changes can increase blood pressure, an important cause of stroke," Ranta said.

"Absolute changes in temperature and variations in temperature, barometric pressure and humidity -- patterns that are intensifying as a result of climate change -- all have an impact on stroke risk," the author said. Researchers reviewed previously published studies that assessed associations between stroke and environmental variables, including extreme temperatures and compound weather events. They found older adults, workers frequently exposed to the weather, and those in low and middle-income countries to be at a higher risk of stroke from environmental factors. Compound weather events, such as when extreme heat and drought, or cold, humidity and wind come together, were found to have an additive effect, increasing the risk of stroke and mortality even further, Ranta said. The senior lead author added, "Air pollution is another big factor in increasing the risk of stroke, with more than 20 per cent of strokes globally attributed to air pollution." Ranta said that while transport and industrial emissions are primarily a cause, rather than an effect of climate change, increases in frequency and severity of wildfires, sand and dust storms have been directly linked to climate change.

"The particulate matter of the 'air pollutants' enter the blood stream via the lungs and cause damage to blood vessel walls. This can result in blocked and ruptured brain arteries and cause a stroke," the author said.

The statement reads, "Cold exposure, temperature variability, and extreme thermal events were most consistently associated with increased stroke risk." It said that while effects due to cold were generally stronger than those due to heat, heat effects have been increasing over time.

The statement recommended stepping up efforts to cut carbon emissions by promoting clean energy, plant-rich diets and educating patients about how the weather can impact health.

Hospital electronic health records and public messaging should include temperature and other climate-related alerts, the authors said.

Meteorological agencies, environmental scientists, urban planners and emergency services should work together to develop coordinated policies for preparedness, early warnings, and responses to climate-related stroke hazards, the team said.

(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)

Reconsidering Music in Stroke Rehabilitation: A Scoping Review from Auditory Stimulus to Relational Process

 Your'e so blitheringly stupid, you tell us the problem but deliver NO PROTOCOLS and no method to get those protocols to every stroke hospital! We've known of that need for well over a decade and YOU COMPLETELY FUCKING FAILED AT SOLVING IT!

 

• music (94 posts back to March 2011)

• music therapy (85 posts back to October 2014)

• musical training (13 posts back to June 2014)

• singing (12 posts to July 2013)

• music playing (2 posts to April 2023)

Reconsidering Music in Stroke Rehabilitation: A Scoping Review from Auditory Stimulus to Relational Process

• 

  Soo Ji Kim 1

• 

  Bumsuk Ko 2

• H

  Hyungjung Lee 3

• 

  Kyurim Kang 4

• H

  Heejin Lee 5

• Y

  Yoo Jeong Kim 6

• 1. Ewha Womans University, Seoul, Republic of Korea

• 2. Hansei University, Gunpo-si, Republic of Korea

The final, formatted version of the article will be published soon.

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Abstract

Introduction: Over the past three decades, music has been increasingly incorporated into stroke motor rehabilitation; however, the term music-based intervention has been applied inconsistently. Interventions range from simple rhythmic cues to complex interactive activities, yet these distinctions are often insufficiently described to allow meaningful comparison across studies. Methods: This scoping review examined how music and sound have been conceptualized and applied in stroke motor rehabilitation research published between 1993 and 2023. Ninety-seven studies were identified through major databases. Data were extracted on definitions of music and sound, auditory stimulus characteristics, delivery methods, and provider expertise, followed by numerical and thematic analyses. Results: Substantial heterogeneity was found in how musical elements and auditory designs were reported, with many studies lacking essential information on stimulus structure. Comparative analysis identified three overarching approaches: (1) stimulus-based methods targeting movement timing, (2) task-based methods involving rhythmic or instrumental performance, and (3) process-based methods emphasizing relational and interactive engagement. These approaches were positioned along a continuum ranging from mechanically oriented to relationship-centered interventions. This is a provisional file, not the final typeset article Discussion: The findings highlight persistent conceptual ambiguity between music and sound and underscore the need for clearer and more systematic reporting of musical parameters. Conceptualizing music as a multidimensional therapeutic component may support stronger integration of neuroscientific and clinical perspectives when explaining mechanisms of stroke motor recovery.

Stroke rehabilitation in coastal Eastern England: a qualitative study of intersectional inequalities

My conclusion is, YOU DON'T UNDERSTAND THE BASIC PROBLEM!

You don't have 100% recovery protocols and AREN'T EVEN WORKING TOWARDS THAT!

 Stroke rehabilitation in coastal Eastern England: aqualitative study of intersectional inequalities

Katie Chadd , Doofan Udendeh , Ahang Kareem , Julia Vlahovic & Reza Majdzadeh To cite this article: Katie Chadd , Doofan Udendeh , Ahang Kareem , Julia Vlahovic & Reza Majdzadeh (28 Apr 2026): Stroke rehabilitation in coastal Eastern England: a qualitative study of intersectional inequalities, Disability and Rehabilitation, DOI: 10.1080/09638288.2026.2659555 To link to this article: https://doi.org/10.1080/09638288.2026.265955

ABSTRACT 

Purpose: Disparities in stroke incidence, outcomes and access to healthcare are increasingly reported—including in relation coastal status—yet a health-systems perspective is rarely applied to examine root causes. This study utilises a health-systems approach to explore how rehabilitation models of care may exacerbate or mitigate health inequalities, in an organisation serving rural and coastal communities in England. 

Methods: A multi-faceted theoretical framework drawing on seminal health-systems concepts was derived, to guide this qualitative study. Focus group discussions with stroke professionals were conducted. Data were analysed thematically, and iteratively, via operationalisation of the theoretical framework. 

Results: Rehabilitation systems exacerbated health inequalities, which was related to unresponsiveness to personal and social determinants, geographical factors and system-level factors. Bottlenecks were identified in accessibility and effective health coverage, which were associated with multiple aspects of a health system, including service delivery, financing, workforce, health information systems and leadership/ governance. Four recurrent intersectional high-risk profiles emerged. 

Conclusion: There are significant, system-derived challenges in the current stroke rehabilitation and life-after-stroke provision in the region studied, which may exacerbate health inequalities for those who are already marginalised by society. Applying an intersectional framework to develop solutions for equality in rehabilitation systems is required. (Equality in failure to recover IS THE HEIGHT OF STUPIDITY! Solve the correct problem! 100% recovery!)

IMPLICATIONS FOR REHABILITATION • In England, stroke rehabilitation is delivered via the publicly funded national health service (NHS) which is mostly free at the point of use for all residents, centring equity. • Stroke rehabilitation systems should be commissioned, designed and implemented according to patient needs and local population characteristics, with explicit attention to the intersections of coastal and socio-economic deprivation and across multiple axes including, transport barriers, cultural and linguistic diversity and disability status across the lifespan. • Improving the quality and collection of patient data is an important step in enabling intersectional analyses for understanding interactions between patient and population characteristics, needs and outcomes which can inform the design of equitable systems. 

CommonSpirit Offers First-In-Tennessee Vivistim Paired VNS System For Stroke Survivors

 

You just proved how incompetent your hospital system is! Incompetent for over a decade!

• vagus nerve(56 posts to July 2012)

10 Easy Ways to Stimulate Your Vagus Nerve to Reduce Stress from Debbie Hampton

The latest here:

CommonSpirit Offers First-In-Tennessee Vivistim Paired VNS System For Stroke Survivors

CommonSpirit – Memorial Hospital announced it is the first health care facility in Tennessee to offer an innovative, FDA-approved therapy that provides new hope for stroke survivors who continue to experience arm and hand weakness.

By combining vagus nerve stimulation with physical rehabilitation, the Vivistim Paired VNS System is a breakthrough medical device that significantly improves upper limb function in individuals who have suffered an ischemic stroke. Clinical studies have shown that patients treated with Vivistim alongside rehabilitation experienced two to three times greater improvement in arm and hand function compared to rehabilitation alone and the benefits are maintained for over a year.

“We are incredibly excited to bring this cutting-edge therapy to Chattanooga and, by extension, to stroke survivors across Tennessee,” said Janelle Reilly, market president, CommonSpirit, Tennessee and Georgia.“The Vivistim System represents a significant step forward in our ability to help patients regain movement and independence, truly enhancing their quality of life.”

This new therapy has the potential to improve the health of Tennesseans statewide with patients from across the state scheduled to receive Vivistim at CommonSpirit - Memorial Hospital. The first patient recently underwent a successful outpatient procedure to implant the small Vivistim device, which is comparable in size to a car key fob. The procedure was performed by Ranjith Babu, MD, neurosurgeon at CommonSpirit – Neuroscience Institute – Chattanooga.

The stroke team at Memorial Hospital has worked closely to launch Vivistim with Teresa Kimberley, PT, PhD, FAPTA, the director of the Brain Recovery Lab and a lead Vivistim scientist at the Center for Neurotechnology and Neurorecovery at Massachusetts General Hospital and Harvard Medical School. “Despite the great advances in modern emergency stroke treatment over the past ten years, millions of people still face serious residual physical limitations after stroke. Vivistim has really changed that. I’m excited that there is great hope now for the people of the Tennessee Valley to improve their quality of life through our work together launching this exciting novel technology at Memorial hospital,” said Dr. Kimberley.

Vivistim Therapy is a three-part process:

• Implantation: A small Vivistim device is implanted during a short, outpatient procedure. This device sends gentle electrical pulses to the vagus nerve.
• Therapist-Led Rehabilitation: Two to three weeks after implantation, patients begin intensive rehabilitation with physical and occupational therapists. During these sessions, the therapist uses a wireless remote to activate the Vivistim device while the patient performs specific tasks, such as reaching, grasping, or manipulating objects. The pulses from the vagus nerve send signals to brain regions that release neuromodulators, strengthening neural connections and enhancing the learning process.
• Self-Activated Therapy: Patients also continue their therapy at home, using a magnet to activate the Vivistim device while practicing daily tasks like folding laundry, preparing meals, or getting dressed. This ongoing pairing of VNS with focused activities helps reinforce new neural pathways, leading to sustained improvement.

Other vagus nerve stimulation devices have a long-standing safety record and have been FDA-approved for conditions like treatment-resistant epilepsy and depression. The Vivistim System specifically targets chronic stroke survivors who haven’t regained full hand and arm function six months or more after their stroke and have moderate to severe deficits. An estimated 200,000 stroke survivors in the U.S. could potentially benefit from this therapy annually.

Memorial Hospital’s Neuroscience Institute team is recognized nationally as a premier center in the development of novel technologies for neurologic disease like stroke. With a commitment to providing advanced neurological care, like Vivistim, Memorial Hospital helps ensure Tennesseans no longer need to travel out of state to receive transformative medical care.

For more information about the Vivistim Paired VNS System or to inquire about candidacy, contact CommonSpirit – Neuroscience Institute – Brain and Spine Care at 423 206-9480.

New-Onset Constipation May Shape Stroke Recovery

 

Your competent? doctor has been working on this problem for almost a decade, right?

OH NO! Knows nothing AND does nothing!

And your board of directors is so incompetent they can't recognize incompetence in their hospital!

 The incidence of constipation for stroke was 48%.  June 2017

NO PROTOCOLS THAT WILL CURE IT.

 In my non-medical opinion, full physical recovery should lessen this problem immensely!

New-Onset Constipation May Shape Stroke Recovery

New-Onset Constipation After Stroke

NEW-ONSET constipation after stroke was common and independently linked to poorer discharge outcomes in acute rehabilitation.

Constipation may be an underrecognized complication in acute stroke care, with new data showing high rates of poststroke constipation and a measurable association with rehabilitation outcomes. In a cross sectional study of 600 patients with acute stroke, investigators examined the incidence, contributing factors, and discharge impact of constipation developing after stroke in patients with no previous history of the condition.

Among all participants, 126 patients, or 21%, had a history of constipation. Poststroke constipation was identified in 278 patients, representing 46.3% of the cohort. New-onset constipation after stroke occurred in 184 patients, accounting for 38.8% of those without prior constipation.

Risk Factors for New-Onset Constipation

Several clinical and functional factors were associated with new-onset constipation after stroke. Hemorrhagic stroke, posterior circulation stroke, diabetes, use of osmotic diuretics, antacids, bedpan use, difficulty falling asleep, depression, and higher admission NIHSS scores were all identified as significant risk factors.

The findings suggest that bowel dysfunction after stroke may reflect more than immobility or routine medication exposure. Sleep disruption and depression appeared to contribute to constipation risk, pointing to the need for broader assessment during the acute stage of stroke rehabilitation.

Impact on Stroke Rehabilitation

New-onset constipation was independently associated with poor discharge outcome after adjustment for confounders, with the strongest signal seen among patients with moderate stroke severity. This association reinforces the importance of early recognition, particularly in patients whose rehabilitation trajectory may be vulnerable to preventable complications.

(WRONG, WRONG, WRONG! Survivors don't want it identified, you blithering idiots; they want it cured! And you're too stupid to deliver what is needed!)

For clinicians, the results support routine screening for constipation risk in patients with stroke, including review of medication exposure, toileting method, neurologic severity, sleep quality, mood symptoms, and metabolic comorbidities. Identifying patients at risk may help optimize rehabilitation protocols and reduce barriers to recovery during the acute phase.

(But you completely missed marijuana! Why? 

Marijuana use linked with decreased constipation)

While the study design does not establish causality, the high incidence of new-onset constipation after stroke and its association with discharge outcome highlight a clinically relevant target for early supportive care.

Reference
Lv Z et al. New-onset constipation at acute stage after stroke: incidence, risk factors, and impact on stroke rehabilitation. Frontiers in Neurology. 2026;17:1721157.

Senses, Not Muscles, Key to Speech Recovery After Stroke

 How long will it take before your doctor changes your aphasia recovery protocols?Oh, you don't have any recovery protocols, do you? So, you DON'T have a functioning stroke doctor then!

Senses, Not Muscles, Key to Speech Recovery After Stroke

By Dennis Thompson HealthDay ReporterFRIDAY, May 1, 2026 (HealthDay News) — A stroke victim’s senses might matter as much as their muscles as they work to relearn how to talk, a new study says.

Previously, experts thought that remembering the facial movements involved in speech was primarily the role of the brain’s motor system, which moves muscles in the correct way at the correct time.

But new findings show that retaining newly learned speech movements depends more on brain processes related to the senses, researchers reported April 24 in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences.

Disrupting a person’s sensory brain regions made it more difficult for participants to retain new speech patterns, but disrupting their motor cortex didn’t, researchers found.

“Our study challenges the assumption that new speech memories are solely reliant on changes in motor areas of the brain,” said lead author Nishant Rao, an associate research scientist at the Yale Child Study Center in New Haven, Connecticut.

“Instead, it underscores the importance of changes in auditory and somatosensory brain areas in shaping how we learn to speak,” Rao said in a news release.

For the study, researchers engaged 71 healthy young adults in an experiment where their speech was changed in real time and played back to them through headphones, causing them to learn new speech patterns.

During this process, the research team used magnetic waves to disrupt the neural activity of three important speech-related regions:

• The auditory cortex, involved in hearing

• The somatosensory cortex, which senses touch, pain, temperature and body position

• The motor cortex, involved with muscle movement

Disrupting the sensory areas — the auditory or somatosensory cortexes —made it tough to remember new speech patterns, when participants were tested 24 hours later. This effect wasn’t seen when the motor cortex was disrupted.

“These findings establish a sensory basis for speech motor memory, indicating that plasticity in sensory brain areas is necessary for learning and retaining newly acquired speech movements,” Rao said.

hese results could improve speech rehab following a stroke or brain injury, and could help improve brain-computer interfaces by highlighting the role of brain sensory activity in control of the movements related to speech, researchers said.

“Sensorimotor neuroscience has traditionally focused on frontal motor areas as the principal drivers of movement,” senior researcher David Ostry, an adjunct professor with the Yale Child Study Center, said in a news release. “This study changes that understanding by showing that human motor learning is extensively sensory in nature.”

More information

Duke University has more on stroke recovery.

SOURCES: Yale School of Medicine, news release, April 28, 2026; Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, April 29, 2026

A new approach to stroke recovery is helping patients regain movement

 You just proved how incompetent your hospital system is! Incompetent for over a decade!

• vagus nerve(56 posts to July 2012)

10 Easy Ways to Stimulate Your Vagus Nerve to Reduce Stress from Debbie Hampton

The latest here:

A new approach to stroke recovery is helping patients regain movement

Stroke recovery doesn’t end when a patient leaves the hospital. For many survivors, the weeks and months that follow bring challenges that can reshape daily routines and independence.

Limited movement in the hand and arm is one of the most persistent effects of a stroke, making everyday tasks more difficult and, over time, affecting confidence. But advances in therapy and rehabilitation are opening new doors for patients working to regain strength and function.

Experts at the George Shinn Comprehensive Stroke Center at Atrium Health Carolinas Medical Center are using an emerging therapy(That statement just proved how incompetent you are!) that involves a small, implanted device designed to work with the body’s natural signaling pathways. The device delivers gentle pulses to the vagus nerve, helping the brain relearn movement. When paired with guided rehabilitation exercises, this stimulation can encourage the brain to form new connections that support improved mobility.

Early results have shown meaningful gains for many patients, particularly in hand and arm function.

“This approach is changing how we think about stroke rehabilitation,” said Dr. Rahul Karamchandani, vice president, enterprise stroke care(NOT RECOVERY!) for the neurosciences national service line at Advocate Health. “By directly engaging the brain during therapy, we’re able to support recovery in a more targeted and effective way.”

The therapy is used alongside traditional stroke rehabilitation, with patients continuing to work with physical and occupational therapists on targeted exercises to rebuild strength and coordination. The device enhances the brain’s ability to learn during these sessions, helping some patients make progress beyond what therapy alone might achieve.

While advances in rehabilitation are expanding what’s possible after a stroke, timely treatment at the onset remains critical. Rapid access to specialized stroke care(NOT RECOVERY!) can significantly reduce long-term disability. In the Charlotte region, Atrium Health operates a network of stroke centers designed to provide that level of care(NOT RECOVERY!) close to home, including the George Shinn Comprehensive Stroke Center, where more than 4,000 patients are treated each year.

Stroke symptoms often appear suddenly and may include facial drooping, arm weakness, slurred speech, vision changes or a severe headache. Immediate treatment can limit long term damage and improve the chances of a strong recovery.

After emergency treatment, many patients benefit from a coordinated rehabilitation plan that may include inpatient and outpatient therapy, along with other specialized services. Atrium Health offers one of the largest and most comprehensive stroke rehabilitation programs in the region. Teams of neurologists, neurosurgeons, emergency medicine physicians and rehabilitation specialists work together to support patients at every stage of care(NOT RECOVERY!). This includes access to telestroke services – which connect patients to neurologists via two-way video – helping extend specialized care(NOT RECOVERY!) to more locations.

The program also provides treatment for a range of conditions that affect the brain’s blood vessels.

“Care for conditions affecting the brain’s blood vessels has become increasingly specialized,” said Dr. Karamchandani. “Having a coordinated team across neurology, neurosurgery and rehabilitation allows us to deliver more precise care(NOT RECOVERY!) and create a clearer path forward for patients.”

With innovative therapies, dedicated rehabilitation teams and coordinated care(NOT RECOVERY!) across Atrium Health, stroke survivors have the support they need to keep moving forward.

Learn more about stroke care(NOT RECOVERY!) at Atrium Health.

Atrium Health is a nationally recognized leader in shaping health outcomes through innovative research, education and compassionate patient care(NOT RECOVERY!). Based in Charlotte, North Carolina, Atrium Health is an integrated, nonprofit health system with more than 70,000 teammates serving patients at 40 hospitals and more than 1,400 care(NOT RECOVERY!) locations.