Vagus Nerve Stimulation During Rehabilitative Training Improves Forelimb Recovery After Chronic Ischemic Stroke in Rats

Just when the fuck will this become a standard protocol? It has even been tested in humans.

Safety, Feasibility, and Efficacy of Vagus Nerve Stimulation Paired With Upper-Limb Rehabilitation After Ischemic Stroke  Jan. 2016 

Earlier research on this is here July, 2012;

Nerve stimulation plus standard therapy may accelerate stroke recovery

and here Jan. 2013;

UK docs aim to `rewire` brains of stroke patients

and here - Sept. 2013;

Researchers Find Early Success in New Treatment for Stroke Recovery

You are basically screwed for the rest of your life until survivors get some stroke leadership in place that puts two and two together from all the research that is already out there. Adding 2+2 must be beyond the abilities of our non-existent stroke leadership.  

 

http://nnr.sagepub.com/content/30/7/676?etoc

1. Navid Khodaparast, PhD1
2. Michael P. Kilgard, PhD1
3. Reema Casavant, PhD2
4. Andrea Ruiz, MS1
5. Iqra Qureshi1
6. Patrick D. Ganzer, PhD1
7. Robert L. Rennaker II, PhD1
8. Seth A. Hays, PhD1⇑

1. ¹The University of Texas at Dallas, Richardson, TX 75080-3021, USA
2. ²Micro Transponder Inc, Dallas, TX 75204, USA

1. Seth A. Hays, PhD, Erik Jonsson School of Engineering and Computer Science, The University of Texas at Dallas, 800 West Campbell Road, EC39, Richardson, TX 75080-3021, USA. Email: seth.hays@utdallas.edu

Abstract

Background and objective. Stroke is a leading cause of long-term disability. Currently, there are no consistently effective rehabilitative treatments for chronic stroke patients. Our recent studies demonstrate that vagus nerve stimulation (VNS) paired with rehabilitative training improves recovery of function in multiple models of stroke. Here, we evaluated the ability of VNS paired with rehabilitative training to improve recovery of forelimb strength when initiated many weeks after a cortical and subcortical ischemic lesion in subjects with stable, chronic motor deficits.  

Methods. Rats were trained to perform an automated, quantitative measure of voluntary forelimb strength. Once proficient, rats received injections of endothelin-1 to cause a unilateral cortical and subcortical ischemic lesion. Then, 6 weeks after the lesion, rats underwent rehabilitative training paired with VNS (Paired VNS; n = 10), rehabilitative training with equivalent VNS delivered 2 hours after daily rehabilitative training (Delayed VNS; n = 10), or rehabilitative training without VNS (Rehab, n = 9).  

Results. VNS paired with rehabilitative training significantly improved recovery of forelimb function compared with control groups. The Paired VNS group displayed an 86% recovery of strength, the Rehab group exhibited 47% recovery, and the Delayed VNS group exhibited 42% recovery. Improvement in forelimb function was sustained in the Paired VNS group after the cessation of stimulation, potentially indicating lasting benefits. No differences in intensity of rehabilitative training, lesion size, or MAP-2 expression were observed between groups. Conclusion. VNS paired with rehabilitative training confers significantly greater recovery of forelimb function after chronic ischemic stroke in rats.