Stroke

A recent study reveals that an area of the brain distinct from a stroke lesion may play a significant role in causing the life-altering symptoms survivors are often left with, which can include severe challenges with speech, mobility and cognition. These results provide hope that innovative, non-invasive treatments could help improve or even fully reverse [...]

A 10-minute brain scan can predict the effectiveness of a risky spinal surgery to alleviate intractable pain. The result gives doctors a much-needed biomarker to discuss with patients considering spinal cord stimulation. For patients with chronic pain that cannot be cured in any other way, a surgical procedure called “spinal cord stimulation” is seen as [...]

Healing the gut may be the key to improving long-term recovery in stroke patients, according to a new study. The paper is the latest of multiple studies highlighting the potential of this novel avenue of treatment, which takes advantage of the link between the brain and digestive system to curb cognitive impairment and other lingering [...]

National stroke guidelines are not being met, despite the evident need for consistent provision of rehabilitative therapies within stroke care. This article presents a picture of the current guidelines and explores the role of goal setting in improving current rehabilitation provision for stroke.  A current picture of rehabilitation Rehabilitation is a crucial aspect of healthcare [...]

Scientists led by Friedhelm Hummel at EPFL have identified an important factor affecting an individual’s responsiveness to anodal transcranial direct current stimulation (atDCS). atDCS uses a constant, low electrical current delivered via electrodes on the scalp to modulate neuronal activity. The team looked at how native learning abilities determine the effect of brain stimulation applied [...]

Charities Chest Heart & Stroke Scotland (CHSS) and the Stroke Association have come together to call for the expansion of thrombectomy services to reduce health inequalities for stroke survivors across Scotland. Thrombectomy is a clot removal treatment that can vastly improve outcomes for eligible stroke survivors when administered within the recommended timeframe. People who have [...]

An innovative risk score assessment score has been developed that can accurately predict whether patients being assessed for kidney transplant will likely have a future major cardiac event, such as a heart attack or stroke. The Intermountain Risk Score is a well-validated, sex-specific risk prediction tool that includes factors like age and results from complete [...]

People with conditions or habits such as high blood pressure, an irregular heartbeat called atrial fibrillation, or smoking, not only have a higher risk of stroke, they may also have more severe strokes than people without these risk factors. The study involved 26,948 people from 32 countries with an average age of 62. Of this [...]

A practical calculator that predicts the risk of epilepsy after venous stroke is presented in a study from the University of Gothenburg and others. The aim is to improve care for those affected, which are predominantly young adults. A blood clot in the cerebral venous system (cerebral venous thrombosis) is a rare but important cause [...]

A new editorial has analysed the current use and potential future of alternatives to traditional informed consent in acute stroke trials. Patient informed consent is a crucial part of ethical clinical trial design and implementation, but time is of the essence for stroke trials. Approximately 2 million neurons die each minute they are deprived of [...]