Motor cortex stimulation for enhancement of recovery after stroke: case report.
We present a case report of a 65-year-old patient who had a subcortical infarct and a right spastic hemiparesis that occurred 19 months before being treated with an investigational therapy consisting of low frequency subthreshold epidural motor cortex electrical stimulation delivered during structured occupational therapy repeated daily for three weeks. Before treatment the patient's affected arm rested in a flexion posture and he was unable to flex or extend the fingers. After three weeks of treatment, the resting tone of his arm had improved and he was able to grasp a pen and write letters. The Fugl-Meyer motor scale score improved from 36 to 46 and this improvement was sustained for four weeks after the conclusion of rehabilitation therapy. This is the first patient to be entered into a randomized clinical feasibility and safety study assessing functional improvement in stroke patients treated with epidural cortical stimulation concurrent with occupational therapy (an investigational therapy).
Brown
Jeffrey A
JA
Department of Neurological Surgery, Wayne State University School of Medicine, 4160 John R. Suite 930, Detroit, MI 48201, USA. jbrown@neurosurgery.wayne.edu
Lutsep
Helmi
H
Cramer
Steven C
SC
Weinand
Martin
M
D000368:Aged; D001931:Brain Mapping; D004599:Electric Stimulation Therapy; D005240:Feasibility Studies; D005385:Fingers / Q000503:physiopathology; D006801:Humans; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging; D008297:Male; D009044:Motor Cortex / Q000502:physiology* / Q000528:radiation effects; D009048:Motor Skills / Q000502:physiology*; D020127:Recovery of Function; D012046:Rehabilitation; D020521:Stroke / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000628:therapy*; D013997:Time Factors