title: Motor recovery from constraint induced movement therapy is not constrained by extent of tissue damage following stroke.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The purpose of this study was to delineate the relationship between several types of T1-weighted MRI pathology and motor rehabilitation potential following Constraint Induced Movement therapy (CI therapy) in chronic stroke.
  
  
  METHODS
  Stepwise regression was employed (n = 80) to identify predictors of motor recovery (prior to therapy) and of response to Constraint-Induced Movement therapy [measured via the Wolf Motor Function Test (WMFT) and Motor Activity Log (MAL)] from among the following: age, side of motor deficit, chronicity, gender, lesion volume, peri-infarct damage volume, white matter hypointensity volume, ventricular asymmetry, and lesion location.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Although extent of total stroke damage weakly correlated with poorer performance on the WMFT prior to therapy, this relationship was mediated by the location of the damage. No metric of tissue damage examined here was associated with real-world arm use at baseline (MAL at pre-treatment) or with CI therapy-induced improvement in either best motor performance upon request (WMFT) or spontaneous arm use for daily activities (MAL).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  In sum, the extent of brain tissue damage of any type examined here poorly predicted motor function and response to rehabilitation in chronic stroke.
authors.affiliation: Department of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, The Ohio State University, Columbus, OH, USA.
authors.forename: Lynne V
authors.initials: LV
authors.lastname: Gauthier
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychology, University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, AL, USA Departments of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, AL, USA Department of Neurology, University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, AL, USA.
authors.forename: Victor W
authors.initials: VW
authors.lastname: Mark
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychology, University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, AL, USA.
authors.forename: Edward
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Taub
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychology, University of South Alabama, Mobile, AL, USA.
authors.forename: Adrianne
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: McCullars
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychology, University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, AL, USA.
authors.forename: Ameen
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Barghi
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychology, University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, AL, USA.
authors.forename: Tyler
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Rickards
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychology, University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, AL, USA.
authors.forename: Jarrod
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Hicks
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychology, University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, AL, USA Department of Physical Therapy, University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, AL, USA.
authors.forename: Gitendra
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Uswatte
mesh_terms: D001921:Brain / Q000473:pathology*; D002908:Chronic Disease; D005081:Exercise Therapy / Q000379:methods*; D005260:Female; D007839:Functional Laterality; D006801:Humans; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009043:Motor Activity; D011379:Prognosis; D020127:Recovery of Function; D012044:Regression Analysis; D012720:Severity of Illness Index; D012737:Sex Factors; D020521:Stroke / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000473:pathology* / Q000503:physiopathology; D000071939:Stroke Rehabilitation; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D066127:White Matter / Q000473:pathology
keywords: CI therapy; Stroke; infarct volume; lesion volume; motor; rehabilitation