Lunch and Learn: The Good Limb, the Bad Limb and Recovery: What animal models tell us about improving behavioral recovery after stroke

Thu Feb 14 12:10

The Good Limb, the Bad Limb and Recovery: What animal models tell us about improving behavioral recovery after stroke

Abigail Kerr
Assistant Professor of Psychology, Illinois Wesleyan University

Current rehabilitative strategies for stroke survivors focus on two primary strategies: Focused rehabilitation of the impaired body side and compensatory strategies that promote improved function in daily living. Animal models of stroke suggest that these two strategies are not created equal in promoting ultimate recovery of function after injury. Although behavioral compensation results in a quicker return to independent daily living, it may have detrimental long-term effects on functional outcome. However, it’s all not all bad news. We have been exploring adjunctive therapies in our mouse model that may permit behavioral compensation while preserving the recovery potential of the impaired body side.