Top Stroke Rehabil
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Not only do clinicians play a role in shaping the lives of their clients, but they are shaped by the individuals they work with. This article interweaves selected aspects from the stories of 12 aphasic individuals into a story about some of the things they have taught me about my clinical life.
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This article uses the medium of clinicians' comments and stories to explore their perceptions of therapeutic relationships and how these relationships come to a close at discharge from aphasia therapy. These narratives are drawn from a qualitative, grounded theory study carried out in South Australia and Northern Territory involving semi-structured interviews with 30 speech pathologists. ⋯ Exploration of these narratives is timely because of the increasing emphasis on person-centeredness in rehabilitation, shared decision making, and authentic relationships. This work is important to encourage reflective practice and greater insight into both speech pathologists' professional identities and their therapeutic relationships.
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Randomized Controlled Trial
Design and methods of a randomized controlled trial on early speech and language therapy in patients with acute stroke and aphasia.
Most clinicians would recommend speech and language therapy (SLT) for aphasic patients. The question of when and for how long SLT should be administered still remains controversial. The aim of this trial is to evaluate the efficacy of early SLT in patients with acute stroke and aphasia in a randomized controlled trial. This report will present design and methods and discuss feasibility. ⋯ It is feasible to conduct a randomized controlled study on very early SLT for acute aphasic patients.
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Randomized Controlled Trial Multicenter Study Comparative Study
Cortical stimulation for upper limb recovery following ischemic stroke: a small phase II pilot study of a fully implanted stimulator.
To evaluate the feasibility of a fully implanted cortical stimulator for improving hand and arm function in patients following ischemic stroke. ⋯ Evidence suggests that cortical stimulation with rehabilitation therapy produces a lasting treatment effect in upper extremity motor control and is not associated with serious neurological complications. A larger multicenter study is underway.
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Ischemic stroke affects many new patients each year. The sequelae of brain ischemia can include lasting sensorimotor and cognitive deficits, which negatively impact quality of life. Currently, treatment options for improving poststroke deficits are limited, and the development of new clinical alternatives to improve functional recovery after stroke is actively under investigation. Anti-Nogo-A immunotherapy to reduce the central nervous system inhibitory environment, cell transplantation strategies, pharmacological agents, and movement-based therapies represent emerging treatments of poststroke deficits through enhancement of neuroanatomical plasticity.