Physical training & stroke

Physical training is the optimal treatment for stroke survivors' impaired movement and thinking.

A new research conducted by scientists at Swedens' Karolinska Institute and Mayo Clinic suggests that physical training is the optimal treatment for stroke survivors' impaired movement and thinking.

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The researchers led by Allen Brown designed an investigation in rats that had brain damage similar to that suffered by human stroke patients.

"We were surprised amphetamine use didn't have more of the effect that was suggested by previous studies. Instead, we found that physical training consisting of teaching rats to walk along a beam had the most powerful effect on recovery. This raises significant questions about the role of stimulant treatment to enhance motor recovery following stroke," Brown was quoted as saying.

The team evaluated how various treatments enabled rats to recover function including regular, repeated physical training sessions of walking on a beam, medication with amphetamines and no treatment at all. Results showed physical training alone had the most positive effect on recovery from brain damage.

"The fact that we've shown physical training alone changes recovery behavior is very interesting, because it makes the point that the stroke rehabilitation therapists themselves have an extremely potent effect on how the genes work to direct recovery," Brown added.