Stroke patients may benefit from brain stimulation

Stroke is a leading cause of death and serious long-term disability in the United States. About half of those who survive a stroke are left with ongoing impairments that affect their everyday activities, such as walking or lifting objects. Physical therapy can help to improve movement and reduce symptoms. But its benefits often level off about a year following the stroke.

Scientists have been exploring the possibility of encouraging the brain to form new connections between nerve cells by using electrical stimulation. The approach, called deep brain stimulation, delivers constant electrical stimulation to a particular brain region through a surgically implanted thin wire, or electrode.

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