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What is a stroke?
A stroke occurs when an artery in the brain becomes
blocked or when a blood vessel breaks, interrupting
blood flow to an area of the brain. When a stroke
occurs, it kills brain cells in the surrounding area.
Doctors call this area of dead cells an infarct. These
cells usually die within minutes to a few hours after
a stroke starts.
What are the
effects of stroke?
A stroke kills brain cells that control different
functions such as moving a limb or speech. When those
nerve cells are lost, so is the function.
What is the
post-stroke recovery process?
For patients who survive a stroke, the recovery process
is related to the severity of the stroke, care within
the first few hours of the stroke, and post stroke
rehabilitation. Natural physical recovery will typically
occur within the first 4 months following a stroke.
Natural speech recovery will typically occur within
1 year following a stroke.
Can patients recover on their own?
During the first few months following a stroke a person may see improvement depending on the severity of the stroke. The amount of
improvement can be increased with active physical, occupational and/or speech therapy.
What post-stroke rehabilitation options are currently available?
The most common treatment following stroke is active
physical or speech therapy to the affected areas.
Some stroke rehabilitation clinics are also using
a technique called constraint induced therapy, which
requires constraint of one’s unaffected limb for the
majority of waking hours during a prolonged period
of time. This constraint forces use of the affected
hand/arm leading to some improvement in function.
How successful are these current treatment approaches?
The degree and success in regaining lost function
is affected by several factors including the location
and size of the stroke. Some strokes are so massive
that there is no significant return of function, even
with active physical therapy. In less invasive strokes
with relatively mild deficits, patients may fully
recover. Most patients' motor function plateaus after
the first four months. Improvements in speech (via
standard speech therapy) are often difficult to achieve
after one year post-stroke.
What is cortical stimulation?
Cortical stimulation is the process of providing electrical
stimulation to the region of the cerebral cortex,
the outermost portion of the brain, undergoing recovery.
The electrical stimulation is delivered at a level
that will not cause sensation or movement in the patient.
The electrical stimulation may improve recovery of
function after an injury. The purpose of Northstar's
clinical studies is to assess the safety and effectiveness
of cortical stimulation in the treatment of stroke
related disorders.
Are clinical research studies safe?
The United States government and, specifically, the
FDA (Food and Drug Administration) have strict regulations
and safeguards in place to protect people who choose
to participate in clinical studies. The FDA must approve
clinical trials that present significant patient risk.
Additionally, every clinical trial in the U.S. must
be reviewed and approved by an Institutional Review
Board (IRB). The purpose of an IRB is to protect the
rights and safety of people who volunteer to take
part in research studies. Before participating in
a study, a person must agree to sign an Informed Consent
form, which provides detailed information about the
study and study procedures. Experienced physicians
who have been thoroughly trained are designated as
Investigators for the study. These physicians administer
the study procedures and closely monitor study participants.
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