Stroke: Motor tract integrity monitoring

Brain Research and Rehabilitation Center Neuron, Kuopio, Finland

A 74-year-old, physically active patient experienced sudden weakness and a partial paresis of the left leg and arm. Acute subcortical stroke affected the left-side corticospinal tracts.

When the cortex was stimulated at the known leg representation area using an NBS System, it was possible to detect MEPs in the acute stage of stroke. The positive outcome confirmed a decision to initiate intensive rehabilitation of the leg and motivated the team to persist with rehabilitation efforts. Exact targeting to the original stimulation site enabled follow-up of the recovery process objectively and in a clinically useful fashion.

Courtesy of Prof. Juhani Sivenius