UC researchers to launch largest NIH study of stroke recovery to examine how magnetic stimulation, MRI can predict motor function recovery
A large, multi-disciplinary team of researchers at the University of Cincinnati are leading a study to help determine whether certain biomarkers can predict the likelihood that a patient will recover motor functions following a stroke. The team includes scientists from National Institutes of Health StrokeNet National Coordinating Center at UC National, and StrokeNet National Data Management Center at Medical University of South Carolina.
Patients often become weak or paralyzed on one side after suffering a stroke, and while some eventually regain function of their arms and legs, others don’t. There is currently no definitive way to predict potential recovery.
Few advances have been made in improving post-stroke motor recovery despite more than 1,000 controlled trials over the past 30 years or so, according to a researcher involved in the study, known as VERIFY project.
Patients who have suffered a stroke and have some level of weakness in the upper arm will be eligible for the study, according to a UC press release.
Eligible patients will be enrolled with consent between 48-96 hours after their stroke onset and receive TMS and MRI while still hospitalized. A total of 657 patients will be enrolled at about 30 sites across the country over a five-year period, with recruitment scheduled to begin in the spring.
The VERIFY project also includes researchers from the University of California Los Angeles (UCLA) and the University of Auckland.
