SPECIAL Symposia

SPECIAL SYMPOSIUM: Keys to improving the state of stroke recovery

Presenter(s)

• 

  Nick S. Ward, MD, FRCP

  Professor of Clinical Neurology and Neurorehabilitation
  University College London
  London, United Kingdom

Moderator(s)

• 

  Veronica T. Rowe, MS(R), CBIST, FNAP, PhD, OTR/L

  Assistant Professor
  Georgia State University
  Atlanta, Georgia, United States

Recovery from stroke is often incomplete, which leaves many people dependent on others for their care. The improvement of long-term outcomes should therefore be a clinical and research priority However, the evidence base supporting therapeutic approaches to promote optimal post-stroke recovery is limited, which profoundly impacts the quantity and quality of post-stroke treatment. I will discuss the areas that hold the key to improving the state of stroke recovery, using upper limb rehabilitation as an example.

Learning Objectives:

• Describe the current state of upper limb rehabilitation from both a quantitative and qualitative standpoint with experiences of the Queen Square Upper Limb Neurorehabilitation Programme.
• Develop a mechanistic understanding of recovery from stroke in humans so that we know who to treat, when, and why.
• Demonstrate how new approaches to predicting stroke recovery outcome should lead to much smaller trials incorporating stratification.