Understanding Motor Behavior After Stroke

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DESCRIPTION (provided by applicant): Recovery of motor function following stroke is usually suboptimal. Thus, we need to elucidate how the brain of patients with stroke works when we learn new motor behaviors. To this end, we propose to decompose motor learning into multiple components and test how brain stimulation affects each of these parts. The findings of our study will inform how we plan and deliver motor training exercises to rehabilitate patients with stroke. Importantly, the strategies learned here would likely be applicable to other neurological patient populations. PUBLIC HEALTH RELEVANCE: Recovery of motor function following stroke is usually suboptimal. For this reason many investigations have been addressing how to enhance the effects of physical training, one of the main recognized interventions to improve recovery. One of the promising new interventions is the application of non-invasive brain stimulation. To better understand the potential of brain stimulation, we need to elucidate how the brain works when we learn new motor behaviors and how this intervention interacts with the brain. In this proposal, we plan to investigate how patients with stroke learn new motor behaviors. To this end, we propose to decompose motor learning into multiple components and test how brain stimulation affects each of these parts. The findings of our study will inform how we plan and deliver motor training exercises to rehabilitate patients with stroke. Importantly, the strategies learned here would likely be applicable to other neurological patient populations.