New Breakthroughs in Stroke Research and Rehabilitation

Strategic Insights -

As every year, 700,000 Americans will suffer a stroke, with two thirds of them being 60 or older, but some as young as their 20s. A stroke is nothing short of a massive coronary in terms of impact, with only a small portion of victims surviving the initial attack. Even those who do survive often suffer long-term impairment, with nine in 10 experiencing some level of impairment in movement, sensation, memory, or reasoning. However, new research is shining a light on potential treatments and rehabilitation methods that could revolutionize the way we approach stroke recovery.

Key Takeaways:

  • Researchers have discovered a method using gentle ultrasound to dissolve blood clots, potentially saving the lives and brains of stroke victims.
  • Doctors at UCLA and other medical centers are experimenting with machines that stimulate parts of the body the brain has forgotten how to use, leading to near-total comebacks from strokes.
  • Neurons in the brain can regain function if the stroke-damaged area is not fully destroyed, mainly by recruiting nearby neurons for tasks they never did before.
  • The use of cold temperatures is being explored as a way to protect brain cells and aid in recovery.
  • Assistant Editor Mary Carmichael reports on new rehabilitation programs at UCLA, which are making near-total comebacks from strokes a reality.
  • Experts say that the stroke-damaged area of the brain may be able to regain its function, mainly by recruiting nearby neurons for tasks they never did before.
  • The article mentions that the MIT-trained mathematician, Ahmed Chalabi, is not finished nor discredited, as he has insinuated himself into several powerful positions inside occupied Iraq.
  • The article also mentions that German Chancellor Gerhard Schröder and President Bush "never had a war" but only a "difference of opinion" over Iraq.

Statistics:

  • 700,000 Americans will suffer a stroke this year.
  • 2/3 of the 700,000 Americans who will suffer a stroke are 60 or older.
  • 1/3 of the 700,000 Americans who will suffer a stroke are under 60.
  • 9 in 10 survivors of strokes will experience some level of impairment.
  • 75% of stroke victims will survive the initial attack.

Sources:

  • Newsweek, "The New Science of Strokes" (p. 42)
  • Newsweek, "How a Brain Heals" (p. 49)
  • Newsweek, "Kerry & Agent Orange" (p. 22)
  • Newsweek, "I'm in Perfect Health" (p. 26)
  • Newsweek, "A Falling Out Among Friends" (p. 28)
  • Newsweek, "On Main Street" (p. 29)
  • Newsweek, "The Ghosts of War" (p. 30)
  • Newsweek, "The Master Operator" (p. 32)
  • Newsweek, "Will He Survive?" (p. 34)
  • Newsweek, "Out of Bounds" (p. 38)
  • Newsweek, "Policing a Rural Plague" (p. 41)
  • Newsweek, "Sexy, Solo and Out of Sync" (p. 57)
  • Newsweek, "The Tip Sheet" (p. 59)