Researchers are testing a non-invasive transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS) that they believe could help the recovery process of stroke victims.
The new technology, called NexStim, sends low-frequency magnetic pulses through the victims head to lessen the activity of the healthy part of the motor cortex, reported Washington Post.
When a person has a stroke, damaging one side of the brain, the healthy side works harder to compensate.
Dr. Marcie Bockbrader, principle investigator of the study, told Washington Post NexStim should help stroke patients recover because she believes this over-compensation on the healthy side of the brain is delaying the recovery on the injured side of the brain.
Bockbrader also said she believes NexStim could even allow the stroke victim to receive a more complete memory of movement.
The investigators are testing the stimulator by enrolling about 200 stroke victims (who had their stroke between 3 to 12-months-ago) in a "double-blind, randomized clinical trial," Washington Post reported. Participants in the eight-month clinical trial also must show weakness in the arm and hand on only one side.
NexStem clinical trials will be issued at the following U.S. hospitals:
-Ohio State Wexner Medical Center
-Mayo Clinic in Arizona
-Ranchos Los Amigos National Rehabilitation Institute in California
-Shepherd Center in Georgia; Rehabilitation Institute of Chicago
-Indiana University
-Spaulding Rehabilitation Hospital in Massachusetts
-Columbia University
-Burke Rehabilitation Center in New York
-Duke University; University of Cincinnati
-TIRR Memorial Hermann Hospital in Texas
