The child-size unit, named uBot-5, uses arms and a computer screen through which therapists can interact with the patient. The uBot-5 has prototype spherical hands. Turning to robots for speech and physical therapy may not be everyone's idea of high-quality, personalized health care. But for stroke patients -- particularly those in rural, isolated areas -- therapists can be difficult and expensive to come by, and rehabilitation can be elusive. So a speech language pathologist at the University of Massachusetts Amherst is studying the interactions of stroke patients with the uBot-5, a child-size humanoid robot with arms and a computer screen through which therapists can interact with people. And for at least one stroke patient, the bot appears to be doing a stand-up job. "It's clear from our study of a 72-year-old male stroke client that a personal humanoid robot can help people recover by delivering therapy such as word-retrieval games and arm movement tasks in an enjoyable and engaging way," study leader Yu-kyong Choe said in a school news release. Her case study appears in the current issue of the journal Aphasiology. Computer science doctoral student Hee-tae Jung practices arm movements with the uBot-5. The patient, who was suffering from … Continue reading →

Editor's Choice Academic Journal Main Category: Stroke Also Included In: Cardiovascular / Cardiology Article Date: 22 Mar 2013 - 12:00 PDT Current ratings for: Heart Defect Procedure Reduces Stroke By 73% 4 (1 votes) The findings came from an eight year study called the RESPECT trial (Randomized Evaluation of recurrent Stroke comparing PFO closure to Established Current standard of care Treatment). It was made to test the superiority of the AMPLATZER PFO device in the treatment of cryptogenic stroke patients compared with current medical management. In a healthy developing fetus, the foramen oval permits oxygenated blood from the placenta to skip over the lungs. This small, flap-like entrance generally closes immediately after birth. However, when the flap stays open or patent - it is called a patent foramen oval (PFO). A PFO can sometimes let dangerous clots go from the right side of the heart to the left, move up to the brain, and result in a stroke. Treatment normally consists of a minimally-invasive procedure conducted by a cardiologist to permanently close the PFO. The current trial revealed that the device safely closed the PFO. No differences were seen between medical management and device treatment in the incidence of: All … Continue reading →

Public release date: 18-Mar-2013 [ | E-mail | Share ] Contact: Emma Thorne emma.thorne@nottingham.ac.uk 44-011-595-15793 University of Nottingham Scientists in Nottingham are leading an international study to investigate the effectiveness of a new treatment on a devastating type of stroke. The team at The University of Nottingham has been awarded 2.6 million by the National Institute for Health Research Health Technology Assessment (NIHR HTA) Programme to lead the clinical trial into the use of the drug tranexamic acid in people who have suffered an intracerebral haemorrhage, a type of stroke caused by bleeding in the brain. Leading the trial, Dr Nikola Sprigg in the University's Division of Stroke, said: "This is potentially very exciting this drug could offer new hope for a condition for which there is currently no effective treatment. "If successful, it could potentially improve the lives of thousands of people with haemorrhagic stroke, preventing deaths and reducing disability to increase their chances of leading a full and independent life." Around 150,000 people in the UK suffer a stroke every year the majority of these are ischaemic strokes caused by a blocked blood vessel on the brain which can be treated very successfully in many cases with the … Continue reading →

SINGAPORE, March 19, 2013 /PRNewswire/ --Authors of a medical paper published in this month's Cerebrovascular Diseases journal found that NeuroAiD, developed by Moleac, significantly improves patients' independence after suffering a stroke compared to other control groups. During the studies stroke patients taking NeuroAiD were twice as likely able to take care of themselves and speak freely. The study also showed that NeuroAiD improved patients' chances of performing daily activities after stroke. Stroke is one of the leading causes of death worldwide and occurs every 2 seconds. Each year, 20 million people suffer from the devastating disease. There are only few effective, generally accepted and specific treatments for stroke, like thrombolytic treatment for highly selected patients. Therefore, there is an increasing need for multi-model therapies to help more patients recover quickly and effectively from stroke. Herbal supplements have been demonstrated to have antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, and anti-glutamate effects, making them an attractive option to be investigated for stroke recovery. Thus, as Dr. Christopher Chen, one of the authors of the paper, says, "confirmation of the effectiveness of herbal supplements could have a great impact on stroke management". The paper updates the meta-analysis, published in Stroke journal in 2009 to include all clinical … Continue reading →

COLUMBUS, Ohio, March 21, 2013 /PRNewswire/ --OhioHealth is expanding its life-saving stroke care across the region through the OhioHealth Stroke Network with the support of the Verizon Foundation. The OhioHealth Stroke Network is the first partnership for stroke treatment and research of its kind in Ohio and employs advanced telemedicine technology to help patients across the region receive the most advanced stroke care and appropriate intervention. Emergency teams at partner hospitals receive immediate, around-the-clock access to stroke specialists at OhioHealth Riverside Methodist Hospital - a Comprehensive Stroke Center, and OhioHealth Grant Medical Center - a Primary Stroke Center, in Columbus. By enabling real-time communications between nurses and physicians at regional hospitals and OhioHealth neurologists in central Ohio, the OhioHealth Stroke Network saves valuable time and improves outcomes for stroke patients. With the $65,000 grant from the Verizon Foundation, OhioHealth has expanded its Stroke Network services to Doctors Hospital Nelsonville in northwestern Athens County, and East-Ohio Regional Hospital in Martin's Ferry, located in Belmont County. The addition of the two hospitals increases the OhioHealth Stroke Network to 21 member hospitals and benefits many patients when time is critical and a few hours can be the difference between full recovery and permanent … Continue reading →