Gland disorders improve brain pacemaker soon after a stroke?

Brain pacemaker could improve gait disturbances after stroke

In Germany, more than a quarter of a million people suffer a stroke each year. Many of the patients are barely able to walk after a cerebral infarction. Researchers now report that the gait disorders of those affected could possibly be improved with the help of a brain pacemaker.

Many stroke patients can barely or not at all go

Strokes are one of the most common causes of death in this country. In addition, the disease leads in many cases to permanent disability and secondary diseases. In the first three months after a cerebral infarction, 19 percent of all patients experience a serious cardiac incident: a heart attack or a sudden cardiac death. And about one-third of survivors of a stroke can barely walk or not at all. These gait disorders could possibly be improved with the help of a brain pacemaker.

Many stroke patients can barely or not at all go. The gait disorders of those affected could possibly be improved with the help of a brain pacemaker. (Photo: Robert Kneschke / fotolia.com)

So far no really effective drug treatment options

A new study at the Neurological Clinic and Polyclinic of the University of Würzburg (UKW) suggests that electrical stimulation of a specific midbrain region could improve the gait disturbances of stroke patients.

According to a communication from the clinic, about one-third of survivors of a stroke can barely walk or not at all.

"For these chronic gait disorders, there are no really effective drug treatment options - and the success of practicing therapies are very limited," explains Prof. Dr. med. Jens Volkmann, Director of the Neurological Clinic and Polyclinic of the FM.

Now employees in his clinic may have found a new, promising approach to treatment in a research project in progress since 2015.

In the journal "Annals of Neurology" they report on their results.

Restoring ability to walk

In an animal model of stroke in rats, scientists were able to show that electrical stimulation of a specific midbrain region can restore the animals' coordinated walking ability.

"The mesencephalic locomotor center has long been known as the coordination center of walking," says Dr. Felix Fluri. The senior physician of the VHF played a major role in the collaboration with Prof. Volkmann and Prof. Dr. med. Christoph Kleinschnitz designed the study.

However, according to him, the midbrain zone in question is not affected by a typical stroke in the area of ​​the cerebrum.

Why she still no longer exercises her function in the control of walking correctly as a result of the stroke, so far not known. Why and how does their electrical stimulation work??

Assumption: Disturbing signals are shielded

"We suspect that the electrical stimulation shields the mesencephalic locomotion region from interfering signals from superior brain regions," Dr. Fluri.

"This will enable the midbrain to control and control walking normally via downstream spinal centers."

The positive effects on walking ability are temporally strictly linked to the electrical stimulation.

"It works like a switch: power on - the rats can move normally, power off - the rats have massive motor limitations," explains the physician.

Hope: deep brain stimulation adaptable to stroke

"This work could be of immediate relevance to stroke patients," says Prof. Volkmann.

"With deep brain stimulation, we already have an approved procedure that has been very successful in other brain areas and in other diseases, such as Parkinson's disease," said the Director of the Department of Neurology and Policlinic of the VHF.

"Against this background, we are aiming for a clinical trial of the transferability of the procedure to suitable stroke patients in the near future," says Prof. Volkmann. (Ad)