Bayesian forecasting of motor recovery following cortical infarcts

Abstract

Globally, about 15 million people suffer a stroke each year. Of these affected, about 5 million die and another 6 million are left with long-term disability. The cause of this disability is often due to motor, or muscle, impairments that make everyday tasks like walking or opening a door difficult or even impossible. Improvements in motor function after an injury is due in large part to reorganization of spared neural tissue. To better understand the physiological changes relevant to recovery of motor function, experimental stroke models have been developed. Many studies have focused on neural reorganization as it relates to improvements in motor function following stroke but little has been done to explore the neurovascular remodeling as it relates to these alterations in motor function. To better understand the relationship between restoration of cortical blood flow and improvements in motor function, we first developed a mouse model of stroke that results in recoverable forelimb impairments and then construct statistical models to best link stroke severity and functional outcomes.