{"title":"Increased brain activation and functional connectivity after working memory training in patients with ischemic stroke: an fMRI study","authors":"Zhengwei Chen, Xiaoping Yun","doi":"10.3389/fstro.2023.1189573","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.3389/fstro.2023.1189573","url":null,"abstract":"Objective Working memory (WM) impairment is common in patients after a stroke. WM training (WMT) has been suggested as a way to improve cognitive function. However, the neural effects following WMT in stroke patients remain largely unclear. This study aimed to explore the behavioral changes and neural effects of WMT on patients with chronic ischemic stroke. Methods Fifty first-ever ischemic stroke patients with WM deficits in the chronic stage were randomly assigned to either a 4-week WMT group or a control group. Verbal n-back, digital and spatial memory-span, Raven's standard progressive matrices, and the Stroop color-word test, as well as task-state and resting-state fMRI were assessed for all patients at baseline and after the intervention. Results The WMT group showed improvements in WM, fluid intelligence, and attention after training. Additionally, the WMT group exhibited increased activation in the left middle frontal gyrus (MFG) and middle occipital gyrus after training. At baseline, all patients were impaired in their abilities to elevate activation in their WM network as a response to increasing WM load. However, in the WMT group, increased activation was observed in the left cerebellum anterior lobe, right cerebellum posterior lobe (CPL), and MFG in the 2-back vs. 1-back contrast after WMT. We also found increased functional connectivity between the left MFG and the left inferior parietal lobule (IPL), and between the bilateral IPL and the right CPL after training in the WMT group. Conclusion Our study supported that WMT potentially improved WM capacity in ischemic stroke patients during the chronic stage, and that the training effects might transfer to fluid intelligence and attention ability. Our results also demonstrated that repeated WMT potentially increased brain activation and resting-state functional connectivity within the WM network in patients with ischemic stroke. These findings provided robust evidence to support WMT as an effective intervention to enhance cognitive rehabilitation and shed light on the functional neuroplasticity mechanism of WMT on cognitive recovery after ischemic stroke.","PeriodicalId":73108,"journal":{"name":"Frontiers in stroke","volume":"13 1","pages":"0"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2023-09-28","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"135425022","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"Hyperacute assessment of vertigo in suspected stroke","authors":"Stacy Morrow, Nehzat Koohi, Diego Kaski","doi":"10.3389/fstro.2023.1267251","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.3389/fstro.2023.1267251","url":null,"abstract":"The management of patients with acute vertigo is most challenging in the hyperacute phase, both due to the complexity of vertigo as a symptom, the range of possible causes, and the lack of training in neuro-otology for non-specialists. Perhaps of greatest relevance is differentiating between peripheral (usually benign, e.g., inner ear) causes and central (potentially more sinister, e.g., stroke) causes. Several diagnostic algorithms have been introduced to help detect stroke in patients with acute vertigo. However, these algorithms have been largely validated in patients with an acute vestibular syndrome (with nystagmus) for whom symptoms have been present for a minimum of 24 h. The most challenging period within the diagnostic process is the hyperacute phase that determines triage and treatment, but where none of the established algorithms have been validated. In this review, we specifically describe practical implementation considerations for evaluating patients with hyperacute vertigo, including the timing of diagnostic testing within the emergency department pathway, resource availability, and pitfalls associated with current practices.","PeriodicalId":73108,"journal":{"name":"Frontiers in stroke","volume":"21 1","pages":"0"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2023-09-19","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"135063266","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"A review of pursuit and saccadic eye movements and their utility in stroke","authors":"Elizabeth Fracica, David E. Hale, Daniel R. Gold","doi":"10.3389/fstro.2023.1247326","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.3389/fstro.2023.1247326","url":null,"abstract":"The head impulse-nystagmus-test of skew (+ hearing) or HINTS+ exam is a well-established clinical bedside test used in evaluating whether patients with the acute vestibular syndrome have features concerning for a central etiology (e.g., stroke). There are other components of the ocular motor exam that are helpful in the acute setting, including smooth pursuit and saccades. We discuss the anatomy and physiology of the saccade and smooth pursuit pathways from the cortex to the infratentorial region in the context of anterior and posterior circulation strokes in general but with a particular emphasis on distinct vestibular stroke syndromes. For each stroke localization, we review the vascular supply and the expected findings on the HINTS+ exam and correlate this with the expected findings on the smooth pursuit and saccade exams to aid in bedside diagnosis.","PeriodicalId":73108,"journal":{"name":"Frontiers in stroke","volume":"9 1","pages":"0"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2023-09-18","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"135206394","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Forrest Lin, Liisa Tomppo, Brady Gaynor, Kathleen Ryan, John W. Cole, Braxton D. Mitchell, Jukka Putaala, Steven J. Kittner
{"title":"Genomic risk scores and oral contraceptive-associated ischemic stroke risk: a call for collaboration","authors":"Forrest Lin, Liisa Tomppo, Brady Gaynor, Kathleen Ryan, John W. Cole, Braxton D. Mitchell, Jukka Putaala, Steven J. Kittner","doi":"10.3389/fstro.2023.1143372","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.3389/fstro.2023.1143372","url":null,"abstract":"Background Oral contraceptives (OCs) are generally safe but vascular risk factors increase OC-associated ischemic stroke risk. We performed a case-control study to evaluate whether a genomic risk score for ischemic stroke modifies OC-associated ischemic stroke risk. Methods The Genetics of Early-Onset Stroke study includes 332 premenopausal women (136 arterial ischemic stroke cases and 196 controls) with data on estrogen-containing OC use within 30 days before the index event (for cases) or interview (for controls). Using a previously validated genetic risk score (metaGRS) for ischemic stroke based on 19 polygenic risk scores for stroke and stroke-associated risk factors, we stratified our combined case-control sample into tertiles of genomic risk. We evaluated the association between OC use and ischemic stroke within each tertile. We tested if the association between OC use and ischemic stroke depended on the genomic risk of stroke using logistic regression with an OC use × metaGRS interaction term. These analyses were performed with and without adjustment for smoking, hypertension, diabetes, coronary heart disease, and body mass index. Results After adjustment for vascular risk factors, the odds ratio of OC use was 3.2 (1.7–6.3) overall and increased from the lower, middle, and upper tertile of genomic risk from 1.6 (0.5–5.4) to 2.5 (0.08–8.2) to 13.7 (3.8–67.3) respectively, and a p -value for interaction of 0.001. Conclusions Our results suggest that genomic profile may modify the OC-associated ischemic stroke risk. Larger studies are warranted to determine whether a genomic risk score could be clinically useful in reducing OC-associated ischemic stroke.","PeriodicalId":73108,"journal":{"name":"Frontiers in stroke","volume":"45 1","pages":"0"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2023-09-14","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"135551745","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Gonçalo Oliveira, Ana Catarina Fonseca, José M. Ferro, Arlindo L. Oliveira
{"title":"Potential and limitations of computed tomography images as predictors of the outcome of ischemic stroke events: a review","authors":"Gonçalo Oliveira, Ana Catarina Fonseca, José M. Ferro, Arlindo L. Oliveira","doi":"10.3389/fstro.2023.1242901","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.3389/fstro.2023.1242901","url":null,"abstract":"The prediction of functional outcome after a stroke remains a relevant, open problem. In this article, we present a systematic review of approaches that have been proposed to predict the most likely functional outcome of ischemic stroke patients, as measured by the modified Rankin scale. Different methods use a variety of clinical information and features extracted from brain computed tomography (CT) scans, usually obtained at the time of hospital admission. Most studies have concluded that CT data contains useful information, but the use of this information by models does not always translate into statistically significant improvements in the quality of the predictions.","PeriodicalId":73108,"journal":{"name":"Frontiers in stroke","volume":"16 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2023-09-07","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"87658521","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Gebremariam Bekele, Melisew Mekie Yitayal, Yihalem Belete, Yisak Girma, Tesfa Kassa, Y. Assefa, S. Nigatu, G. A. Eriku
{"title":"Caregiver burden and its associated factors among primary caregivers of stroke survivors at Amhara regional state tertiary hospitals: a multicenter study","authors":"Gebremariam Bekele, Melisew Mekie Yitayal, Yihalem Belete, Yisak Girma, Tesfa Kassa, Y. Assefa, S. Nigatu, G. A. Eriku","doi":"10.3389/fstro.2023.1226140","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.3389/fstro.2023.1226140","url":null,"abstract":"Caregivers of stroke survivors play a crucial role in post-stroke functional recovery and the prevention of complications. Although the situation is incredibly stressful and intimidating and the caregiver burden is high, there is little evidence in the local Ethiopian context of the extent of the burden among caregivers of stroke survivors. Therefore, the aim of this study was to assess the level of caregiver burden and its associated factors among primary caregivers of stroke survivors in Ethiopia.A cross-sectional study was conducted in Amhara regional state tertiary hospitals from April to June 2022. A standardized questionnaire was used to record factors associated with caregiver burden, including sociodemographic, clinical, and care situation factors. The Zarit caregiver burden interview (short form) was used to assess the level of caregiver burden. A systematic random sampling method was employed to select the study participants. Multinomial logistic regression was employed to identify the potential factors associated with the level of caregiver burden.The overall prevalence burden among primary caregivers of stroke survivors was 67%. 61.1% had a mild to moderate burden, while 5.9% had a severe burden. In multivariable multinomial logistic regression analysis, sex, household income, duration of care, and duration of caregiving hours per day were factors significantly associated with the level of burden among caregivers of stroke survivors.Being female, having a low household income, caring for more than 3 months, and caring for more than 6 h per day were factors significantly associated with the burdens of the primary caregivers of stroke survivors. It is better: health care providers must recognize and screen for burdens and provide special attention.","PeriodicalId":73108,"journal":{"name":"Frontiers in stroke","volume":"1 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2023-09-07","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"88918730","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"Stroke among Māori in Aotearoa New Zealand and solutions to address persistent inequities","authors":"A. Ranta, B. Jones, M. Harwood","doi":"10.3389/fstro.2023.1248351","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.3389/fstro.2023.1248351","url":null,"abstract":"Māori, the Indigenous people of Aotearoa New Zealand (Aotearoa), experience stroke at a younger age and at a greater rate than New Zealanders of European ethnicity (NZ Europeans). These disparities have persisted for decades and recent evidence suggests that the gap is widening. Māori also experience reduced access to some key stroke-management interventions and consequently worse post-stroke outcomes compared to non-Māori counterparts. Reasons for the ethnic differences in stroke rates and outcomes include differential exposure to stroke risk factors, differential access to early diagnosis and treatment, and unequal treatment. Recent Aotearoa-based research has suggested that the root causes for these ethnic inequities, including unconscious bias and institutional racism, are likely attributable to Aotearoa's colonial past and related inter-generational sequalae. With recent reforms to the national health system there is now a new mandate to actively move toward a more bicultural approach which emphasizes Indigenous rights, values, priorities, and approaches in healthcare. This presents important opportunities to address the well-described inequities using a genuine partnership model. This paper will discuss the latest evidence around stroke related health disparities affecting Māori, describe existing approaches to address inequitable health outcomes, and present additional novel avenues that are currently being explored.","PeriodicalId":73108,"journal":{"name":"Frontiers in stroke","volume":"54 4 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2023-08-24","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"91065549","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
William Bierrum, Salman Haider, M. Balaratnam, Ali Alim-Marvasti, A. Chandratheva, R. Simister, N. Koohi, D. Kaski
{"title":"Hyperacute vestibular syndrome: the role of an acute vertigo service","authors":"William Bierrum, Salman Haider, M. Balaratnam, Ali Alim-Marvasti, A. Chandratheva, R. Simister, N. Koohi, D. Kaski","doi":"10.3389/fstro.2023.1265009","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.3389/fstro.2023.1265009","url":null,"abstract":"Differentiating between peripheral and central causes of acute vertigo remains a clinical obstacle in the acute setting. Despite the availability of several validated diagnostic algorithms adoption and implementation of these tools is low because most emergency physicians are unfamiliar with them. Embedding an acute vertigo service within the emergency setting may help improve the diagnostic workup of patients presenting with this specific symptomatology and may have significant economic benefits, such as the avoidance of hospital admissions, reduction in unnecessary investigations, and decrease in length of hospital stay. In this work, we present four patients who were referred to the acute vertigo service at University College London Hospital (UCLH) for review. We discuss the indications for and limitations of implementing such a service.","PeriodicalId":73108,"journal":{"name":"Frontiers in stroke","volume":"9 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2023-08-24","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"84313156","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Lara C. Oliveira, A. Bonkhoff, A. Ponciano, C. Tuozzo, A. Viswanathan, N. Rost, M. Etherton
{"title":"Determinants of post-stroke cognitive impairment and dementia: association with objective measures and patient-reported outcomes","authors":"Lara C. Oliveira, A. Bonkhoff, A. Ponciano, C. Tuozzo, A. Viswanathan, N. Rost, M. Etherton","doi":"10.3389/fstro.2023.1190477","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.3389/fstro.2023.1190477","url":null,"abstract":"Post-stroke cognitive impairment and dementia (PSCID) is a sequel of ischemic stroke (IS), highly prevalent and linked to poor long-term outcomes. Thus, early recognition of the clinical determinants of PSCID is urgent for identifying high-risk individuals who are susceptible to PSCID. And investigating objective measures of PSCID in relation to patient-reported outcome measures (PROMs) is essential for understanding the impact of IS. Here we identify the clinical determinants associated with PSCID and the relationship of PSCID to patient-reported outcomes in a population with IS.This was a cohort study. We enrolled 138 patients who were admitted to our hospital between February 2017 and February 2020, with IS and no pre-stroke diagnosis of dementia. Clinical variables were acquired on admission. At 3 months, patients underwent a follow-up evaluation including the Telephone Interview for Cognitive Status (TICS), modified Rankin scale (mRS), Barthel Index (BI), and PROMs, using the Patient-Reported Outcomes Measurement information System Global Health (PROMIS GH). MCI/Dementia was defined as a TICS score of <36. Regression analyses were used to identify clinical, functional, and patient-reported outcome determinants of the 3-month TICS score. Analyses were adjusted for age, stroke severity, and prior IS.At follow-up, 113 participants (82%) were found to have MCI/Dementia. Patients with PSCID were more likely to be older, and at 3-months post-stroke they had lower rates of PROMIS GH T Mental (mean 47.69 vs. 52.13) and T Physical (mean 46.75 vs. 50.64). In multivariable linear regression analyses, increasing age (β = −0.07, p = 0.03) and Peripheral Artery Disease (PAD; β = −3.60, p = 0.03) were independently associated with a lower TICS score. Functional and patient-reported outcomes were also associated with worse TICS, including mRS ≥ 2, BI, T Mental, Global Mental, T Physical, and Global Physical in adjusted analyses. Individual components of PROMs were also associated with TICS, including quality of life, mental health, social satisfaction, and physical activities.In patients with IS, increased age and a pre-admission diagnosis of PAD are independently associated with worse objective measures of PSCID. Worse functional and patient-reported outcomes are also strongly linked to PSCID.","PeriodicalId":73108,"journal":{"name":"Frontiers in stroke","volume":"122 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2023-08-23","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"78451832","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Stacy C. Brown, Christine Anne T. Galang, Mālialani Kana'iaupuni, Leah Dowsett, Keolu Fox, Kazuma Nakagawa
{"title":"Advancing stroke genetics in Hawai‘i and the Pacific Islands","authors":"Stacy C. Brown, Christine Anne T. Galang, Mālialani Kana'iaupuni, Leah Dowsett, Keolu Fox, Kazuma Nakagawa","doi":"10.3389/fstro.2023.1114785","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.3389/fstro.2023.1114785","url":null,"abstract":"Stroke, the second leading cause of death worldwide, has partially heritable risk. Genome-wide association studies (GWAS) of stroke continue to identify increasing genetic risk loci. These discoveries point to novel disease mechanisms and causal risk factors, and herald genetics-based precision medicine strategies. In Hawai‘i, people of Indigenous communities who identify as Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islanders present with stroke at younger ages and suffer dramatically higher stroke mortality rates compared with other regional populations. This disparity is compounded by relative ancestral underrepresentation in stroke genetics research and, by extension, exclusion from cutting-edge medical opportunities based on genetic discovery. In this article, we discuss the issues contributing to the scientific biases experienced by Indigenous populations in the Pacific Islands, as well as community-based efforts now underway to address them.","PeriodicalId":73108,"journal":{"name":"Frontiers in stroke","volume":"71 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2023-08-17","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"82185523","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}