University of Alabama researchers see positive signs from cerebral palsy therapy : Birmingham

To add to other recent medical discovery news, researchers at the University of Alabama at Birmingham have discovered more indications that increases of a certain cerebral component can lead to major improvements in motor skills.

UAB announced this week that the researchers saw a significant increase in grey matter volume among a group of children with cerebral palsy who underwent Constraint Induced Movement therapy, which is known to improve the rehabilitation of movement after a stroke and other neurological injuries.

The researchers saw that the grey matter increases in the areas of the brain tied to movement correlated with increases in motor skills.

Chelsey Sterling, a UAB graduate student in medical psychology and first author of the study, said in a news release that the correlation raises the chances of a causal relationship between the two factors.

 

Gitendra Uswatte, a study co-author, said the grey matter increase indicates the brain can support increased motor functions.

"Along with the improvements observed in the dexterity and everyday use of the arm that was the target of rehabilitation," he said, "this is a strong indication that a child with cerebral palsy can have substantial gains in motor function when provided with the correct stimulation."

Edward Taub, developer of the therapy used and a study co-author, added: "This study reinforces the idea (the therapy) also remodels the brain, producing a real, physical change in the brain."

The release said the study examined 10 children between 2 to 7 years old who were administered the therapy for three weeks. The therapy involved restraining a child's less-affected arm in a long-arm cast. Each child was then induced by a caregiver to use the more-affected arm at home.

"The motor improvement ... following CI therapy observed in this study are similar to those previously observed in adults," Taub said. "It is further evidence that the brain has a remarkable capacity to heal itself when presented with an efficacious rehabilitation intervention such as CI therapy."

 Source : BizJournals ( 25th April 2013 )