Functional neuroimaging in stroke recovery and neurorehabilitation: Conceptual issues and perspectives

Abstract

Background: In stroke, functional neuroimaging has become a potent diagnostic tool; opened new insights into the pathophysiology of ischaemic damage in the human brain; and made possible the assessment of functional-structural relationships in postlesion recovery. Summary of review: Here, we give a critical account on the potential and limitation of functional neuroimaging and discuss concepts related to the use of neuroimaging for exploring the neurobiological and neuroanatomical mechanisms of poststroke recovery and neurorehabilitation. We identify and provide evidence for five hypotheses that functional neuroimaging can provide new insights into: 1. adaptation occurs at the level of funct..