Role of neuroimaging in promoting long-term recovery from ischemic stroke

Abstract

Human ischemic stroke is an acute disorder followed by a recovery period which may be of varying duration and mechanism. Imaging has created a means to explore the stroke process in vivo, particularly its underlying pathophysiology and recovery mechanisms. Evidence from multicenter studies has shown that, in the acute phase, arterial recanalization and reperfusion of ischemic brain tissue are the most important determinants of recovery. This is followed by functional and structural changes in the perilesional tissue and in large-scale bihemispheric networks that continue with different dynamics for weeks to months. Proof-of-principle studies have revealed that the behavioral gains induced by..