New Hope For Stroke Victims

A study offers new hope for stroke victims who have suffered weakened or paralyzed limbs.

The study, published in the journal Stroke, suggests the human brain can rewire itself to help a patient recover use of a stroke-impaired limb by restraining the stronger limb.

Jim Faust of Birmingham, Alabama, participated in the study. He began the therapy and within a few days he was able to use his previously paralyzed arm.
Faust spoke with anchor Bryant Gumbel on The CBS News Early Show, explaining what his arm had been like before the therapy.

“It was hanging off my shoulder just like it was a rope. I had no use of it whatsoever,” said Faust.

Now, Faust says, he can do whatever he wants to do with his arm. “I can brush my teeth, shave and if I had any hair, I could comb it. Drive. I use a weed eater, anything I want to do.”

Faust explained his exercise regimen. “First of all, it starts on a Monday through Friday from 9 o’clock till 4 o’clock for two weeks. And the therapy lasts ten days at the facility.”

“But after you get out of the facility and go home, you still keep doing some of the exercises to keep the momentum that you've built up going in your favor,” Faust said.

At the facility, Faust said, "We picked up clips and pencils, roll[ed] the dice, played Chinese checkers and lifted weights. I lifted as much as 20 pounds with this bad arm."

Appearing with Faust on The Early Show was Dr. Gregory del Zoppo, a spokesman for the American Stroke Association.

Dr. del Zoppo said after strokes, patients essentially learn to ignore their damaged limb and the part of their brains controlling that limb turns off.

“Usually, when the weak limb is not used, the other limb takes over— at least the patients will try to compensate for the weak limb using their normal limb.”

So the brain is reorganizing itself?

"In one sense this study shows that if the weak limb is used with some intensity, then the brain can, in fact, develop an area of control, which it didn't have before, either using excisioning circuitry or perhaps using increases in blood flow," said Dr. del Zoppo.

He said it’s unclear as to whether there’s a limit as to how long one could have a paralyzed limb and still expect the new therapy to be effective.

But, “from the study itself, patients who had strokes six months to 17 years before were treated in this way, and the majority of the patients, at least according to the study, had an improvement in their function,” said del Zoppo.

“In fact, after this, parts of the brain doubled in size.”

As for the implications these findings could have on other brain injuries, Dr. del Zoppo said the possibility exists that other injuries, including multiple sclerosis, may have some improvement in function.

“It has been well known from animal studies and other patient studies that the brain can take over functions that it does not have before following an injury. This has been known for a number of years. With this particular study, it has focused on a specific group of patients who had mostly weakness of one arm.”

As for the newly reinvigorated James Faust, he said he hopes that his example will cause other stroke survivors to feel that it’s not all over for them, and that there is hope they might get better.