Stroke is a leading cause of disability worldwide. Despite considerable improvements in acute stroke treatment, most patients are left with disabilities that impact their quality of life and functional independence. Therefore, strategies and interventions to optimize post-stroke outcomes are urgently needed. Stroke rehabilitation research has investigated novel approaches such as vagus nerve stimulation and neurostimulation techniques.

In this episode, Seth Hays, PhD, The University of Texas at Dallas, Dallas, TX, Jesse Dawson, MD, University of Glasgow, Glasgow, UK, and Christian Gerloff, MD, University Medical Center Hamburg-Eppendorf, Hamburg, Germany, review recent breakthroughs in stroke recovery and rehabilitation. Our panel of stroke experts will cover the recent FDA approval of the Vivistim paired vagus nerve stimulation system for treatment of upper limb impairments after ischemic stroke, upcoming neurostimulation protocols, and assessment tools used to evaluate recovery.