Invasive neurostimulation in stroke rehabilitation

The last decade has seen a growing interest in adjuvant treatments that synergistically influence mechanisms underlying rehabilitation of paretic upper limb in stroke. One such approach is invasive neurostimulation of spared cortices at the periphery of a lesion. Studies in animals have shown that during training of paretic limb, adjuvant stimulation targeting the peri-infarct circuitry enhances mechanisms of its reorganization, generating functional advantage. Success of early animal studies and clinical reports, however, failed to translate to a phase III clinical trial. As lesions in humans are diffuse, unlike many animal models, peri-infarct circuitry may not be a feasible, or consistent target across most. Instead, alternate mechanisms, such as changing transcallosal inhibition between hemispheres, or reorganization of other viable regions in motor control, may hold greater potential. Here, we review comprehensive mechanisms of clinical recovery and factors that govern which mechanism(s) become operative when. We suggest novel approaches that take into account a patient's initial clinical-functional state, and findings from neuroimaging and neurophysiology to guide to their most suitable mechanism for ideal targeting. Further, we suggest new localization schemes, and bypass strategies that indirectly target peri-lesional circuitry, and methods that serve to counter technical and theoretical challenge in identifying and stimulating such targets at the periphery of infarcts in humans. Last, we describe how stimulation may modulate mechanisms differentially across varying phases of recovery- a temporal effect that may explain missed advantage in clinical trials and help plan for the next stage. With information presented here, future trials would effectively be able to target patient's specific mechanism(s) with invasive (or noninvasive) neurostimulation for the greatest, most consistent benefit.