Promoting neurological recovery in the post-acute stroke phase: benefits and challenges

Profound cellular and biochemical remodeling processes occur in the brain following an ischemic stroke, raising the possibility that we may be able to promote neurological recovery by harnessing the brain's endogenous recovery processes with pharmacological or cell-based therapies. There is a compelling body of evidence that cerebral plasticity and neurological recovery can be stimulated in the post-acute ischemic brain in this manner.

This overview of neurorestorative therapies highlights the main challenges in their development, and summarizes the implications of these findings to stroke patients. Key Message: Neurorestorative therapies are a highly promising avenue of treatment for the restitution of neuronal networks damaged by stroke.

The key supporting data have so far been obtained using in vivo models in animals, underscoring the need to validate these findings in humans. For human studies, several potentially confounding variables should be kept in mind, including age, and the presence of risk factors and comorbidities (such as hyperlipidemia and diabetes). Stroke patients vary considerably in age and genetic background, as well as in the etiology, localization and size of brain infarcts. The choice of patient population is a critical factor in the success of clinical trials, as patient heterogeneity could mask any potential therapeutic benefits.