Neurorehab Resources and Insights: Discoveries that enhance recovery in the clinic and beyond

The brain has an amazing ability to adapt in response to changes and challenges, including damage to the nervous system. When someone has a stroke or another neurological condition, neuroplasticity can help shape repair and recovery. This is the first episode of a two-episode interview between hosts Dr. Jyutika Mehta and Dr. Marie McNeely and our guests Dr. John Krakauer and Dr. Randolph (Randy) Nudo. We cover what neuroplasticity is, lessons from animal models about brain reorganization after stroke, differences between studies in humans versus animal models, what we know about the timing of neuroplasticity after stroke, effective "ingredients" for motor recovery, and how activating multimodal pathways during neurorehabilitation may improve outcomes. Dr. Krakauer is the Director of the Centre for Restorative Neurotechnology at the Champalimaud Foundation in Portugal, where he leads cutting-edge research. He also serves as the John C. Malone Professor and Professor of Neurology, Neuroscience, and Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation at Johns Hopkins University, where he directs the Brain, Learning, Animation, and Movement Lab (BLAM Lab), and as an External Professor at the Santa Fe Institute. Dr. Nudo is a University Distinguished Professor Emeritus, the Marion Merrell Dow Distinguished Professor in Aging Emeritus in the Department of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation at the University of Kansas Medical Center, and Editor-in-Chief of Neurorehabilitation and Neural Repair. This podcast is sponsored by the Mike A. Myers Stroke Center at Texas Woman’s University Dallas. Visit https://twu.edu/stroke-center- dallas/ to learn more.

Physical therapy plays an important role in neurorehabilitation and motor recovery after conditions like stroke or spinal cord injury. Movement-based interventions, potentially combined with neuromodulation approaches, such as mechanical or electrical stimulation, may enhance motor recovery and improve outcomes. In this episode, hosts Dr. Jyutika Mehta and Dr. Marie McNeely are joined by Dr. Evan Sandler , a Research Scientist in the Spinal Cord Injury Research Program at Shepherd Center. Evan discusses how mechanical or electrical stimulation can impact the recovery process, findings from his research using transcutaneous spinal stimulation to facilitate motor recovery in individuals with spinal cord injury, and how he and his team bring new research findings into the clinic to improve patient care. He also shares key challenges with using different stimulation modalities to enhance motor recovery and the importance of clinical biomarkers for informing our approach to treatment. This podcast is sponsored by the Mike A. Myers Stroke Center at Texas Woman’s University Dallas. Visit https://twu.edu/stroke-center- dallas/ to learn more.

Diet and nutrition are foundational for health, but maintaining a healthy diet can be difficult, particularly after a brain injury or diagnosis with a neurological condition. This episode focuses on the value of incorporating nutritional counseling into comprehensive neurorehabilitation care, tips on how to build skills and habits to support healthy eating, and how to effectively translate evidence-based dietary recommendations into actual lasting behavior changes. In the first part of this episode, hosts Dr. Jyutika Mehta and Dr. Marie McNeely speak with Dr. Kathleen Davis about the benefits of a healthy diet for neurorecovery, the role of registered dietitian nutritionists in neurorehabilitation, and current barriers in the field. Kathleen is an Associate Professor of Nutrition and Food Sciences at Texas Woman's University in Denton and a registered dietitian nutritionist. In the latter portion of this episode, Regina Mosby discusses her personal experiences surrounding diet, health, and recovery. Regina received comprehensive care, including nutritional counseling, at the Mike A. Myers Stroke Center after experiencing a stroke a few years ago. She shares insights on how she continues to successfully integrate strategies for healthy eating into her daily life. This podcast is sponsored by the Mike A. Myers Stroke Center at Texas Woman’s University Dallas. Visit https://twu.edu/stroke-center- dallas/ to learn more.

Rehabilitation can take many forms to promote health and address the myriad of symptoms people may experience after a brain injury or the onset of a neurological condition. In this episode, we discuss how cognitive rehabilitation can improve memory and thinking in people with stroke, traumatic brain injury, multiple sclerosis, and other conditions. Our hosts Dr. Jyutika Mehta and Dr. Marie McNeely are pleased to welcome Dr. Nancy Chiaravalloti to talk about her research developing and evaluating cognitive rehabilitation protocols for different clinical populations. Beyond discussing her research, Nancy shares tips for preventing memory decline over time and evidence that supports the benefits of cognitive rehabilitation for people both with and without neurological conditions. Nancy is Director of the Center for Neuropsychology and Neuroscience Research and the Center for Traumatic Brain Injury Research at Kessler Foundation and Co-director of the Center for Multiple Sclerosis Research. She is also a Research Professor of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation at Rutgers New Jersey Medical School. This podcast is sponsored by the Mike A. Myers Stroke Center at Texas Woman’s University Dallas. Visit https://twu.edu/stroke-center- dallas/ to learn more.

After surviving a brain injury, many individuals are eager to get back to taking care of themselves and doing the activities they enjoy. However, behavioral, cognitive, and emotional changes after brain injury may impact a person’s independence, participation, and quality of life. Hosts Dr. Jyutika Mehta and Dr. Marie McNeely welcome two guests in this episode to discuss relevant research updates and lived experience perspectives. Our first guest, Dr. Shannon Juengst, is a Clinical Investigator and Senior Scientist in the Brain Health and Rehabilitation Research Center at TIRR Memorial Hermann and an Adjunct Associate Professor of Physical Medicine & Rehabilitation at UTHealth Houston and UT Southwestern Medical Center. She provides details on her research on long-term self-monitoring and behavioral interventions to manage behavioral, cognitive, and emotional problems in people with brain injury, as well as interventions for care partners, new innovations, and more. The second guest is Maribel Trevizo, the mother of one of our Mike A. Myers Stroke Center patients. Maribel shares her experiences with your son Rudy’s brain injury, including tips for families affected by brain injury, and recommendations for focus areas for clinicians and researchers. This podcast is sponsored by the Mike A. Myers Stroke Center at Texas Woman’s University Dallas. Visit https://twu.edu/stroke- center-dallas/ to learn more.

Exercising and being physically active can provide a wide range of benefits, but it can be challenging to return to an active life or increase your physical activity after a stroke or diagnosis with another neurological condition. This episode includes information on how exercise can help with neurorecovery, research updates on physical activity assessment, tips that can help clinicians, patients, or caregivers set realistic goals, details about new innovations for quantifying and tracking movement, and more. Dean Catrine Tudor-Locke joined podcast hosts, Dr. Jyutika Mehta and Dr. Marie McNeely, to share findings from her own research as well as other exciting new advances that are relevant for neurorehabilitation. Dean Catrine is Dean of the College of Health Sciences at Texas Woman’s University and a renowned expert on physical activity assessment and promotion. This podcast is sponsored by the Mike A. Myers Stroke Center at Texas Woman’s University Dallas. Visit https://twu.edu/stroke-center-dallas/ to learn more.

Vagus nerve stimulation (VNS) is an FDA-approved, targeted therapy that, when paired with physical therapy, can help stroke survivors improve function in their affected arm and hand. In this episode, hosts Dr. Jyutika Mehta and Dr. Marie McNeely speak with Dr. Teresa Jacobson Kimberley and Dr. Steve Wolf about their research using vagus nerve stimulation to enhance motor recovery after stroke, including their latest data on long-term outcomes. We cover how vagus nerve stimulation works, who could benefit, and how this approach could potentially help people with other neurological diagnoses in the future. Dr. Kimberley is Professor in the Department of Physical Therapy and Director of the Brain Recovery Lab at the MGH Institute of Health Professions. She is also a research associate at Harvard Medical School, Spaulding Rehabilitation Hospital, Massachusetts General Hospital, and the Center for Neurotechnology and Neurorecovery. Dr. Wolf is Professor Emeritus in the Department of Rehabilitation Medicine at Emory University School of Medicine. This podcast is sponsored by the Mike A. Myers Stroke Center at Texas Woman’s University Dallas. Visit https://twu.edu/stroke-center-dallas/ to learn more.

Stroke and other neurological conditions can have profound impacts on a person's ability to communicate, and speech therapy delivers evidence-based treatment to help people regain their ability to connect with friends, family, and their community. In this episode, we discuss who could benefit from speech therapy, the process of language recovery after stroke, areas of ongoing research, exciting new innovations in the field, and how speech therapy can shape a person's path to recovery after stroke. Dr. Jyutika Mehta and Dr. Marie McNeely welcomed guests, Dr. Swathi Kiran and Patrick Prock to share their experiences and expertise. Dr. Kiran is a certified speech language pathologist and the James and Cecilia Tse Ying Professor in Neurorehabilitation at Boston University, where she is also Founding Director of the Center for Brain Recovery. In addition, she is Co-founder of Constant Therapy. Mr. Prock is a stroke survivor and advocate who received treatment at Texas Woman's University Dallas. This podcast is sponsored by the Mike A. Myers Stroke Center at Texas Woman’s University Dallas. Visit https://twu.edu/stroke-center-dallas/ to learn more.

A brain injury or a diagnosis with a neurological condition can happen at any point in a person’s life, and neurorehabilitation can play an important role in improving function and quality of life. This episode examines what we know about neurorecovery in pediatric and adult populations, as well as exciting new frontiers in neurorehabilitation research focused on enhancing neurorecovery. Hosts, Dr. Jyutika Mehta and Dr. Marie McNeely, speak with guests, Dr. Jason Carmel and Dr. Steven Zeiler, in an engaging conversation on this important topic. Dr. Jason Carmel is a pediatric neurologist, Chief of the Division of Child Neurology, and Executive Director of the Weinberg Family Cerebral Palsy Center at NewYork-Presbyterian and the Columbia University Irving Medical Center, and Dr. Steven Zeiler is an adult neurologist and Associate Professor of Medicine at The Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine. This podcast is sponsored by the Mike A. Myers Stroke Center at Texas Woman’s University Dallas. Visit https://twu.edu/stroke-center-dallas/ to learn more.

In this introductory episode, hosts Dr. Jyutika Mehta and Dr. Marie McNeely explain why this podcast was created, provide details about the field of neurorehabilitation, and share what listeners can expect. Dr. Jyutika Mehta is a speech-language pathologist, researcher, and Director of the Mike A. Myers Stroke Center at Texas Woman’s University Dallas. Dr. Marie McNeely is a neuroscientist and Co-founder of Unfold Productions, a digital agency specializing in data-driven media strategy services and content creation in science, medicine, education, and innovation. This podcast is sponsored by the Mike A. Myers Stroke Center at Texas Woman’s University Dallas. Visit https://twu.edu/stroke-center-dallas/ to learn more.