Grant: CIHR Fellowship

Stroke is a leading cause of long-term disability in Canada that often causes movement impairments on one side of the body. In cases of severe movement impairments, there is often extensive damage to the corticospinal tract in the brain opposite to the impaired side of the body. This tract is the main output from the brain and controls voluntary movement. When the corticospinal tract is damaged other motor pathways compensate by upregulating their function in an attempt to maintain information flow from the brain to the body. The cortico-reticulospinal tract is one of these alternate pathway that may support recovery in individuals with severe motor impairment. The cortico-reticulospinal tract originates in the same side of the brain as the impaired limb and is therefore typically undamaged in cases of stroke. To date, there is limited research that has successfully studied the cortico-reticulospinal tract due to technological limitations. However, recent advancements have made it possible to measure this pathway. My research aims to comprehensively investigate the role of the cortico-reticulospinal tract in chronic stroke survivors with severe movement impairments. This research will use a combination of state-of-the-art brain stimulation and brain imaging techniques to gain novel insight into the relationship between this pathway and the control of voluntary movement in stroke survivors. My research will provide valuable insight into the role of the cortico-reticulospinal tract. In turn this information can be used in clinical practice to implement rehabilitation strategies that lead to better recovery and improved quality of life in individuals with severe strokes.