06 april 2023 – 00:34
4 million for research into motor recovery after stroke by magnetic brain stimulation
Researchers at UMC Utrecht have received a grant of 4 million euros from the Zorginstituut’s Promising Care programme. The money is intended for research into motor recovery after a stroke by means of brain stimulation. If the result is positive, the treatment will be included in the basic health insurance package.
Every year, approximately 40,000 people in the Netherlands suffer a stroke. Many people continue to complain afterwards. For example, they are less able to move their hand and/or arm, as a result of which they are limited in their daily lives. At the moment there is no proven effective treatment if these complaints still exist days to weeks after a stroke. Neurobiologist Rick Dijkhuizen, neurologist Bart van der Worp, and rehabilitation physician Anne Visser-Meily of UMC Utrecht will work with a large number of Dutch rehabilitation centers to test whether a form of brain stimulation can improve motor recovery. With the subsidy of 4 million euros from the Zorginstituut and ZonMw, they can now take the last step towards this possible treatment of strokes.
Promising results
The subsidy comes from the Promising Care programme, intended for research into a promising treatment. The research is a large-scale follow-up to an earlier study (‘B-STARS’) by UMC Utrecht. In this study, the researchers demonstrated in 60 patients (admitted to De Hoogstraat Rehabilitation) that the functioning of the affected hand and arm improved after treatment with brain stimulation. Patients were able to use their arm better in daily tasks, such as lifting a cup of coffee, getting dressed and doing household activities. In addition, the patients indicated that their quality of life had improved.
Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation
The method of brain stimulation used by the researchers is called ‘TMS’. That stands for transcranial magnetic stimulation. Brain areas are stimulated with a rod-shaped device with a magnetic coil in it. This is a safe and painless method, which you can compare in terms of operation with wireless charging of your phone. If you place this device on a specific spot on the head, the underlying brain area is activated or inhibited. Because this research focuses on improving arm and hand function, part of the motor cortex is stimulated. That area is responsible for controlling the hands and arms.
Neurobiologist Rick Dijkhuizen says: “At the moment we don’t know exactly why this technique works in strokes. We now think that TMS can restore the imbalance between the two hemispheres of the brain. We are currently also conducting research into this mechanism at UMC Utrecht. Beforehand, this method sounded too good to be true, but the results turned out exactly as we had hoped. Our study was still too small to deploy the treatment on a large scale in rehabilitation centers. Hopefully that will change after this research.”
Half of all rehabilitation centers
Hundreds of patients who have had a stroke will soon participate in this follow-up study, entitled B-STARS-2. The study takes place in half of all rehabilitation centers in the Netherlands. The UMC Utrecht coordinates the project in a unique collaboration between the departments of Neuroimaging, Neurology and Rehabilitation Medicine. Together they work towards the same goal: for the first time to develop a treatment for the motor complaints that persist after a stroke. Dijkhuizen: “If that succeeds, it will be a huge breakthrough.”
Source: Utrecht UMC
Editorial Medicalfacts/ Janine Budding
I studied physiotherapy and Health Care business administration. I am also a registered independent client support worker and informal care broker. I have a lot of experience in various positions in healthcare, the social domain and the medical, pharmaceutical industry, nationally and internationally. And have broad medical knowledge of most healthcare specialties. And of the care laws from which the care is regulated and financed. Every year I attend most of the leading medical conferences in Europe and America to keep my knowledge up-to-date and to keep up with the latest developments and innovations. Currently I am doing a Masters in Applied Psychology.
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