Wielding electrical currents, scientists have helped restore some lost movements in rats that had experienced strokes. The stimulation artificially bolstered the low-frequency oscillations in neurons in the primary motor cortex that are weakened in some stroke patients but are key in the coordination of certain movements, including reaching for and manipulating objects. The rats that were given the little zaps showed an improved ability to grab food pellets. The researchers say the findings could perhaps pave the way for brain implants that could improve motion control in stroke patients.
Learn more in Nature Medicine: Low-frequency cortical activity is a neuromodulatory target that tracks recovery after stroke