RT Journal Article
SR Electronic
T1 Rehabilitation promotes the recovery of distinct functional and structural features of healthy neuronal networks after stoke
JF bioRxiv
FD Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory
SP 141697
DO 10.1101/141697
A1 Anna Letizia Allegra Mascaro
A1 Emilia Conti
A1 Stefano Lai
A1 Antonino Paolo Di Giovanna
A1 Cristina Spalletti
A1 Claudia Alia
A1 Eros Quarta
A1 Alessandro Panarese
A1 Leonardo Sacconi
A1 Silvestro Micera
A1 Matteo Caleo
A1 Francesco Saverio Pavone
YR 2017
UL http://biorxiv.org/content/early/2017/08/02/141697.abstract
AB Rehabilitation is the most effective treatment for promoting the recovery of motor deficits after stroke. Despite its importance, the processes associated with rehabilitative intervention are poorly understood. One of the most challenging experimental goals is to unambiguously link specific circuit changes induced by rehabilitation in recovering animals to improved behavior. Here, we investigate which facets of cortical remodeling are induced by rehabilitative therapy after stroke by combining optical imaging and manipulation tools. We demonstrate the progressive restoration of cortical motor maps and of cortical activity in parallel with the reinforcement of inter-hemispheric connectivity after rehabilitation. Furthermore, we reveal that the increase in vascular density goes along with the stabilization of peri-infarct neural circuitry at synaptic level. The present work provides the first evidences that rehabilitation is sufficient to promote the combined recovery of distinct structural and functional features distinctive of healthy neuronal networks. We believe that understanding the plastic changes induced by rehabilitation will lead to more effective interventions to improve recovery after stroke.