Identification of Non-motor Brain Areas Involved in Upper Limb Motor Recovery After Stroke

Why: Upper-limb recovery post-stroke is challenging. Rehabilitation, aiming to induce plasticity takes an important place in patients' treatment. The last years, non-invasive brain stimulation of the primary motor cortex has gained the communities' interest, allowing direct modification of neural excitability and thus impacting plasticity. Yet, research outcomes remain inconclusive to date. It's expected this to be related to patient heterogeneity including mild to severe motor deficits, and suboptimal site of stimulation. It might be questioned whether M1 stimulation is preferable over that of higher association areas like the parietal or premotor cortex. What: The aim of the study is to identify alternative brain regions to stimulate, related to improved motor quality after a severe initial deficit. How: by following motor recovery over time, by co-recording movement kinematics and brain activity. Because: Stimulation of the novel identified regions may improve motor recovery after stroke.