Neurorehab Resources and Insights: Discoveries that enhance recovery in the clinic and beyond

Improve Your Thinking and Memory Through Cognitive Rehabilitation with Dr. Nancy Chiaravalloti

Rehabilitation can take many forms to promote health and address the myriad of symptoms people may experience after a brain injury or the onset of a neurological condition. In this episode, we discuss how cognitive rehabilitation can improve memory and thinking in people with stroke, traumatic brain injury, multiple sclerosis, and other conditions.  Our hosts Dr. Jyutika Mehta and Dr. Marie McNeely are pleased to welcome Dr. Nancy Chiaravalloti to talk about her research developing and evaluating cognitive rehabilitation protocols for different clinical populations. Beyond discussing her research, Nancy shares tips for preventing memory decline over time and evidence that supports the benefits of cognitive rehabilitation for people both with and without neurological conditions.  Nancy is Director of the Center for Neuropsychology and Neuroscience Research and the Center for Traumatic Brain Injury Research at Kessler Foundation and Co-director of the Center for Multiple Sclerosis Research. She is also a Research Professor of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation at Rutgers New Jersey Medical School. This podcast is sponsored by the Mike A. Myers Stroke Center at Texas Woman’s University Dallas. Visit https://twu.edu/stroke-center-dallas/ [https://twu.edu/stroke-center-dallas/] to learn more.

Independent Living and Participation After Brain Injury with Dr. Shannon Juengst and Maribel Trevizo

After surviving a brain injury, many individuals are eager to get back to taking care of themselves and doing the activities they enjoy. However, behavioral, cognitive, and emotional changes after brain injury may impact a person’s independence, participation, and quality of life. Hosts Dr. Jyutika Mehta and Dr. Marie McNeely welcome two guests in this episode to discuss relevant research updates and lived experience perspectives.  Our first guest, Dr. Shannon Juengst, is a Clinical Investigator and Senior Scientist in the Brain Health and Rehabilitation Research Center at TIRR Memorial Hermann and an Adjunct Associate Professor of Physical Medicine & Rehabilitation at UTHealth Houston and UT Southwestern Medical Center. She provides details on her research on long-term self-monitoring and behavioral interventions to manage behavioral, cognitive, and emotional problems in people with brain injury, as well as interventions for care partners, new innovations, and more. The second guest is Maribel Trevizo, the mother of one of our Mike A. Myers Stroke Center patients. Maribel shares her experiences with your son Rudy’s brain injury, including tips for families affected by brain injury, and recommendations for focus areas for clinicians and researchers.  This podcast is sponsored by the Mike A. Myers Stroke Center at Texas Woman’s University Dallas. Visit https://twu.edu/stroke-center-dallas/ [https://twu.edu/stroke-center-dallas/] to learn more.

Increasing Physical Activity and Exercise in Your Daily Life with Dean Catrine Tudor-Locke

Exercising and being physically active can provide a wide range of benefits, but it can be challenging to return to an active life or increase your physical activity after a stroke or diagnosis with another neurological condition. This episode includes information on how exercise can help with neurorecovery, research updates on physical activity assessment, tips that can help clinicians, patients, or caregivers set realistic goals, details about new innovations for quantifying and tracking movement, and more. Dean Catrine Tudor-Locke joined podcast hosts, Dr. Jyutika Mehta and Dr. Marie McNeely, to share findings from her own research as well as other exciting new advances that are relevant for neurorehabilitation. Dean Catrine is Dean of the College of Health Sciences at Texas Woman’s University and a renowned expert on physical activity assessment and promotion. This podcast is sponsored by the Mike A. Myers Stroke Center at Texas Woman’s University Dallas. Visit https://twu.edu/stroke-center-dallas/ to learn more.

Vagus Nerve Stimulation for Neurorehabilitation with Dr. Teresa Jacobson Kimberley and Dr. Steve Wolf

Vagus nerve stimulation (VNS) is an FDA-approved, targeted therapy that, when paired with physical therapy, can help stroke survivors improve function in their affected arm and hand. In this episode, hosts Dr. Jyutika Mehta and Dr. Marie McNeely speak with Dr. Teresa Jacobson Kimberley and Dr. Steve Wolf about their research using vagus nerve stimulation to enhance motor recovery after stroke, including their latest data on long-term outcomes. We cover how vagus nerve stimulation works, who could benefit, and how this approach could potentially help people with other neurological diagnoses in the future. Dr. Kimberley is Professor in the Department of Physical Therapy and Director of the Brain Recovery Lab at the MGH Institute of Health Professions. She is also a research associate at Harvard Medical School, Spaulding Rehabilitation Hospital, Massachusetts General Hospital, and the Center for Neurotechnology and Neurorecovery. Dr. Wolf is Professor Emeritus in the Department of Rehabilitation Medicine at Emory University School of Medicine. This podcast is sponsored by the Mike A. Myers Stroke Center at Texas Woman’s University Dallas. Visit https://twu.edu/stroke-center-dallas/ [https://twu.edu/stroke-center-dallas/] to learn more.

Finding Your Voice Again Through Speech Therapy with Dr. Swathi Kiran and Patrick Prock

Stroke and other neurological conditions can have profound impacts on a person's ability to communicate, and speech therapy delivers evidence-based treatment to help people regain their ability to connect with friends, family, and their community. In this episode, we discuss who could benefit from speech therapy, the process of language recovery after stroke, areas of ongoing research, exciting new innovations in the field, and how speech therapy can shape a person's path to recovery after stroke. Dr. Jyutika Mehta and Dr. Marie McNeely welcomed guests, Dr. Swathi Kiran and Patrick Prock to share their experiences and expertise. Dr. Kiran is a certified speech language pathologist and the James and Cecilia Tse Ying Professor in Neurorehabilitation at Boston University, where she is also Founding Director of the Center for Brain Recovery. In addition, she is Co-founder of Constant Therapy. Mr. Prock is a stroke survivor and advocate who received treatment at Texas Woman's University Dallas. This podcast is sponsored by the Mike A. Myers Stroke Center at Texas Woman’s University Dallas. Visit https://twu.edu/stroke-center-dallas/ [https://twu.edu/stroke-center-dallas/] to learn more.