Rehabilitation research findings in multiple sclerosis and stroke to be presented at AAN meeting

Kessler Foundation scientists and their colleagues will share finding in rehabilitation research in multiple sclerosis and stroke

Kessler Foundation scientists and their colleagues will discuss their progress in rehabilitation research at the upcoming 65th Annual American Academy of Neurology Conference at the San Diego Convention Center in San Diego, CA, March 16 - 23.

A.M. Barrett, MD, director of Stroke Rehabilitation at Kessler Foundation will present on Pharmacologic Enhancement of Stroke Rehabilitation on Friday March 22, 2013 as part of a Specialty in Focus session on Neurorehabilitation Enhancement Techniques. This session addresses the contribution of brain stimulation, robotics, and circuitry-enhancing pharmacological agents to the understanding of basic brain mechanisms underlying motor recovery, language, attention, executive functioning, and social cognition. Dr. Barrett is chief of Neurorehabilitation Program Innovation at Kessler Institute for Rehabilitation and professor of physical medicine & rehabilitation at UMDNJ-New Jersey Medical School.

The four abstracts being presented address cognitive complications of multiple sclerosis and stroke:

Wed. March 20, 2012 7:30 am PST

[P04.034] Aerobic exercise increases hippocampal volume and improves memory in persons with multiple sclerosis: pilot findings from a randomized controlled trial

Victoria Leavitt 1,2, Amanda Cohen 1, Amanda Farag 2, Christopher Cirnigliaro 3 , Nancy Chiaravalloti 1,2, James F. Sumowski 1,2, John DeLuca 1,2 1 Kessler Foundation; 2 UMDNJ; 3 James Peters VA Medical Center

Wed. March 20, 2012 7:30 am PST

[P04.109] Evidence for brain reserve and cognitive reserve in multiple sclerosis: lifetime maximal brain growth and early life cognitive leisure independently but differentially protect against disease-related cognitive decline (NIH grant R00HD060765).

James Sumowski 1,2, Maria Rocca 3, Victoria Leavitt 1,2, Gianna Carla Riccitelli 3, Giancarlo Comi 3, John DeLuca 1,2, Massimo Filippi 3 1 Kessler Foundation, 2 UMDNJ, 3 Milan, Italy

Mon., March 18, 2013 2:00 pm PST

[P01.005] A game of networks: examining effective connectivity during task-switching

National MS Society (# PP1364 to GW); NIDRR ARRT grant (H113P090009)

Abhijit Das, Glenn Wylie

Kessler Foundation, UMDNJ

Tues., March 19, 2013 2:00 pm PST

[P03.261] Classifying patients with spatial neglect by "aiming" versus "where" spatial bias may explain differential response to bromocriptine treatment

Amit Chaudhari 1, Priyanka Shah 2, Kelly Goedert 3, Uri Adler 1,4, A.M. Barrett 1,2,4 1 UMDNJ, 2 Kessler Foundation; 3 Seton Hall University, 4 Kessler Institute for Rehabilitation