[Post-ischemia neurologic recovery]

Abstract

Stroke is one of the most common affliction of patients with neurological symptoms. Rehabilitation of stroke patients is a difficult task. Our knowledge on rehabilitation has recently improved with the emergence of data from new neuroimaging techniques. A prospective, double blind, cross over, placebo, controlled study on 8 patients with pure motor hemiparesia, is conducted to determine the influence of a single dose of fluoxetine on motor performance and cerebral activation of patients recovering from stroke. Each patient undergoes two functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) examinations, one under fluoxetine and one under placebo. A single dose of fluoxetine is enough to modulate cerebral sensori-motor activation and significantly improves motor skills of the affected side. Further studies are required to investigate the effect of chronic administration of fluoxetine on motor function.