Biomarkers to predict who benefits from high‑intensity aerobic training after chronic stroke
What makes a responder, a responder? Biomarkers to help identify responders and resistors to high-intensity interval training for lower extremity chronic stroke
This project looks at blood and brain signals to figure out who with long‑term leg weakness after stroke will get better with high‑intensity aerobic training.
Quick facts
| Grant type | NIH-funded research |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Veterans Health Administration NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Decatur, UNITED STATES) |
| Project ID | NIH-11306586 on NIH RePORTER |
What this research studies
From a patient's point of view, researchers will enroll adults who have persistent walking problems after a subcortical stroke and put them through personalized high‑intensity aerobic training for the legs. They will measure blood lactate and related brain chemistry (including signals tied to GABA and glutamate) before and after exercise to see which changes link to improvements in walking. Those measurements will be combined into a predictive model intended to tell clinicians who is likely to respond to this type of exercise. If successful, the team plans to use the model to guide individualized rehabilitation targets and exercise prescriptions.
Who could benefit from this research
Good fit: Ideal candidates are adults (age 21+) with chronic subcortical stroke who have ongoing lower‑extremity weakness or walking difficulty and who can safely perform high‑intensity aerobic exercise.
Not a fit: People with very recent or acute stroke, those unable to perform high‑intensity exercise due to medical limits, or those with non‑subcortical stroke presentations may not benefit from this specific approach.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this work could help clinicians pick the right aerobic training for each stroke survivor so more people regain walking ability.
How similar studies have performed: Previous research shows aerobic exercise can improve post‑stroke function and that lactate can affect brain chemistry, but using lactate and neurotransmitter measures to predict individual response is a novel and emerging approach.
Where this research is happening
Decatur, UNITED STATES
- Veterans Health Administration — Decatur, United States (Active)
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Krishnamurthy, Lisa C. — Veterans Health Administration
- Study coordinator: Krishnamurthy, Lisa C.
About this research
- This is an active NIH-funded research project — typically early-stage science, not a clinical trial accepting patient enrollment.
- Some NIH-funded labs run parallel clinical studies or seek volunteers for related work. To check, contact the principal investigator or institution listed above.
- For full project details, budget, and progress reports, visit the official NIH RePORTER page below.