How sleep may help people regain movement after a stroke
A Neurophysiological Approach to Post-Stroke Motor Recovery
['FUNDING_R01'] · CEDARS-SINAI MEDICAL CENTER · NIH-11330512
Researchers are looking at brain activity during sleep to help people who are trying to recover movement after a stroke.
Quick facts
| Phase | ['FUNDING_R01'] |
|---|---|
| Study type | Nih_funding |
| Sex | All |
| Sponsor | CEDARS-SINAI MEDICAL CENTER (nih funded) |
| Locations | 1 site (LOS ANGELES, UNITED STATES) |
| Trial ID | NIH-11330512 on ClinicalTrials.gov |
What this research studies
The team will record brain activity in motor-related regions, including the cortex and cerebellum, during non-REM sleep to see how sleep patterns relate to gains in movement. They will build on animal findings that link sleep spindles to motor learning and examine whether similar sleep processes replay awake movement activity after stroke. By connecting sleep-related brain signals to changes in motor ability, they aim to identify sleep-based targets or timing that could boost rehabilitation.
Who could benefit from this research
Good fit: Adults who have had a stroke and still experience weakness or difficulty with movement (for example in an arm or leg) would be the most likely candidates.
Not a fit: People without stroke-related motor problems, or whose injuries are so severe that no motor recovery is possible, are unlikely to gain direct benefit from this work.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this work could lead to sleep-focused therapies or better timing of rehab to improve motor recovery after stroke.
How similar studies have performed: Animal studies have linked non-REM sleep spindles to motor learning, but applying these findings to stroke recovery in people is still novel and early.
Where this research is happening
LOS ANGELES, UNITED STATES
- CEDARS-SINAI MEDICAL CENTER — LOS ANGELES, UNITED STATES (ACTIVE)
Researchers
- Principal investigator: GULATI, TANUJ — CEDARS-SINAI MEDICAL CENTER
- Study coordinator: GULATI, TANUJ
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.
Conditions: Acquired brain injury