Improving cognitive recovery after stroke using cooling and vibration therapies
Official title: Therapeutic interventions for post-stroke rehabilitation
Funded at Miami VA Health Care System · NIH-10977033 · Data updated 2026-11-12
This study is looking at how using cool temperatures and gentle body vibrations together might help improve thinking and memory in people who have had a stroke, and it's being tested on older rats to see if it can lead to better treatments for stroke recovery in humans.
Quick facts
| Grant type | NIH-funded research |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Miami VA Health Care System NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Miami, United States) |
| Project start | November 1, 2021 |
| Project end | October 31, 2025 |
| Funding year | 2025 |
| NIH project number | 5I01RX003506-04 |
| Project ID | NIH-10977033 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Ideal candidates for this research are older adults who have experienced a stroke and are facing cognitive challenges as a result.
✕Less likely to help
Patients who have not had a stroke or those with severe comorbid conditions that prevent participation in rehabilitation therapies may not benefit from this research.
What this research studies
This research investigates the effectiveness of combining therapeutic hypothermia and whole body vibration to enhance cognitive recovery in stroke-affected individuals. Using aged rat models, the study aims to understand how these therapies can mitigate cognitive decline, which affects many stroke survivors. The approach involves assessing behavioral changes in response to these interventions, providing insights into potential neuroprotective strategies. The ultimate goal is to translate these findings into clinical applications that could benefit human patients recovering from strokes.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this research could lead to new therapies that significantly improve cognitive recovery for stroke survivors.
How similar studies have gone: Previous research has shown promising results using similar therapeutic approaches in animal models, indicating potential for success in human applications.
Where this research is happening
-
Miami VA Health Care System
Miami, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Raval, Ami P — Miami VA Health Care System
- Study coordinator: Raval, Ami P
Related research
Other NIH-funded projects on the same topics.
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Understanding how vagus nerve stimulation helps stroke recovery to guide better treatments
This NIH grant uses computer models to figure out how brief, task-timed vagus nerve stimulation affects the brain after stroke and helps movement recovery.
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Calcium imaging guides deep brain stimulation to boost chronic stroke recovery in a rat model
A research team is testing how customizing deep brain stimulation parameters in rats with stroke can improve long-term motor recovery, with the goal of guiding future patient treatments.
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Targeting synapse turnover to boost stroke recovery
Aims to find ways to shape brain rewiring after stroke by guiding how synapses grow, with the goal of helping adults recover upper-limb function.
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Wearable EMG-FES System to Help Stroke Recovery and Find Biological Markers
A wearable sleeve that uses your own muscle signals to help arm movement after stroke, while researchers look for biological clues that track recovery.
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Noradrenergic VNS to boost stroke rehab outcomes
A patient-oriented look at a therapy that combines brief vagus nerve stimulation with physical rehab to help people recover arm movement after a stroke.
-
How rehab changes the brain after stroke
This project will look at how rehabilitation training changes brain activity and connections after stroke to help people regain movement.
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.