Understanding why the weaker arm isn’t used after stroke
Official title: Mechanistic and neuroanatomic bases of disparity between arm capacity and use in stroke
Funded at Albert Einstein Healthcare Network · NIH-11419555 · Data updated 2026-11-12
This grant studies why many stroke survivors don’t use their affected arm in daily life even when they can move it, aiming to find clues that could guide better rehabilitation.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R01 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Albert Einstein Healthcare Network NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Philadelphia, United States) |
| Project start | August 1, 2022 |
| Project end | May 31, 2027 |
| Funding year | 2026 |
| Award (this year) | $485,197 |
| NIH project number | 5R01HD104637-05 |
| Project ID | NIH-11419555 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Adults with chronic left- or right-hemisphere stroke and mild to moderate impairment who can participate in neuropsychological testing and MRI.
✕Less likely to help
Patients without the ability to undergo MRI or those with severe cognitive or communication impairments may have limited relevance to the study aims.
What this research studies
After stroke, many people have the capacity to move their affected arm but choose not to use it in daily activities. The research tests three ideas—sensorimotor, attention, and motivation—to see which best explains this use gap. It will involve 100 stroke patients who are years past the event, with assessments, brain imaging, and a new virtual reality task to measure UCD. The team will look for imaging biomarkers and ways to predict who is most at risk of underusing their arm, informing personalized care in the future.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this work could lead to more precise rehabilitation strategies that target the specific cause of arm non-use after stroke.
How similar studies have gone: Prior research has identified multiple factors contributing to arm non-use, and this project builds on that work by integrating neuroimaging biomarkers and a novel VR assessment.
Where this research is happening
-
Albert Einstein Healthcare Network
Philadelphia, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Buxbaum, Laurel J — Albert Einstein Healthcare Network
- Study coordinator: Buxbaum, Laurel J
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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.