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Early intervention after perinatal stroke: opportunities and challenges
Author(s) -
Basu Anna P
Publication year - 2014
Publication title -
developmental medicine and child neurology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.658
H-Index - 143
eISSN - 1469-8749
pISSN - 0012-1622
DOI - 10.1111/dmcn.12407
Subject(s) - cerebral palsy , intervention (counseling) , stroke (engine) , corticospinal tract , physical medicine and rehabilitation , perinatal period , neuroplasticity , medicine , motor skill , psychology , pediatrics , neuroscience , psychiatry , magnetic resonance imaging , pregnancy , biology , mechanical engineering , genetics , diffusion mri , engineering , radiology
Perinatal stroke is the most common cause of hemiplegic cerebral palsy. No standardized early intervention exists despite evidence for a critical time window for activity‐dependent plasticity to mould corticospinal tract development in the first few years of life. Intervention during this unique period of plasticity could mitigate the consequences of perinatal stroke to an extent not possible with later intervention, by preserving the normal pattern of development of descending motor pathways. This article outlines the broad range of approaches currently under investigation. Despite significant progress in this area, improved early detection and outcome prediction remain important goals.