Researchers at The Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center are among the first in the world studying how a specific type of neurostimulator can improve rehabilitation for stroke patients.
As part of the clinical trial, an electrical device called a vagus nerve stimulator is surgically implanted in the patient’s chest wall. The Vivistim device, which connects to the vagus nerve in the neck, is used to “rewire” circuits in the brain associated with certain motor functions. Stroke can result in the loss of brain tissue and negatively affect various bodily functions from speech to movement, depending on the location of the stroke.
