Summary: More than seven million people in the United States have survived a stroke. Stroke is a leading cause of serious long-term disability. How can research help? On Thursday, June 16, 2016, Kessler Foundation held an evening of discovery and discussion with our rehabilitation researchers. Steve Adubato, PhD, our panel moderator along with distinguished research and clinical staff, A.M. Barrett, MD, Karen J. Nolan, PhD, Mooyeon Oh-Park, MD, and Yekyung Kong, MD demonstrated their latest findings and discussed innovative efforts propelling new discoveries with the latest technologies to help stroke survivors of all ages regain independence and return to their homes, their communities, and the workplace. Be sure and check out the online video "The Brain Damage You Don’t Know You Have” with Drs. Sanjay Gupta and A.M. Barrett at http://www.everydayhealth.com/news/brain-damage-you-dont-know-you-have/ For more information about stroke research, go to https://www.kesslerfoundation.org/researchcenter/stroke/index.php Our distinguished research and clinical staff: A.M. Barrett, MD, a cognitive neurologist and clinical researcher, is director of Stroke Rehabilitation Research at Kessler Foundation. She is also chief of Neurorehabilitation Program Innovation and co-leader of the Stroke Rehabilitation Program at Kessler Institute for Rehabilitation. Dr. Barrett focuses on brain-behavior relationships from the perspective of cognitive neurology, cognitive neuroscience, and neurorehabilitation. Her research centers on post-stroke cognitive dysfunction, with an emphasis on hidden disabilities of functional vision—spatial bias and spatial neglect—that hinder recovery. Dr. Barrett is a founder of the Network for Spatial Neglect, an international organization dedicated to awareness, diagnosis, and treatment of this often overlooked complication of stroke. Karen J. Nolan, PhD, an expert in biomechanics and motor rehabilitation, is senior research scientist in Human Performance and Engineering Research at Kessler Foundation, clinical research scientist at Children’s Specialized Hospital, and affiliated faculty at the New Jersey Institute of Technology. Her research centers on improving outcomes in adults and children with disorders that affect balance, gait, and peripheral motor control. Dr. Nolan investigates the use of robotic exoskeletons in individuals recovering from stroke and traumatic brain injury, as well as the efficacy of a virtual reality intervention for balance deficits caused by brain injury in military, veteran, and civilian populations. Mooyeon Oh-Park, MD, a physiatrist and clinical researcher, is director of Geriatric Rehabilitation at Kessler Institute for Rehabilitation and research scientist in Stroke Rehabilitation Research at Kessler Foundation. Dr. Oh-Park’s comprehensive approach to post-stroke rehabilitation addresses cognitive and physical deficits, as well as the impact on caregivers. She applies her expertise in electrophysiology, neuromuscular imaging, and mobility assessment to develop new ways to facilitate recovery after stroke. Dr. Oh-Park studies how under-recognized conditions such as delirium affect recovery, and how advances like telemedicine and exoskeleton-based interventions can be applied to stroke research. Yekyung Kong, MD, a physiatrist and acupuncturist, is director of Outpatient Stroke Services at Kessler Institute for Rehabilitation. Dr. Kong specializes in the treatment and rehabilitation of stroke patients, as well as the treatment of individuals with neurological disorders, gait dysfunction, spinal cord injury, and Guillain-Barré syndrome. She has expertise in pain management, spasticity management, the therapeutic use of orthoses (braces), and acupuncture. Dr. Kong has written numerous articles, publications, and abstracts and has appeared on several news broadcasts as an expert in the field of stroke rehabilitation.
