The University of Queensland

Neurorestorative Rehabilitation in Cerebral Palsy (2016–2020)

Abstract:

This research program uniquely combines neuroscience and restorative rehabilitation for infants at risk of and children with cerebral palsy (CP). Cerebral palsy results from a brain lesion to the immature brain. There is no known cure, so that prevention, interrupting or mitigating the initial causative event or restorative rehabilitation holds hope for advancement in this field. The functional limitations for children with CP are lifelong and costly at 0.14% GDP. There is early evidence from our own randomised clinical trials that neurorehabilitation can modulate brain reorganisation and lead to improved functional outcomes in children with CP. Current rehabilitation models are frequently not delivered at intensities sufficient to promote neuro-plastic changes. Non-invasive neuroimaging techniques provides quantitative information about the extent of injury and improves our understanding of the mechanisms determining reorganisation of perturbed neural networks in the brain. Such technology that allows quantitative measurement of neuroplasticity plays a key role in measuring the efficacy of therapy and in the design of new neurorehabilitation strategies. The clinical trials tested in this program include novel training models in infants (REACH), studies of environmental enrichment (Parenting, GAME) and comprehensive longitudinal cohorts of brain structure and multiple outcomes in neonates and CP (PREBO, PREDICT). Outcomes are comprehensively tested by investigating the relationships between brain structure and function to understand the mechanisms of response to those treatments using advanced brain imaging (e.g. functional MRI, diffusion imaging, connectomes and connectivity). New evidence-based interventions will be implemented into clinical practice with translational fellows and new scientifically-based Clinical Practice Guidelines.

Grant type:

NHMRC Research Fellowship

Researchers:

• 

  Professor Roslyn Boyd

  NHMRC Leadership Fellow
  

  Child Health Research Centre

  Faculty of Medicine

Funded by:

National Health and Medical Research Council