Biomarkers of Rehabilitation Therapy Vary according to Stroke Severity

Table 1

Main inclusion and exclusion criteria.

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Inclusion criteria for study entry

    (i) Age ≥ 18 years
  (ii) Diagnosis of stroke 11–26 weeks prior
 (iii) Residual arm motor deficit (ARAT < 52 or 9-hole peg test score > 25% longer than with unaffected hand)
 (iv) Preserved voluntary movements in distal upper extremity (≥5-degree range of motion in affected index metacarpophalangeal joint or wrist)

Exclusion criteria for study entry

    (i) Contraindication to MRI
  (ii) Severe cognitive impairment
 (iii) Concurrent diagnosis affecting arm/hand function
 (iv) Arm motor status not at stable plateau (>3-point difference on Fugl-Meyer scale between the two baseline assessments)

Exclusion criteria applied at time of data analysis

    (i) Excessive head motion during fMRI (either pre- or posttreatment scan)
  (ii) Posttreatment scan could not be obtained (e.g., claustrophobia or patient lost to follow-up)

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