Stroke is the #5 killer of all Americans and a leading cause of long-term adult disability, affecting more than 795,000 people a year. Few are prepared for this sudden, often catastrophic event, but rehabilitation rates are encouraging. In some cases, brain cell damage may be temporary and may resume functioning over time. In other cases, the brain can reorganize its own functioning and a region of the brain “takes over” for a region damaged by the stroke.
Hand motor function is often severely affected after stroke. Non‐satisfying recovery limits reintegration into normal daily life. Therapeutic gymnastics, as well as the training of lost fine motor skills are the main rehabilitation methods so far. However, the recovery process can be tedious and difficult for the patient.
Whats the science in this app?
Due to a recent study by Marlene Bönstrup from the National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke, we found that the greatest efficiency in the learning process is achieved in short periods of rest between periods of practice.
These findings significantly changed the way researchers traditionally think about the time it takes us to form a memory and learn new skills—they show this can occur over a period of seconds, rather than hours or days.This research shows that the way the stroke or brain injuries therapy is conducted should be changed.
Learning a new motor skill typically consists of short periods of active practice—physically doing the task—interspersed with short periods of rest. The combination of practice and rest strengthens the memory in our brain so we can perform the skill better. Optimization of the time and rest intervals is of crucial importance when conducting rehabilitation procedures in patients with stroke, and even when learning to play the piano.
Traditionally, the consolidation of a new skill has been thought to occur over a period of hours or days. Now we know that with "practice and rest" attitude were able to learn new motor skills on an unprecedented short time scale.
How it works?
This app is designed to restore and improve your motor skills. Use your non-dominant hand to perform the button press sequence showed on screen:
-You’ll see combinations like 1-2-4-3-1
-Put each finger on the buttons, which correspond to numbers from 1 to 4, and press play button when ready
-For 10 seconds your task will be to press the buttons in a random sequence as fast as you can
-After each ten-second period of practice, youll have ten seconds to rest
-When your training session is over, you can see your results and track progress in the statistics
You will notice that youre having a good time with the funny game, while your reaction and motor skills get better every time you play and, most importantly, rest.