Spasticity after stroke: Physiology, assessment and treatment

Abstract Background: Spasticity following a stroke occurs in about 30% of patients. The mechanisms underlying this disorder, however, are not well understood. Method: This review aims to define spasticity, describe hypotheses explaining its development after a stroke, give an overview of related neu...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Brain injury 2013-09, Vol.27 (10), p.1093-1105
Main Authors: Thibaut, Aurore, Chatelle, Camille, Ziegler, Erik, Bruno, Marie-Aurélie, Laureys, Steven, Gosseries, Olivia
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Botulinum Toxins, Type A - therapeutic use
Disability Evaluation
Female
Human health sciences
Humans
Male
Muscle Spasticity - etiology
Muscle Spasticity - physiopathology
Muscle Spasticity - rehabilitation
Muscle Spasticity - therapy
Nerve Block
Neuroimaging
Neurologie
Neurology
Neuromuscular Agents - therapeutic use
Orthopedic Procedures
Orthotic Devices
Parasympatholytics - therapeutic use
Physical Therapy Modalities
Physiotherapy
Practice Guidelines as Topic
Predictive Value of Tests
Sciences de la santé humaine
spasticity
Stroke
Stroke - complications
Stroke - physiopathology
Stroke - therapy
Stroke Rehabilitation
Transcutaneous Electric Nerve Stimulation
treatment
upper motoneuron syndrome
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Summary:Abstract Background: Spasticity following a stroke occurs in about 30% of patients. The mechanisms underlying this disorder, however, are not well understood. Method: This review aims to define spasticity, describe hypotheses explaining its development after a stroke, give an overview of related neuroimaging studies as well as a description of the most common scales used to quantify the degree of spasticity and finally explore which treatments are currently being used to treat this disorder. Results: The lack of consensus is highlighted on the basis of spasticity and the associated absence of guidelines for treatment, use of drugs and rehabilitation programmes. Conclusions: Future studies require controlled protocols to determine the efficiency of pharmacological and non-pharmacological treatments for spasticity. Neuroimaging may help predict the occurrence of spasticity and could provide insight into its neurological basis.
ISSN:0269-9052
1362-301X
1362-301X
DOI:10.3109/02699052.2013.804202