FUNCTIONAL RECOVERY AFTER BRAIN INFARCTION - A REVIEW OF EXPERIMENTAL ANIMAL DATA

Spontaneous functional improvement occurs in experimental focal ischemia. The effect of pharmacological interventions on long-term functional outcome has been little studied. There is often a poor correlation between infarct size and functional outcome. An enriched housing environment significantly enhances outcome after brain infarction. The efficacy of environmental factors and pharmacological interventions in facilitating long-term recovery needs further evaluation. To what extent functional improvement is due to brain plasticity or to compensatory mechanisms remains to be shown.