Basing ourselves on our own research, Clinique Neuro-Outaouais has created a unique program of Intensive Post-Stroke Rehabilitation which combines repetitive Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation (rTMS) with neuro-physiotherapy.
Introduction and goal of the program
In addition to being the first private clinic to offer repetitive Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation in the Ottawa/Gatineau area, Clinique Neuro-Outaouais has been developing, in its NeuroGym, a complete program offering neuro-physiotherapy for the rehabilitation of people with various types of neurological issues, (multiple sclerosis, Alzheimer’s, Parkinson’s and post-stroke recovery, mostly).
After having conducted many studies which demonstrated the effectiveness of combining these two techniques in post-stroke rehabilitation, Clinique Neuro-Outaouais has created a unique program of intensive rehabilitation for these patients.
Basing our strategy on neuroplasticity (the ability to recreate connections between neurons in a damaged portion of the brain), the objective of this program is to reestablish an event-related potential in the injured limb(s). In other words, the ability of limb(s) to respond to electric stimulation originating in the brain.
The return of this event-related potential then makes voluntary mobility possible and, with time, increasing functionality of the damaged limb(s).
For more information on neuroplasticity and the dogma associated with post-stroke recovery plateaux, please read this blog post from Dr. Jacques (french only).
Details of the program
The post-stroke rehabilitation program generally lasts one month, with one or two half-hour sessions per week of rTMS, (45 minutes for the first, and every 10th session), followed directly by a one hour session of neuro-physiotherapy.
Repetitive Magnetique Transcranial Stimulation can be used to stimulate or inhibit specific locations of the brain. At the beginning of the program, we focus on the inhibition of the non-affected portion of the brain, encouraging the damaged portion, which controls the affected limb, to recreate lost neurological connections. As we continue with the program, the inhibition of the non-affected area is gradually replaced with stimulation of the damaged part of the brain, in order to encourage new neural connections.
The neuro-physiotherapy we provide following rTMS treatments is a mix of neuro-motor rehabilitation exercises that we’ve developed in our NeuroGym.
Our Team
| Nom | Responsabilité |
| Dr. François Jacques | Neurologist, Program Director |
| Jannie Fortin | Electrodiagnostic Technologist |
| Alexandre Desrochers | Physiotherapist Assistant |
Additional Information
(french only)
La stimulation magnétique transcrânienne à l’étude chez les victimes d’AVC
