Rehabilitation following hemorrhagic stroke: building the case for stroke-subtype specific recovery therapies.

Overview

Intracerebral hemorrhage (ICH), a form of brain bleeding and minor subtype of stroke, leads to significant mortality and long-term disability. There are currently no validated approaches to promote functional recovery after ICH. Research in stroke recovery and rehabilitation has largely focused on ischemic stroke, but given the stark differences in the pathophysiology between ischemic and hemorrhagic stroke, it is possible that strategies to rehabilitate the brain in distinct stroke subtypes will be different. Here, we review our current understanding of recovery after primary intracerebral hemorrhage with the intent to provide a framework to promote novel, stroke-subtype specific approaches.