“How the brain processes language has always fascinated me,” says Olga Boukrina, PhD, senior research scientist in the Center for Stroke Rehabilitation Research at Kessler Foundation. “The ways we use language in our daily lives—speaking, writing, reading, understanding—often seem effortless, but these abilities depend on complex interactions among many areas of the brain,” she explains. “When a stroke occurs, a person may lose some of their language abilities depending on which areas of the brain are affected— a condition we call aphasia. Many people with aphasia have lost their ability to read.”
Despite the devastating consequences for people striving to recover from stroke, reading impairment is understudied. “Failing to regain the ability to read adversely affects quality of life for stroke survivors,” says Dr. Boukrina. “Hundreds of thousands of strokes occur every year, and each day, the number of people with reading deficits increases. Clearly, the need for early and effective treatment after stroke is urgent,” she stresses, “which is why I focus my research on ways to restore the ability to read.”
With your support, Dr. Boukrina is expanding our knowledge of reading deficits. “First, we identified the decreased brain activity and blood flow patterns associated with poor recovery of reading ability.
Now, we are testing ways to stimulate brain activity and increase blood flow, to help people regain their ability to read.”
Using functional neuroimaging, Dr. Boukrina observes what happens in the brain in real time. In one novel study, individuals recovering from left-sided stroke undergo a brain MRI during which they practice a mental strategy to stimulate activity in the intact parts of their left hemisphere. Imagining finger tapping of their right hand stimulates activity and blood flow to the left side of their brain, and, in particular, to areas important for translating visual symbols to speech. This mental imagery task is followed by another: reading a list of words during which real-time neuroimaging data are used to provide participants with neurofeedback, helping them learn how to best activate the brain areas used for reading. “Training people to regulate their own brain activity is an exciting new approach to stroke rehabilitation that we are just beginning to explore,” Dr. Boukrina says.
Knowing that increased neural activity and cerebral blood flow seen on MRI images lead to improved cognitive function, a new study adds exercise to boost blood flow. Dr. Boukrina is collaborating with Brian M. Sandroff, PhD, senior research scientist in the Center for Neuropsychology and Neuroscience Research at Kessler
“Hill … hill … bike,” responds Dan Richter when asked about his goals as he gestures upward with his left hand. His wife Micole explains that Dan, an avid cyclist and father of three, wants to resume his long rides through the mountains. What would that mean to him? Dan smiles and signals “V” for victory.
Indeed, that would be a milestone for Dan who, in May 2022, had a massive stroke. Rushed to the hospital, Dan underwent surgery to remove a portion of his skull that relieved pressure on his brain. Still, he was left unable to walk, use his right
READING, RIDING, AND RECOVERY Dan Richter (right) participates in Dr. Boukrina’s (left) reading and exercise research.Foundation, to combine a targeted reading treatment with aerobic exercise training to enhance the beneficial effects on reading. Dr. Sandroff, an expert in exercise neurorehabilitation, has conducted similar studies in other populations with cognitive deficits, including multiple sclerosis and traumatic brain injury, and results have been promising.
The team will compare two groups of individuals with left-sided stroke and reading impairment. One group will perform 20 minutes of cycling exercise prior to their neuroimaging and reading session; the other will perform light stretching. “We anticipate that the exercise group will have greater gains from their reading treatment due to greater increases in blood flow to the brain,” predicts Dr. Sandroff.
Preliminary findings are encouraging, showing that participants increased accuracy and speed of reading.
Using functional neuroimaging, Dr. Boukrina observes what happens in the brain in real time.
If results are positive, this evidence would be the first of its kind—an important advance in the field of reading research, concludes Dr. Boukrina. “Effective treatments that are grounded in stroke biology could radically change how we treat people with reading impairment and fundamentally alter our view of recovery after stroke. We thank our donors for making this research possible,” they conclude.
arm, eat, or speak. Once stabilized, Dan began rehabilitation and received extensive therapies to help to restore his skills. His progress was slow and often frustrating, but he persevered.
Micole, a tireless advocate for her husband, began exploring the latest in stroke rehabilitation research, which led her to Kessler Foundation. Thanks to donors like you, this innovative research is enhancing individual recovery following a stroke. Dan participated in two Kessler Foundation studies before joining Dr. Olga Boukrina’s investigation of exercise and reading. It seemed like an ideal fit for Dan, who has aphasia,
a condition that impacts speech and the capacity to process spoken or written language and express thoughts. Five days a week, he attends a two-anda-half-hour session during which he rides a stationary bike followed by reading exercises and functional neuroimaging. Dan admits having a sense of accomplishment after each session and is encouraged by the improvement he’s making.
“Morning … night … it’s beautiful!” says Dan, grateful not only to be alive but also for the research that— through the generous support of donors like you— is making a real difference in the lives of stroke survivors like him.
“Effective treatments that are grounded in stroke biology could radically change how we treat people with reading impairment and fundamentally alter our view of recovery after stroke. We thank our donors for making this research possible.”
- Olga Boukrina, PhD
Often unnoticed and underestimated, employed individuals with disabilities frequently find themselves living from one paycheck to the next. Despite earning an income that surpasses the poverty threshold, their earnings still prove insufficient to cover essential household needs.
Kessler Foundation collaborates closely with United Way and United for ALICE, a research program that collects financial hardship data at the national, state, and county levels. Who is ALICE? ALICE may be a cashier, a waiter, a childcare provider, or another member of our essential workforce. ALICE earns above the Federal Poverty Level but less than what it takes to make ends meet.
ALICE stands for A sset Limited, Income Constrained, Employed. The research quantifies and describes the number of U.S. households struggling to afford basic necessities. Kessler Foundation thought leaders Elaine E. Katz, senior vice president of Grants and Communications, and John O’Neill, PhD, director of the Center for Employment and Disability Research, served on the ALICE in Focus National Leadership Committee
for People with Disabilities and collaborated on a special ALICE in Focus report: Financial Hardship Among People With Disabilities.
“By analyzing ALICE data, we bring to light the challenges faced by people with disabilities,” explains Katz. Longstanding discriminatory policies and practices that impact access to education, employment, healthcare, housing, and other resources create barriers to financial stability. This hits home for the 40 million people in the U.S. with a cognitive, hearing, vision, or ambulatory disability, or one that makes self-care or independent living difficult. “We’ve found that 51% of people with disabilities in the U.S. live in poverty or paycheck to paycheck,” Dr. O’Neill adds.
“Better understanding the needs helps us make informed decisions about grantmaking. With your continued support, we can make a tangible difference in breaking down barriers and creating a more inclusive society where individuals with disabilities have equal opportunities to thrive,” Katz asserts.
All of us at Kessler Foundation know you value rehabilitation research and employment for people with disabilities. Your generosity inspires discovery and innovation for people like Dan Richter and others striving to recover and fulfill their dreams. Thank you. Your continued support will mean more research, more advancements, and more independence.
Learn more about how your support makes a difference and give today.
Of the 40 million people with disabilities in the U.S., 51% live in poverty or paycheck to paycheck.