Citation
Recovery after brain injury: Mechanisms and principles
TL;DR
Multiple descending pathways provide motor control redundancy
Reviews neural plasticity and redundant motor pathways enabling recovery after stroke. The chapter uses the case study of James Chen, a stroke patient who recovered arm function through redundant neural pathways after primary motor cortex damage, illustrating graceful degradation in biological systems.
Key Findings from Nudo (2013)
- Multiple descending pathways provide motor control redundancy
- Neural plasticity allows recruitment of backup circuits
- Recovery often possible through alternative pathways
- Graceful degradation rather than complete failure