After deep brain stimulation (DBS) of the cerebellar dentate nucleus, a brain region involved in control of voluntary movements, 9 out of 12 patients who had experienced a stroke up to 3 years earlier experienced clinically important improvements in motor function and decreases in impairment, according to from a phase 1 trial published in Nature Medicine.

The researchers did not find evidence of adverse events related to the surgical implantation or use of the device in this safety and feasibility study.

In addition, participants who had at least partial function of their fingers and wrist on the affected side of their body when they enrolled in the study experienced more substantial improvements after the combination of DBS and physical therapy.