Editorial: Rehabilitation to guide functional plasticity and regeneration with novel cellular, pharmacological and neuromodulation therapies

Front. Rehabil. Sci., 2025 · DOI: 10.3389/fresc.2025.1563975 · Published: February 13, 2025

Neuroplasticity Neurorehabilitation Rehabilitation

Simple Explanation

This editorial discusses the importance of combining different therapies to improve outcomes for people with neurological conditions. It highlights the potential of integrating rehabilitation with cellular therapies, pharmacological interventions, and neuromodulation strategies to facilitate recovery and functional regeneration. The editorial emphasizes the need for combined and targeted rehabilitation paradigms, citing examples such as anti-NOGO therapy for stroke and neuromodulation for spinal cord injury recovery. The piece explores perspectives on combining rehabilitation with advanced therapies, including stem cell applications for SCI, Hebbian-type stimulation, personalized strategies for pediatric cerebral palsy, and the sex-speciﬁc effects of acrobatic training on cognitive decline induced by cerebral hypoperfusion.

Study Duration

Not specified

Participants

Not specified

Evidence Level

Editorial

Key Findings

1
Combining rehabilitation with stem cell-based therapies can improve upper extremity function in cervical SCI, especially when using neuromodulation to activate neural circuits below the injury level.
2
A novel neuromodulation protocol of paired associative stimulation (high PAS) shows promise and safety, inducing short-term modulation of parasympathetic activity without sustained cardiovascular effects, potentially enhancing rehabilitation for neurological conditions.
3
Innovative strategies like acrobatic training can mitigate astrocytic remodeling in hippocampal subﬁelds associated with spatial memory impairments in chronic cerebral hypoperfusion, with sex-specific responses observed.

Research Summary

The editorial advocates for integrating rehabilitation with advanced cellular, pharmacological, and neuromodulation therapies to enhance functional recovery in neurological conditions. It stresses the importance of rigorously assessing the biological plausibility of these technologies to ensure they are scientifically credible and capable of being translated into effective clinical applications. The focus on plausibility ensures that the mechanisms driving neural regeneration and plasticity are both scientifically credible and capable of being translated into effective clinical applications.

Practical Implications

Improved Treatment Strategies

Combining rehabilitation with advanced therapies can lead to more effective treatments for neurological conditions.

Personalized Rehabilitation

Identifying neurotherapeutic responders is crucial for optimizing individualized rehabilitation protocols.

Enhanced Clinical Translation

Rigorous assessment of biological plausibility is essential for translating research findings into clinical applications.

Study Limitations

1
Limited research on combinatorial treatments.
2
Challenges in translating preclinical findings to clinical settings.
3
Logistical challenges and patient-specific barriers in implementing combined therapies.

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