Exercise induced operant conditioning of the H-reflex in stroke patients: Hopes for improving motor function through inducing plastic changes in the spinal pathways

Background: Cerebrovascular accident is a major cause of disability. Stroke survivors suffer from various severity levels of movement impairment which would substantially affect their quality of life. Several methods have been investigated for improving movement in these patients. Most of the treatment approaches are geared toward inducing neuroplasticity in the brain. Here, we introduce a novel method to induce neuroplasticity in spinal cord to compensate the cerebral insult.