Tutor System Can Augment Proposed Medication

The following was published in The Sacramento Bee on Friday, Oct. 21, 2011:
Avanir Pharmaceuticals, Inc. today announced that pseudobulbar affect (PBA) prevalence data from stroke survivors will be highlighted at the 88th Annual Meeting of the American Congress of Rehabilitation Medicine/American Society for Neurorehabilitation Medicine in Atlanta, GA.
Following are details about the data presentation at ACRM/ASNR Progress in Rehabilitation Research:
Title: Pseudobulbar Affect in Stroke: A National Stroke Association SurveyProgram Number: 0025 Presentation Date/Time: Thursday, October 13, 2011 5:00-7:00 p.m. EST & Friday October 14, 2011 4:30-6:45 p.m. EST
What is PBA?
Patients suffering from existing neurological disease or brain injury may also suffer the added burden of pseudobulbar affect, or PBA. PBA occurs secondary to a variety of otherwise unrelated neurological conditions, and is characterized by involuntary, sudden, and frequent episodes of crying and/or laughing. PBA episodes typically occur out of proportion or incongruent to the patient’s underlying emotional state. PBA outbursts result from a “short circuit” in the brain caused by another neurologic condition-such as multiple sclerosis (MS), amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), stroke, or traumatic brain injury. PBA can have a debilitating impact on the lives of patients, caregivers and loved ones.
The dose and timing of Avanir’s proposed medication to counteract PBA can augment functional gain of physiotherapy. The Tutor system has been effective as a physical therapist’s tool for patients recovering from brain and spinal cord injury, MS, ALS and other debilitating diseases.
These innovative devices, known as the HandTutor, ArmTutor, LegTutor and 3DTutor, implement an impairment based program with augmented feedback and encourage motor learning through intensive active exercises. These exercises are challenging and motivating and allow for repetitive training tailored to the patient’s performance. The system also includes objective quantitative evaluations that provide the therapist information to customize the most suitable rehabilitation program to the patient’s ability. Currently part of the rehabilitation program of leading U.S. and foreign hospitals the Tutors are also used in clinics and at home through the use of telerehabilitation.