Read the transcript, https://kesslerfoundation.org/sites/default/files/2025-06/Your%20Impact%20SPRING%202025%20Audio%20Newsletter%20TRANSCRIPT.pdf

Steps Toward Healing: Breakthroughs in Brain Injury and Multiple Sclerosis Rehabilitation

A groundbreaking study at Kessler Foundation, led by Karen Nolan, PhD, associate director in the Center for Mobility and Rehabilitation Engineering, is exploring the combined use of spinal cord stimulation and gait training to improve mobility in people with traumatic brain injury. This innovative approach aims to enhance brain plasticity and restore walking ability by delivering electrical impulses to the spinal cord while participants engage in structured walking exercises. Physical therapist Christina Dandola plays a key role in supporting participants and tracking their progress. The study could significantly improve quality of life for people with TBI and potentially inform treatments for other neurological conditions.

In a parallel effort to address health disparities, Cristina Román, PhD, adjunct research scientist in the Center for Neuropsychology & Neuroscience Research, is leading a national study on how healthcare barriers and cardiovascular risks contribute to accelerated brain aging in Hispanic people with multiple sclerosis. Funded by a prestigious NIH award, the study will gather both personal experiences and brain imaging data to better understand how social determinants of health impact MS progression. Dr. Román hopes the findings will lead to more equitable care and improved outcomes for underserved populations, emphasizing the importance of timely and consistent medical intervention.


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Article Timestamps:

00:00 - Welcome
01:20 - When two is more powerful than one
04:18 - Stepping into research
06:17 - Under the looking glass (How healthcare barriers and medical risks impact Hispanics with multiple sclerosis)
09:15 - Your support means more
10:17 - Episode Wrap-Up

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Kessler Foundation researchers mentioned by order of articles:

Karen Nolan, PhD Associate Director, https://KesslerFoundation.org/aboutus/Karen-Nolan

Christina Dandola, PT, https://KesslerFoundation.org/about-us/foundation-staff/christina-dandola-pt-dpt-ncs

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Newsletter website links:

Ways to give - For more information, please contact us at (973) 324-8430 or Development@KesslerFoundation.org

Read this issue at https://KesslerFoundation.org/2025-spring-your-impact-newsletter

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This podcast was recorded in June 2025 and was edited and produced by Joan Banks-Smith, Creative Producer for Kessler Foundation.