Dr Suzanne Ackerley
Dr Suzanne Ackerley is a neurological physiotherapist at the School of Sport and Exercise Science at the University of Auckland.
Every day 22 New Zealanders have a stroke and many will be disabled and need significant daily support. Dr Suzanne Ackerley is part of a New Zealand-based team investigating new approaches to rehabilitation following stroke or brain injury, and these approaches show great promise. Dr Ackerley’s PhD research, funded by the Neurological Foundation, has been focused on combining the ‘priming’ of the stroke-affected side of the brain using non-invasive magnetic stimulation with simple rehabilitation exercises. To date, this exciting research has shown that this combination can help people recover arm and hand function several months after a stroke. Dr Ackerley will outline how this therapy works, and the real hope that it holds for future rehabilitation strategies for stroke patients.