Purpose of review: Remote ischemic conditioning (RIC) involves transient blood flow restriction to one limb leading to systemic tissue-protective effects. RIC shares some potential underlying mechanisms with intermittent hypoxia (IH), in which brief bouts of systemic hypoxia trigger increases in growth factor expression and neural plasticity. RIC has shown promise in acute myocardial infarction and stroke but may be applicable toward chronic neuropathology as well. Consequently, this review discusses similarities and differences between RIC and IH and presents preliminary and ongoing research findings regarding RIC.
Recent findings: Several publications demonstrated that combining RIC with motor training may enhance motor learning in adults with intact nervous systems, though the precise mechanisms were unclear. Our own preliminary data has found that RIC, in conjunction with task specific exercise, can increase corticospinal excitability in a subset of people without neurological injury and in those with chronic cervical spinal cord injury or amyotrophic lateral sclerosis.
Summary: RIC is a low-cost intervention easy to deliver in a clinical or home setting. Its potential application to facilitate neural plasticity and motor learning during rehabilitation training for individuals with chronic neurological disorders is a novel concept requiring further investigation to characterize mechanisms, safety, and efficacy.
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