Participants will learn and review basic brain mapping for identifying lesion sites and anticipating ... show more

Mapping the Brain for Neuro Rehabilitation: An Interprofessional Approach Description Participants will learn and review basic brain mapping for identifying lesion sites and anticipating potential deficits following a cerebrovascular accident (CVA or stroke). Discussion will highlight the importance of an interprofessional perspective, involving physical therapists (PT), occupational therapists (OT), and speech-language pathologists (SLPs), in understanding the relationship between brain lesions and their functional consequences. Participants will review various deficits that may arise from lesions in specific brain regions, including motor, sensory, cognitive, and language impairments, as well as skills which may be preserved and leveraged for compensation to maximize patient outcomes and quality of life. Partnership with each patient and their support network will be highlighted, including methods to capitalize on the principles of neuroplasticity to support optimal patient outcomes. Suggested Audience: PT/PTA, COTA/OT, SLP Difficulty Level: Essential - Includes core theory, concepts, and applications. Speaker: Theresa Alexander, M.S. CCC-SLP is an Assistant Clinical Professor in the department of Speech-Language-Hearing Sciences at Loyola University Maryland where she earned her bachelor’s and master’s degrees (‘03, ‘05). She is a full-time clinical supervisor for the adult neurology rotation at the Loyola Clinical Centers at Belvedere Square. She is a Clinical Specialist in Aphasia and served patients on the Comprehensive Inpatient Rehabilitation (CIR) unit at MedStar Good Samaritan Hospital for nearly a decade. She continues to serve inpatients at all four MedStar north hospitals as a float pool PRN SLP. Her areas of specialization include serving adults who have neurogenic swallowing and communication disorders including dysphagia, aphasia, apraxia, dysarthria, cognitive-communication disorders, and dysphonia related to tracheostomy/ventilator use, in acute medical and rehabilitation settings. She has taught graduate courses in Aphasiology and Neurology for the Speech-Language Pathologist. Her hobbies include running, swimming, and being a proud neuroplasticity nerd. Questions Theresa Alexander Theresa.J.Alexander@medstar.net Patricia Cornias patricia.n.cornias@medstar.net show less