A 2025 Study From Harvard, Johns Hopkins, and UCLA Finds That High-Dose Programs Are Not Being Delivered Despite Strong Evidence
Published in Stroke by the American Heart Association in 2025, leading researchers identify the gap between evidence and current practice.
Study Context
A landmark 2025 paper published in Stroke, the American Heart Association’s flagship journal, was authored by researchers from Harvard, Johns Hopkins, UCLA, and the University of Cincinnati. It examined why high-dose programs, like NeuroAnimation, are not widely delivered despite strong scientific support. The paper identifies systemic barriers including institutional inertia, economic disincentives, and the absence of scalable technology.
The Evidence
High-dose, intensive movement engagement produces meaningfully better outcomes after stroke, with effect sizes substantially exceeding those of standard care. Despite this evidence, current practice lags significantly. Researchers specifically identify technology-enabled solutions like NeuroAnimation as the practical path to closing this gap.
Key Finding
2025 Stroke
Published in the American Heart Association’s flagship peer-reviewed journal, explicitly identifying the evidence gap in current practice
What The Research Shows
- Standard care movement doses are described by leading researchers as far below what the evidence supports
- High-dose intensive engagement shows large effect sizes compared to standard care approaches
- Systemic barriers, not scientific uncertainty, are why many people receive less than the evidence supports
- NeuroAnimation is identified as the kind of technology that can make evidence-supported dose delivery practically achievable
What This May Mean For You
If you or someone you love participated in standard stroke wellness programs and felt that more progress should have been possible, this research from leading academic institutions offers important context. The science is not in dispute. Programs like NeuroAnimation deliver results. The system has struggled to deliver what the science supports.
