Stroke is a leading cause of death and long-term disability in adults worldwide (Goldstein et al., 2011; Cheng et al., 2013). More than 80% of strokes originate from ischemic damage to the brain caused by an acute reduction in the blood supply, causing neurological deficits and functional impairment (Przybylowski et al., 2014). The acute and subacute stages are the most important periods in the course of stroke rehabilitation (Lackland et al., 2014).
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