Ruff, Robert, M.D., Ph.D.

Research Statement

The FES programs that I am involved with are carried out with Dr. Janis Daly. The research we are doing involves employing FES stimulation to help people who have paralysis due to stroke to relearn how to use a paretic arm or to relearn how to walk. FES is used in conjunction with other technologies, such as partial weight-supported treadmill training and robotic-assisted training.

Professional Affiliations

• Medical Director, Cleveland FES Center
• Professor, Department of Neurology, Department of Neuroscience,
  Case Western Reserve University, Cleveland, OH
• National Director for Neurology, Veterans Health Administration,
  Department of Veterans Affairs
• Chief, Neurology Service,  Louis Stokes Cleveland VA Medical Center, Cleveland, OH

Publications (Select)

• Chen JW, Ruff RL, Eavey R, Wasterlain CG. Post traumatic epilepsy and treatment. J Rehabil Res Dev. 2009;46(6):685-96. PubMed PMID: 20104398.
• Kupersmith J, Ommaya AK, Selzer ME, Ruff RL, Lew HL. Guest Editorial:traumatic brain injury research state-of-the-art conference. J Rehabil Res Dev.2009;46(6):xvii-xviii. PubMed PMID: 20104394.
• Ruff RL. Voltage sensor charge loss accounts for most cases of hypokalemic periodic paralysis. Neurology. 2010 Jan 19;74(3):269; author reply 169-70. PubMedPMID: 20083806.
• Gironda RJ, Clark ME, Ruff RL, Chait S, Craine M, Walker R, Scholten J.Traumatic brain injury, polytrauma, and pain: challenges and treatment strategies for the polytrauma rehabilitation. Rehabil Psychol. 2009 Aug;54(3):247-58.Review. PubMed PMID: 19702423.
• Ruff RL, Ruff SS, Wang XF. Headaches among Operation Iraqi Freedom/Operation Enduring Freedom veterans with mild traumatic brain injury associated with exposures to explosions. J Rehabil Res Dev. 2008;45(7):941-52. PubMed PMID:19165684.
• Ruff RL, McKerracher L, Selzer ME. Repair and neurorehabilitation strategies for spinal cord injury. Ann N Y Acad Sci. 2008 Oct;1142:1-20. Review. PubMedPMID: 18990118.
• Ruff RL, Lennon VA. How myasthenia gravis alters the safety factor for neuromuscular transmission. J Neuro immunol. 2008 Sep 15;201-202:13-20. Epub 2008 Jul 15. PubMed PMID: 18632162; PubMed Central PMCID: PMC2646503.
• Ruff RL. Mild traumatic brain injury in U.S. soldiers returning from Iraq. N Engl J Med. 2008 May 15;358(20):2178; author reply 2179. PubMed PMID: 18491417.
• Ruff RL. Slow inactivation: slow but not dull. Neurology. 2008 Mar4;70(10):746-7. PubMed PMID: 18316687.

Research Programs

• Rehabilitation in Stroke with FES

Contact Information