BaltimoreTo say John Krakauer is a maverick in the world of academic medicine errs on the side of caution.

His presentation "Motor Recovery After Stroke in Mice and Men" at a Johns Hopkins University seminar on brain science research got off to this start: "If you have a stroke in the United States in 2014, you're better off if you're a rodent than if you're a human being."

It was arresting, glib, and, based on what Krakauer has learned through experiments with rats and mice, true. When receiving intensive therapy in a stimulating environment—through interaction with toys, chutes, mirrors, rodent friends, interesting areas to explore—lab rats get better faster. Though humans unquestionably get excellent care at the time of a