Researchers have revealed how an overlooked type of indirect brain damage contributes to ongoing disability after a stroke. The paper shows how the thalamus -- a sort of central networking hub that regulates functions such as language, memory, attention and movement -- is affected months or years after a person has experienced a stroke, even though it was not directly damaged itself. The findings may lead to new therapies that could reduce the burden of chronic stroke, which remains one of the leading causes of disability in the world.