Immediate effects of rhythmic auditory stimulation on gait in stroke patients in relation to the lesion site.
Naomi Kobinata, Mai Ueno, Yukihito Imanishi and 1 others
PMID 27799666WHAT IT FOUND
After a single session of rhythmic auditory cues, walking speed and stride length increased in patients with cerebellum, pons and medulla, or thalamus lesions.
In putamen or corona radiata lesions, the increases were not clear.
Key findings
01Rhythmic auditory stimulation significantly increased walking velocity and stride length in stroke patients with cerebellum, pons and medulla, or thalamus lesions.
02In the putamen and corona radiata groups, the increases in walking velocity and stride length were not statistically significant.
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How it was doneWhat they foundWhat it means for PTs
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What it does not show
The study had no control group, so the changes could be due to practice, attention, extra walking, or the cueing itself. It only compared pre and post values within each lesion group and did not compare lesion groups directly. The outcome was measured only during one short session of about 20 minutes, so it does not show longer-term benefit. Participants were in post-acute rehabilitation and had lower-limb Brunnstrom stage 3 or above, so the results may not apply to more severely impaired patients or people walking in the community.
Declared interests
No funding or conflicts of interest were reported in the supplied text.
The easy way to misread this
Do not conclude that rhythmic auditory cues improve gait in all stroke patients. The study had no control group, tested only immediate changes after one 20-minute session, and found clear increases only in the cerebellum, pons and medulla, and thalamus groups.