Regional cerebral blood perfusion changes in chronic stroke survivors as potential brain correlates of the functional outcome following gamified home-based rehabilitation (IntelliRehab)-a pilot study.
Younis M S Firwana, Mohd Khairul Izamil Zolkefley, Hasnetty Zuria Mohamed Hatta and 7 others
PMID 36002827WHAT IT FOUND
In eight chronic stroke survivors, three months of gamified home rehabilitation improved arm function scores.
Brain blood flow changed in specific regions, but these changes did not correlate with the functional gains. The study cannot prove the software caused the improvement, as all participants also received conventional rehabilitation.
Key findings
01Upper limb motor function, measured by the Fugl-Meyer Assessment, improved significantly after three months of the intervention.
02Cerebral blood flow showed significant changes in three specific brain regions, but these physiological changes did not correlate with improvements in motor function.
03Participants continued to receive conventional rehabilitation alongside the home-based system, meaning the specific contribution of the gamified software cannot be isolated.
STILL TO COME
How it was doneWhat they foundWhat it means for PTsWhat it means for OTsWhat it means for SLPs
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What it does not show
The sample size was extremely small (n=8), which limits the reliability of any findings. There was no control group, so natural recovery or the effects of conventional rehabilitation cannot be separated from the intervention. The study design was a before-after pilot, which is low evidence for efficacy. Lesion locations varied widely among participants, including some with multiple lesions, making it difficult to interpret the brain imaging results. The authors state that the improvement in function reflects effectiveness, but without a control group, this conclusion is not supported by the data.
Declared interests
The cloud-based platform was maintained by MIRA Rehab Ltd UK, a project partner and research collaborator. The study was supported by non-U.S. government funding.
The easy way to misread this
Do not conclude that the IntelliRehab system caused the improvement in arm function. The participants also received conventional rehabilitation, and the study had no control group, so the effect of the gamified software alone cannot be determined.