TOPIC

Neurological research

Everything we have read on neurological. Each paper is summarised from the full article rather than its abstract, so the limitations are in there too, and the funding wherever the paper declares it.

2,792 PAPERS · PAGE 20 OF 56 · NEWEST FIRST

• PTOTRCT2021Effectiveness of a combined transcranial direct current stimulation and virtual reality-based intervention on upper limb function in chronic individuals post-stroke with persistent severe hemiparesis: a randomized controlled trial.Journal of neuroengineering and rehabilitationIn chronic severe stroke hemiparesis, tDCS plus a self-triggered VR task followed by conventional physical therapy improved arm motor scores more than conventional physical therapy alone; sensory scores did not differ. Single components cannot be separated.
• PTOTSystematic Review2021Properties of the surface electromyogram following traumatic spinal cord injury: a scoping review.Journal of neuroengineering and rehabilitationSurface EMG can detect residual voluntary muscle signals after spinal cord injury, even when movement seems absent. Most studies reported only signal amplitude. Timing and frequency information were rarely used.
• PTOTCase-Control2021Alterations in intermuscular coordination underlying isokinetic exercise after a stroke and their implications on neurorehabilitation.Journal of neuroengineering and rehabilitationDuring fixed-speed upper limb movements, stroke survivors generated weaker and less accurately directed forces, used fewer coordination patterns than controls, and more impaired participants showed more altered muscle activation.
• PTOTSLPRCT2021Predictors of Instrumental Activities of Daily Living Performance in Patients with Stroke.Occupational therapy internationalFor stroke survivors, how independent they are in basic self-care tasks was the strongest predictor of their ability to manage complex daily activities like shopping or finances. Older age, poorer executive function, and higher depression scores also predicted worse performance.
• OTPilot2021Objective assessment of impulse control disorder in patients with Parkinson's disease using a low-cost LEGO-like EEG headset: a feasibility study.Journal of neuroengineering and rehabilitationA low-cost EEG headset recorded usable brain responses, but impulse-control-related changes after dopamine medication were small and tentative. This pilot cannot guide medication decisions.
• PTOTCohort2020Factors predicting clinically significant functional gain and discharge to home in stroke in-patients after rehabilitation - A retrospective cohort study.Hong Kong journal of occupational therapy : HKJOTYounger stroke in-patients, those with haemorrhagic stroke, and those starting with moderate motor function were linked to clinically important motor gain. Those with family or attendant support and higher admission function were linked to going home.
• PTOTSLPSystematic Review2021Dysphagia in cervical spinal cord injury: How international literature trends can guide South African practice patterns - A scoping review.The South African journal of physiotherapyDysphagia is common in cervical spinal cord injury, often transient but risky due to respiratory compromise. Tracheostomy and ventilation are key markers. In South Africa, speech therapists are scarce, so nurses and physiotherapists should screen for swallowing issues early to prevent pneumonia.
• PTOTSLPCohort2021Participation and quality of life in persons living with spinal cord injury in Norway.Journal of rehabilitation medicinePeople with spinal cord injury who participated more in work and leisure reported higher life satisfaction and mental health. Sociodemographic factors like income and education were stronger predictors of quality of life than the severity of the injury itself.
• OTSLPCohort2021Factors associated with cognitive improvement in subacute stroke survivors.Journal of rehabilitation medicineHalf of subacute stroke survivors with cognitive impairment improved clinically. Patients who could eat independently and interact socially on admission were more likely to improve. This suggests preserved daily function predicts cognitive recovery, not just baseline impairment.
• PTOTSLPQualitative2021Validation of the International Classification of Functioning, Disability and Health Core Sets for traumatic brain injury from Australian community patient perspectives.Journal of rehabilitation medicineAustralian TBI survivors confirmed most standard disability categories but highlighted missing subjective experiences. These included distorted taste, muscle stiffness, and the distress of adjusting to memory gaps. Clinicians should assess these specific sensory and psychological changes, which are often overlooked in standard care.
• PTOTSLPCohort2021A method for measuring time spent in bradykinesia and dyskinesia in people with Parkinson's disease using an ambulatory monitor.Journal of neuroengineering and rehabilitationWrist-worn monitoring quantifies time spent above bradykinesia and dyskinesia targets, correlating with clinical scales and showing larger changes than those scales after treatment. This offers a continuous objective measure for tracking motor fluctuations and therapy response in Parkinson's disease.
• PTOTOther2021Reliable and valid robot-assisted assessments of hand proprioceptive, motor and sensorimotor impairments after stroke.Journal of neuroengineering and rehabilitationA robotic test of the index finger reliably separates stroke patients from healthy controls and correlates with standard clinical scores. It takes about 14 minutes per hand and can distinguish motor from sensory impairments, offering a detailed profile of hand deficits.
• OTMeta-Analysis2021Protocols Used by Occupational Therapists on Shoulder Pain after Stroke: Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis.Occupational therapy internationalAdding electrical stimulation, taping, or dry needling to standard care reduced shoulder pain and improved arm movement in people after stroke. However, these results rest on only four small trials, so the benefit is real but the size of the effect is uncertain.
• PTOTSystematic Review2021Cardiovascular health status of taxi/for-hire vehicle drivers in the United States: A systematic review.Work (Reading, Mass.)US taxi drivers show high rates of cardiovascular risks like hypertension, obesity, and inactivity, but evidence is weak due to small, unrepresentative convenience samples. Screening may be warranted, but findings cannot be generalized to all drivers.
• PTOTRCT2021A robot goes to rehab: a novel gamified system for long-term stroke rehabilitation using a socially assistive robot-methodology and usability testing.Journal of neuroengineering and rehabilitationStroke patients rated a robot-guided game and a computer-screen version of the same game as similarly helpful and enjoyable, with no significant difference between the two. Both groups found the system acceptable, and technical errors did not reduce trust or willingness to keep training.
• PTOTRCT2021Technology-supported sitting balance therapy versus usual care in the chronic stage after stroke: a pilot randomized controlled trial.Journal of neuroengineering and rehabilitationAdding T-Chair sitting-balance training to usual care (physiotherapy and/or occupational therapy with strength, conditioning, task-oriented exercises) was feasible, safe, and improved trunk function, maximum gait speed and balance more than usual care alone.
• PTOTQualitative2021A day in the life: a qualitative study of clinical decision-making and uptake of neurorehabilitation technology.Journal of neuroengineering and rehabilitationTherapists at a tech-rich hospital rarely used devices because setup took too long and games did not match functional goals. They chose familiar tasks instead. Developers must prove devices save time and directly support daily living activities to be adopted.
• PTOTOther2021Stabilization Strategies for Fast Walking in Challenging Environments With Incomplete Spinal Cord Injury.Frontiers in rehabilitation sciencesPeople with incomplete spinal cord injury maintained lateral stability when walking fast, even in a balance-challenging environment. They achieved this by taking more steps and time to complete side maneuvers, prioritizing safety over speed. This suggests they naturally adopt cautious strategies to avoid falls.
• PTOTRCT2021Exoskeleton gait training to improve lower urinary tract function in people with motor-complete spinal cord injury: A randomized pilot trial.Journal of rehabilitation medicineExoskeleton walking was feasible for people with complete spinal cord injury, with high adherence and one minor adverse event. Urinary function changes were minor and variable, though incontinence improved in the Lokomat group. No clear benefit for bladder health was established.
• OTOther2021Occupational performance coaching for stroke survivors delivered via telerehabilitation using a single-case experimental design.The British journal of occupational therapyTelehealth occupational performance coaching for stroke survivors was feasible: six completed, satisfaction averaged 24.8 on an 8-32 scale, and relationships were strong. But only six of 14 goals improved, so it is not proven effective.
• PTOTSLPSurvey2021Predictors of return to work among stroke survivors in south-west Nigeria.Hong Kong journal of occupational therapy : HKJOTStroke survivors in Nigeria returned to work at a 63.8% rate. Those with left-side weakness were far more likely to return than those with right-side weakness. Environmental barriers like transport and workplace access, plus pain and fatigue, significantly hindered return to work.
• PTOTCohort2021Non-motor impairments affect walking kinematics in Parkinson disease patients: A cross-sectional study.NeuroRehabilitationIn early Parkinson's disease, higher fatigue and pain levels correlated with slower walking and longer Timed Up and Go times. Patients with mild cognitive impairment reported worse pain and fatigue than those without, though walking speed did not differ between the groups.
• PTOTCohort2021The impact of visuospatial perception on distance judgment and depth perception in an Augmented Reality environment in patients after stroke: an exploratory study.Journal of neuroengineering and rehabilitationIn patients after stroke, visuospatial deficits make judging the distance of virtual objects harder, especially for everyday items. Quality of stereovision predicted performance in healthy adults, but visuoconstruction was the key factor for patients.
• PTOTSLPOther2021Immediate effect of video viewing with an illusion of walking at a faster speed using virtual reality on actual walking of stroke patients.Journal of physical therapy scienceAfter watching a 2-minute VR video of walking faster than their own pace, 12 stroke patients walked at a slightly faster step rate. Walking speed did not change significantly, and the effect of the illusion on actual walking remains unproven.
• OTSLPSurvey2021Computer-Mediated Communication in Adults With and Without Moderate-to-Severe Traumatic Brain Injury: Survey of Social Media Use.JMIR rehabilitation and assistive technologiesMost adults with moderate-to-severe TBI used social media, often like peers without TBI, but they reported less use of professional platforms and event-related uses, and 12 of 53 said injury changed their use.
• OTOther2021The Influence of Self-Perception on Manipulative Dexterity in Adults with Multiple Sclerosis.Occupational therapy internationalSelf-perception of dexterity predicted objective test scores, but self-reported ability did not correlate with actual performance. ABILHAND scores aligned with quality of life, not the pegboard tests. Assess how patients feel about their hands and their quality of life, not just their speed.
• PTOTSLPQualitative2021The delivery of the ReWork-Stroke program: A process evaluation.Work (Reading, Mass.)Two OTs delivered a stroke return-to-work program to 13 clients. They found workplace visits, building alliances with clients, and coordinating with employers were key. The three-month work trial limit was often too short for clients to fully realize their new limitations.
• PTOTSLPSystematic Review2021Pediatric unilateral spatial neglect: A systematic review.Journal of pediatric rehabilitation medicinePediatric unilateral spatial neglect often persists for years but is missed by simple paper-and-pencil tests. Clinicians should use challenging functional tasks, eye tracking, or age-appropriate tools like the Teddy Bear Cancellation Test to detect it, as standard assessments frequently fail to identify the condition.
• OTSLPNarrative Review2021Acquired Brain Injury in Adults: A Review of Pathophysiology, Recovery, and Rehabilitation.Perspectives of the ASHA special interest groupsYoung adults with acquired brain injury face unique barriers returning to college. Existing cognitive rehabilitation often lacks the intensity and real-world context needed for academic success. A proposed integrated approach combines restorative drills with contextualized, high-intensity training in meaningful settings to better support educational goals.
• PTOTRCT2021Efficacy of wrist robot-aided orthopedic rehabilitation: a randomized controlled trial.Journal of neuroengineering and rehabilitationRobot-assisted wrist rehab matched conventional therapy on standard clinical tests for grip, dexterity, and function. However, patients using the robot showed significantly better range of motion and overall robotic performance scores than those receiving traditional manual therapy.
• PTOTSurvey2021Measuring psychological flexibility and cognitive defusion in individuals with acquired brain injury.Brain injuryDutch questionnaires for acquired brain injury in 73 adults gave consistent scores and showed links with mood, valued living and being stuck in thoughts. They may help therapists monitor injury-related thoughts and being stuck in thoughts during ACT, not prove ACT works.
• PTOTSLPRCT2021Non-invasive brain stimulation in Stroke patients (NIBS): A prospective randomized open blinded end-point (PROBE) feasibility trial using transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS) in post-stroke hemispatial neglect.Neuropsychological rehabilitationA trial of brain stimulation and rod-balancing for post-stroke neglect failed to recruit enough patients. Only 24 were randomized instead of the planned 60, so no statistical conclusions about treatment effectiveness could be drawn.
• PTOTOther2021Profile of social self-management practices in daily life with Parkinson's disease is associated with symptom severity and health quality of life.Disability and rehabilitationPeople with Parkinson's disease had seven social self-management profiles. More engagement in home and community activities tracked with less severe symptoms and better quality of life; support engagement did not clearly explain outcomes.
• PTOTSLPOther2022Visualization of user interactions with a pressure mapping mobile application for wheelchair users at risk for pressure injuries.Assistive technology : the official journal of RESNASix wheelchair users with spinal cord injury used a pressure mapping app for seven days. Most rarely indicated they completed prompted weight shifts, suggesting the live pressure map was more useful than the reminders. Users adjusted settings to reduce alerts after the first day.
• PTOTCohort2022The effect of botulinum toxin-A on neural and non-neural components of wrist hyper-resistance in adults with stroke or cerebral palsy.PM & R : the journal of injury, function, and rehabilitationBotulinum toxin reduced the neural component of wrist stiffness in adults with stroke or cerebral palsy, but did not change non-neural tissue stiffness. Clinical function scores showed minimal improvement, and the study lacked a control group.
• PTOTCohort2021Long-Term Observational Results from the ASPIRE Study: OnabotulinumtoxinA Treatment for Adult Lower Limb Spasticity.PM & R : the journal of injury, function, and rehabilitationIn real-world practice, botulinum toxin injections for lower limb spasticity improved walking, dressing, and pain over two years, with high satisfaction. However, nearly 40% of patients dropped out, and pain data relied on a minority of responses, so this describes typical care rather than proof of efficacy.
• PTOTCohort2021The Course of Physical Capacity in Wheelchair Users During Training for the HandbikeBattle and at 1-Yr Follow-up.American journal of physical medicine & rehabilitationHandbikeBattle training raised physical capacity, and gains held at 1 year for the whole group. However, capacity dropped significantly in those who did not compete again, while it remained stable or slightly improved in those who did. Having a future event goal appeared key to maintaining fitness.
• PTOTRCT2021Cardiometabolic Effects of High-Intensity Hybrid Functional Electrical Stimulation Exercise after Spinal Cord Injury.PM & R : the journal of injury, function, and rehabilitationSix months of high-intensity FES rowing improved aerobic capacity in people with spinal cord injury but did not reduce the prevalence of cardiometabolic disease. BMI increased slightly, and only one participant met the recommended exercise frequency. This intervention alone did not change metabolic health outcomes.
• PTOTSLPOther2022Psychometric analysis of the behavioral assessment screening tool (BAST) in adults with stroke.Topics in stroke rehabilitationThe BAST screening tool showed good reliability for mood, fatigue, and executive function in adults with stroke. It separated stroke survivors from healthy controls on these subscales, but failed for impulsivity and substance abuse. The study included very few stroke patients.
• PTOTSLPCohort2022Emotion recognition impairments and social well-being following right-hemisphere stroke.Neuropsychological rehabilitationChronic right-hemisphere stroke patients with poorer emotion recognition reported losing more social activities. This link held even after accounting for stroke severity and physical limitations. Screening for emotion recognition deficits may help identify patients at risk of social isolation.
• PTOTSLPNarrative Review2022The Value of High Intensity Locomotor Training Applied to Patients With Acute-Onset Neurologic Injury.Archives of physical medicine and rehabilitationHigh-intensity walking training improves cardiovascular capacity and walking endurance in stroke and spinal cord injury patients, often without adverse events. Therapists can use step counts or perceived exertion to guide intensity when heart rate monitoring is unavailable, though achieving high intensities remains difficult for severely impaired patients.
• PTOTSLPSurvey2021Exploring the Factors that Influence Workforce Participation for People with Multiple Sclerosis: A Discrete Choice Experiment.Journal of occupational rehabilitationFor people with MS, the impact of work on other life aspects and supportive workplace culture were the strongest drivers of job preference. Physical workplace alterations were less important overall, though their value varied significantly by job type and MS course.
• PTOTRCT2022Effectiveness of Group Wheelchair Maintenance Training for People with Spinal Cord Injury: A Randomized Controlled Trial.Archives of physical medicine and rehabilitationGroup training improved wheelchair users' ability to perform maintenance and their actual maintenance behavior, with gains sustained up to one year. Knowledge scores did not improve for manual wheelchair users, and improvements for power wheelchair users faded by one year.
• PTOTSLPSurvey2022Important-performance analysis to conceptualize goal priorities in community dwelling stroke survivors.Topics in stroke rehabilitationFor stroke survivors living in the community, goals like hand function, driving, balance, memory, and arm strength were consistently prioritized when rated against their current performance. Speech goals did not emerge as a priority for this group, likely because most participants already performed well in this area.
• PTOTSurvey2022Factors Influencing Incidence of Wheelchair Repairs and Consequences Among Individuals with Spinal Cord Injury.Archives of physical medicine and rehabilitationOver half of wheelchair users with spinal cord injury needed repairs in six months, and 42% of those experienced adverse consequences like being stranded or missing appointments. Power wheelchair users, those with older chairs, and Black individuals faced significantly higher risks.
• PTOTSLPRCT2022Lesion location may attenuate response to strategy training in acute stroke.PM & R : the journal of injury, function, and rehabilitationStrategy training helped fewer patients when stroke damaged specific deep brain regions linked to goal-setting. This lesion pattern was rare, found in only 25 of 173 patients. The finding is an association, not proof that location causes the poor response.
• OTSystematic Review2021Treatments for sleep disturbances in individuals with acquired brain injury: A systematic review.Clinical rehabilitationCognitive behavioral therapy packages for sleep problems after chronic acquired brain injury improved self-reported sleep in small studies; melatonin, amitriptyline and acupuncture showed limited or short-term benefit.
• PTOTRCT2021The effectiveness of a family-centred intervention after traumatic brain injury: A pragmatic randomised controlled trial.Clinical rehabilitationAdding an eight-session family intervention to standard outpatient rehabilitation did not improve mental health quality of life, caregiver burden, or family functioning compared to standard care alone. Both groups improved over time, but the family sessions provided no extra benefit.
• PTOTOther2021Measurement Properties of the Full and Brief Version of the Work Rehabilitation Questionnaire in Persons with Physical Disabilities.Journal of occupational rehabilitationThe Dutch Work Rehabilitation Questionnaire is reliable for groups but too noisy for tracking individual patient progress. The full and brief versions do not match closely enough to swap between them. Use one version consistently if you must monitor change, though group-level research remains valid.
• PTOTSLPQualitative2021'Somebody stuck me in a bag of sand': Lived experiences of the altered and uncomfortable body after stroke.Clinical rehabilitationStroke survivors described their affected body as feeling 'disappearing', 'reappearing', 'uncontrollable' and 'isolated'. These strange sensations caused physical and psychological discomfort. Patients struggled to describe these experiences to clinicians, often feeling abandoned and unsure if any treatment could help.