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 32 OF 56 · NEWEST FIRST

• PTOTSLPOther2023Translation and adaptation of the stroke-specific quality of life scale into Swahili.The South African journal of physiotherapyA stroke quality-of-life questionnaire was translated into Swahili and checked with 32 people with stroke. 46 of 49 items were understood, and average scores were 82 for English and 81 for Swahili on a 49 to 245 scale, though vision items needed revision.
• PTOTCohort2023Hours and costs of formal and informal care following Traumatic Brain Injury and Spinal Cord Injury sustained through Motor Vehicle Accidents: A Cross-sectional Study.Journal of rehabilitation medicinePeople with spinal cord injury used more care hours and cost more annually than those with brain injury. Informal care by family or friends made up the largest share of costs for both groups, exceeding formal paid services.
• PTOTPilot2023Remote Delivery of the Fugl-Meyer Assessment for the Upper Extremity: A Pilot Study to Assess Feasibility, Reliability, and Validity.Archives of rehabilitation research and clinical translationRemote administration of the Fugl-Meyer Upper Extremity test showed poor reliability and validity compared to in-person testing. Total scores disagreed significantly between therapists and between remote and in-person methods, meaning current remote protocols cannot accurately replace standard assessment.
• PTOTOther2023Characteristics of corticomuscular coupling during wheelchair Tai Chi in patients with spinal cord injury.Journal of neuroengineering and rehabilitationWheelchair Tai Chi produced stronger brain-to-muscle coupling in several pathways than aerobic exercise, but no difference in overall cortical activity. Patients showed higher muscle activation than healthy controls, suggesting they compensate for reduced connectivity by working harder.
• OTOther2022Rethinking Driving Against Medical Advice: The Situated Nature of Driving After Stroke.Canadian journal of occupational therapy. Revue canadienne d'ergotherapie
• PTOTOther2023Outcomes of Implementing a Webinar-Based Strategy to Improve Spinal Cord Injury Knowledge and Community Building: Convergent Mixed Methods Study.JMIR rehabilitation and assistive technologiesMost attendees were people with SCI or health care providers in urban areas. They reported knowledge gains and changed disability views, but webinars strengthened existing peer ties rather than building a broad community.
• PTOTSurvey2023Perceived impact of the COVID-19 pandemic among people with spinal cord injury: A descriptive study.Archives of rehabilitation research and clinical translationMost people with spinal cord injury reported the pandemic negatively affected their community participation. Over half of those needing personal care attendants relied more on family, and a quarter delayed medical treatments due to fear of infection, though difficulties obtaining basic supplies were less common.
• PTOTSLPOther2023The Oxford Cognitive Screen for use with Australian people after stroke (OCS-AU): The adaptation process and determining cut scores for cognitive impairment using a cross-sectional normative study.Australian occupational therapy journalThe Oxford Cognitive Screen was adapted for Australian English. Normative data showed that Australian scores matched the original UK cut scores for almost all items, meaning clinicians can use the existing thresholds to identify specific cognitive deficits after stroke.
• PTOTSLPCohort2023Adherence to Guidelines for Acute Rehabilitation in the Norwegian Trauma Plan.Journal of rehabilitation medicineAdherence to Norwegian trauma rehabilitation guidelines was poor. Only 18% of ICU patients stayed 3+ days received a specialist assessment within 72 hours. Just 22% of all patients transferred directly to specialized rehabilitation, leaving many with severe injuries without timely acute care.
• PTOTOther2023Long-term forecasting of a motor outcome following rehabilitation in chronic stroke via a hierarchical bayesian dynamic model.Journal of neuroengineering and rehabilitationA computer model predicted upper-limb recovery in chronic stroke patients by combining their initial scores with repeated progress checks. Accuracy improved significantly as more data arrived. The model worked best after the second week of therapy, offering reliable forecasts for six months ahead.
• PTOTSLPOther2023Models of Telehealth Service Delivery in Adults With Spinal Cord Injuries: Scoping Review.JMIR rehabilitation and assistive technologiesTelehealth and telerehabilitation services for adults with spinal cord injury showed inconsistent effectiveness. While some studies reported improved physical activity, pain, and wound care outcomes, others showed no benefit for psychosocial health or quality of life.
• PTOTCohort2023Objective quantification of responses to the clinical pull-test in people with Parkinson's disease.Gait & postureAn instrumented pull-test measured on a gait mat showed people with Parkinson's took shorter and slower backward steps than controls. These measurements correlated with motor severity scores, offering a way to track subtle balance changes before clinical scores shift.
• OTOther2023Exercise repetition rate measured with simple sensors at home can be used to estimate Upper Extremity Fugl-Meyer score after stroke.Frontiers in rehabilitation sciencesIn 41 people after stroke, how fast they reached to a target estimated arm motor scores. At home, a model using final reaching performance estimated about 70% of score differences, but unsupervised performance was less consistent.
• OTSLPCohort2023Psychosocial Factors Associated with Prolonged Length of Stay in Acquired Brain Injury Rehabilitation: A Retrospective Cohort Study.Journal of rehabilitation medicinePatients living in communal settings before admission were 14 times more likely to stay beyond their target discharge date. Not having a driver's licence also predicted longer stays. These social factors blocked discharge logistics rather than reflecting poor rehabilitation progress.
• PTOTSLPCohort2023Measurement Properties of the Patient-Specific Functional Scale in Rehabilitation for Patients With Stroke: A Prospective Observational Study.Physical therapyThe Patient-Specific Functional Scale works well for tracking patient goals during inpatient stroke rehabilitation, even when patients have cognitive or language impairments. A change of at least 2 points indicates real improvement beyond measurement error. However, the scale becomes less useful after discharge as patients hit a ceiling.
• OTCohort2023Social participation and health-related quality of life before and during the second wave of the Covid-19 pandemic in individuals with traumatic brain injury: A follow-up exploratory correlational study.Journal of rehabilitation medicineDuring the second pandemic wave, 18 adults with brain injury had unchanged social participation but lower quality of life, especially emotionally. More trouble accessing basic resources was linked to worse daily life, emotions, and physical problems.
• PTOTCohort2023Relative Aerobic Load of Daily Activities After Stroke.Physical therapyStroke survivors expend a much higher percentage of their limited aerobic capacity on daily tasks like walking and sweeping than healthy peers, even when moving slower. This suggests slow pace is a protective strategy against fatigue, not just a motor deficit.
• PTOTRCT2023Efficacy of interactive manual dexterity training after stroke: a pilot single-blinded randomized controlled trial.Journal of neuroengineering and rehabilitationDextrain training did not improve gross hand dexterity more than conventional therapy immediately after treatment. However, Dextrain showed greater gains in specific finger control tasks and a non-significant trend for better dexterity at 3-month follow-up.
• PTOTPilot2023Fully immersive virtual reality exergames with dual-task components for patients with Parkinson's disease: a feasibility study.Journal of neuroengineering and rehabilitationTwelve patients with Parkinson's disease completed a seated virtual reality boxing and stepping program without dropouts or serious side effects. Balance and executive function scores improved significantly, but walking speed and dual-task interference did not reach statistical significance.
• PTOTCohort2023Venous thromboembolism and anticoagulation in spinal cord lesion rehabilitation inpatients: A 10-year retrospective study.NeuroRehabilitationStandard low-dose enoxaparin prophylaxis reduced VTE rates compared to historical data but failed to prevent them in 3% of patients during rehabilitation. Late VTEs occurred after discontinuation, and side effects were rare, suggesting the current regimen is insufficient and requires risk-adapted dosing and duration.
• PTOTSLPOther2023Problem solving and collaborative involvement among adolescents with spinal cord injury and their caregivers.Frontiers in rehabilitation sciencesAdolescents with spinal cord injury who perceived their caregivers as collaborative partners in their daily care showed better positive and rational problem-solving skills. This association held even when accounting for the caregivers' own problem-solving abilities.
• OTCohort2022Linking Prioritized Occupational Performance in Patients Undergoing Spasticity-Correcting Upper Limb Surgery to the International Classification of Functioning, Disability, and Health.Occupational therapy internationalPatients undergoing spasticity surgery prioritized self-care, domestic life, and mobility goals. Their perceived performance and satisfaction improved significantly at 12 months. However, these subjective gains did not correlate with objective improvements in grip strength or grasp ability.
• PTOTPilot2023Suitability of visual cues for freezing of gait in patients with idiopathic Parkinson's disease: a case-control pilot study.Journal of neuroengineering and rehabilitationLaser shoes reduced freezing episodes in Parkinson's patients with milder symptoms and specific brain scan findings, but were ineffective for those with severe freezing. This pilot suggests early intervention may work better, but the small sample size prevents firm conclusions.
• OTCohort2023A retrospective study on return to living alone of stroke patients who were living alone before stroke.Journal of physical therapy scienceStroke patients who lived alone before onset were more likely to return home when functional score (FIM) at discharge was 91 or higher and social score was low. Social problems lowered return rates even when ADL scores were high.
• PTOTSLPCohort2023Executive function improvement in response to meta-cognitive training in chronic mTBI / PTSD.Frontiers in rehabilitation sciencesVeterans with mild TBI and PTSD who received Goal Management Training plus a smartphone app for home practice showed significant improvements in executive function and life role participation. This uncontrolled pilot suggests the combined approach aids transfer of skills to daily life.
• PTOTSLPPilot2023An Intensive Exercise Program Using a Technology-Enriched Rehabilitation Gym for the Recovery of Function in People With Chronic Stroke: Usability Study.JMIR rehabilitation and assistive technologiesPeople with chronic stroke found a tech-heavy gym program feasible, attending 82% of planned sessions. They valued equipment feedback but needed professional supervision for safety. While physical scores improved, the study did not test whether the intervention caused these changes.
• PTOTQualitative2023Struggling to Keep Up and Have a Good Life: A Qualitative Study of Living With Impaired Balance Control Due to Multiple Sclerosis.Physical therapyPeople with multiple sclerosis described balance as shifting from an automatic skill to one requiring constant attention. Fatigue, unpredictable daily capacity, and busy environments made walking unsafe and exhausting. They managed this by prioritizing energy and accepting limits to keep doing what mattered.
• PTOTSLPNarrative Review2023Patient's assessment and prediction of recovery after stroke: a roadmap for clinicians.Archives of physiotherapyA stepwise guide to predicting stroke recovery using tools like PREP2 for arm function and TWIST for walking. These algorithms help set realistic goals but require clinical judgement, as long-term accuracy is only established for PREP2.
• PTOTOther2023Evaluating the usability of a co-designed power assisted exercise graphical user interface for people with stroke.Journal of neuroengineering and rehabilitationStroke survivors and therapists tested two versions of a power-assisted exercise interface. Version 2 fixed major navigation and feedback problems, but new features confused users and one safety change was judged too risky.
• PTOTCohort2023Balance assessment in selected stages of Parkinson's disease using trend change analysis.Journal of neuroengineering and rehabilitationA new balance metric called the Trend Change Index (TCI) successfully distinguished Parkinson's patients from healthy controls in both early and later stages. Unlike standard speed measurements, this metric detected balance differences in Stage II patients who otherwise looked normal on traditional tests.
• PTOTSLPOther2023The structure of the Early Rehabilitation Barthel Index (ERBI) should be modified: evidence from a Rasch analysis study.European journal of physical and rehabilitation medicineThe Early Rehabilitation Barthel Index fails to accurately measure functional changes in patients with severe acquired brain injury. Most patients scored at the lowest possible level, meaning the test cannot distinguish between different degrees of impairment or track recovery in this population.
• PTOTSLPOther2023Utilization of overground exoskeleton gait training during inpatient rehabilitation: a descriptive analysis.Journal of neuroengineering and rehabilitationPatients with stroke, spinal cord injury, and traumatic brain injury tolerated progressively longer and more independent walking in overground exoskeletons during inpatient rehabilitation. Therapists used specific clinical milestones to decide when to start, challenge, and stop the device, but no control group proves this approach improves outcomes.
• PTOTSLPQualitative2023Exploring community reintegration among Nigerian stroke survivors.The South African journal of physiotherapyTwelve Nigerian stroke survivors described how mobility and communication barriers stopped them working, cooking or socialising. Those who returned to roles relied on family support and a positive mindset. This reports their lived experience, not evidence that any specific intervention improves reintegration.
• PTOTSLPNarrative Review2023EARLY CONSIDERATIONS OF GENETICS IN APHASIA REHABILITATION: A NARRATIVE REVIEW.AphasiologyGenetic factors like BDNF and APOE may influence how well patients recover language after a stroke. This review suggests these genes could help match patients to specific therapies, such as brain stimulation, but no genetic testing is currently used in routine clinical care.
• PTOTSLPCohort2023Predicting institutionalization after Subacute Stroke Rehabilitation using the 12-Item World Health Organization Disability Assessment Schedule.Journal of rehabilitation medicineA 12-item disability questionnaire completed by caregivers at discharge accurately predicted which stroke patients would need institutional care. Scores above 27.7 indicated a high likelihood of institutionalization. Participation limitations were as predictive as daily activity limitations, suggesting discharge planning should weigh social engagement heavily.
• PTOTRCT2023Robotic arm training in neurorehabilitation enhanced by augmented reality - a usability and feasibility study.Journal of neuroengineering and rehabilitationA prototype robot arm plus HoloLens game was safe and usable in patients with upper limb weakness, but patients rated reliability lower than established arm robots.
• PTOTCohort2023Impairments of the ipsilesional upper-extremity in the first 6-months post-stroke.Journal of neuroengineering and rehabilitationRobot testing found significant arm impairment in nearly half of stroke survivors one week after stroke. By six months, this dropped to 14%. Standard clinical scales missed many of these deficits, identifying only 16% of patients as impaired. Side of brain injury did not affect impairment severity.
• PTOTSLPCase Report2023Anodal Contralesional tDCS Enhances CST Excitability Bilaterally in an Adolescent with Hemiparetic Cerebral Palsy: A Brief Report.Developmental neurorehabilitationIn one adolescent with cerebral palsy, anodal tDCS to the contralesional hemisphere increased corticospinal tract excitability bilaterally for 30 minutes. This neurophysiologic change was not seen with sham stimulation. Clinical motor outcomes were not measured.
• PTOTSLPOther2023Development of expert consensus to guide physical rehabilitation in children and adolescents with acquired brain injury during the subacute phase.Journal of rehabilitation medicineExperts agreed physical rehab for children with brain injury must be family-centred and participation-focused, but could not agree on optimal dose. They set 'following simple commands' as the minimum cognitive bar for active participation, while leaving specific frequency and intensity decisions to clinical judgment.
• OTQualitative2023Acceptability of a Telerehabilitation Biofeedback System Among Stroke Survivors: A Qualitative Analysis.OTJR : occupation, participation and healthFour stroke survivors found home EMG biofeedback games acceptable when they could see and use small arm movement attempts, customize games and sensor placement, and get reliable support. Unpredictable sensors and technical failures were barriers.
• PTOTRCT2023sEMG-controlled forearm bracelet and serious game-based rehabilitation for training manual dexterity in people with multiple sclerosis: a randomised controlled trial.Journal of neuroengineering and rehabilitationFor people with MS, adding MYO Armband games to conventional physical therapy did not improve the main gross manual dexterity outcome. Some wrist motion and grip strength differences appeared, but the Armband's separate effect cannot be separated.
• PTOTSLPRCT2023Effect of very early supported discharge versus usual care on activi-ties of daily living ability after mild stroke: a randomized controlled trial.Journal of rehabilitation medicineVery early supported discharge sped up recovery of complex daily tasks like shopping and transport. By three months, home-based teams helped patients with mild stroke do these tasks better than usual care, but the groups were equal by one year.
• OTCohort2023Examining Usability, Acceptability, and Adoption of a Self-Directed, Technology-Based Intervention for Upper Limb Rehabilitation After Stroke: Cohort Study.JMIR rehabilitation and assistive technologiesMost stroke survivors could use a self-directed gaming device, averaging 26 minutes of daily arm training. However, those with more severe strokes found it less acceptable. Usability and ease of use predicted actual daily use, while intent to use did not.
• PTOTSLPQualitative2023Goal-setting and personalization under the International Classification of Functioning, Disability, and Health framework: Community reintegration program for post-stroke patients.Frontiers in rehabilitation sciencesPost-stroke patients shifted from setting vague goals like 'walking better' to specific, environment-based goals like 'using the subway' after goal-setting with therapists. This suggests that prompting patients to describe their real-life contexts early in rehab helps them define more meaningful and achievable targets for community reintegration.
• PTOTSLPCohort2023Aphasia improvement without logotherapy during motor neurorehabilitation of post-stroke hemiparesis using virtual reality or modified constraint-induced movement therapy: A retrospective cohort.NeuroRehabilitationSevere post-stroke aphasia improved in all three motor rehab groups without speech therapy. Virtual reality yielded the highest language scores and satisfaction. The contribution of each component cannot be separated from general motor training.
• PTOTMeta-Analysis2023Shoulder ultrasound imaging in the post-stroke population: a systematic review and meta-analysis.Journal of rehabilitation medicineUltrasound scans of hemiplegic shoulders in post-stroke patients frequently show damage to the biceps tendon (41.4%) and supraspinatus tendon (33.2%). These structural issues are significantly more common on the affected side than the unaffected side, but motor function severity did not predict the presence of these lesions.
• PTOTOther2023Quality of Physical Activity Participation Among Adults with Disabilities Through Pandemic Restriction.Canadian journal of occupational therapy. Revue canadienne d'ergotherapieAdults with disabilities described losing independence and motivation during pandemic restrictions. They adapted by using home exercises and online classes, but relied heavily on social support. No baseline factor predicted later quality of activity, so clinicians cannot assume one variable drives participation.
• OTRCT2023Effects of anodal tDCS on electroencephalography correlates of cognitive control in mild-to-moderate traumatic brain injury.NeuroRehabilitationAnodal tDCS combined with cognitive training increased brain activity markers on an executive function task but not on working memory or attention tasks. The study was small and used EEG outcomes, not behavioral improvements, so it does not yet support changing clinical practice for TBI rehabilitation.
• PTOTOther2023Telehealth Delivery of Evidence-Based Intervention Within Older Adult Populations: A Scoping Review.OTJR : occupation, participation and healthTelehealth delivery of evidence-based occupational therapy for older adults is feasible and often preferred by clients, but it does not consistently outperform in-person care. Success depends on adapting activities for the screen and ensuring clients have reliable technology access and support.
• OTOther2023Cognitive Rehabilitation: Mild Traumatic Brain Injury and Relevance of OTPF.Occupational therapy internationalThis scoping review maps existing cognitive rehabilitation programs for adults with mild traumatic brain injury against the Occupational Therapy Practice Framework. It identifies that most programs target occupation and client factors, providing a structure for OTs to align treatment with functional daily living goals.