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 52 OF 56 · NEWEST FIRST

• PTOTSystematic Review2026Gait analysis methods in people with spinal cord injury: a systematic review.Journal of neuroengineering and rehabilitationGait analysis in walking people with spinal cord injury relies mostly on speed and joint angles, not forces or muscle activity. Wearable sensors are gaining ground, but no standard protocol exists, so you cannot compare scores between clinics.
• PTOTSLPCohort2026Impact of Pneumonia on Rehabilitation Outcomes: A Large Observational Study.Archives of rehabilitation research and clinical translationStroke patients who developed pneumonia had worse rehabilitation outcomes than those who did not. They had higher mortality, longer hospital stays, and a greater risk of poor functional recovery at 3 and 6 months, with hospital-acquired pneumonia showing a stronger long-term impact than early-onset pneumonia.
• OTSLPPilot2026The Schools Unified in Neurodiversity Collaborative: Co-designing a program to enhance educator knowledge and efficacy supporting children with neurodevelopmental disabilities.Autism : the international journal of research and practiceIn one U.S. district, 192 educators reported higher neurodiversity knowledge and confidence after a 6-hour co-designed training. They also found the tools feasible. No child outcomes were measured.
• PTOTCase Report2026A self-made suspension trainer as a tool for core muscle activation and motivation in a girl with cognitive and motor impairments: a case report.Frontiers in rehabilitation sciencesA therapist-built rope and stick trainer helped one 13-year-old girl with severe impairments increase core exercise repetitions from 1–2 to 10–15. The caregiver reported better posture and willingness to participate, but no standardized measures were used.
• OTCase Series2026Vagus Nerve Stimulation Paired With Upper Extremity Rehabilitation for Chronic Stroke: Real-World Implementation and Outcomes.Archives of rehabilitation research and clinical translationIn a case series of 35 chronic stroke patients, those receiving paired VNS therapy with occupational therapy showed an average 10.8-point improvement on upper extremity motor scores. Most exceeded the minimal clinically important difference. However, without a control group, it is unclear if the VNS device or the intensive therapy drove these gains.
• OTRCT2026Usability and effectiveness of a novel bilateral upper limb training device for stroke patients with hemiparesis: a pilot randomized controlled study.Journal of neuroengineering and rehabilitationTraining with the device plus occupational therapy did not improve upper limb scores more than conventional bilateral training plus occupational therapy. Both groups improved similarly, and usability was acceptable.
• PTOTCohort2026Motor Function Profiling and Its Impact on Health-Related Quality of Life in Childhood Stroke Survivors.Archives of rehabilitation research and clinical translationChildhood stroke survivors were below test norms in manual coordination and strength/agility, which were linked with lower parent-reported quality of life and function. Motor daily skills were largely preserved; cognitive daily skills were not.
• PTOTCohort2026Stroke Recovery Program Incorporating Moderate-Intensity Aerobic Exercise Provides Sustained Improvement of Function: A 1-Year Follow-Up Study.Archives of rehabilitation research and clinical translationStroke survivors who added a 36-session aerobic exercise and risk factor education program to prescribed physical, occupational and speech therapy showed higher mobility and daily activity scores at 1 year. Cognitive scores did not differ significantly.
• PTOTSLPPilot2026Exoskeletal-Assisted Training in Veterans With Chronic Stroke: A Pilot Study.Archives of rehabilitation research and clinical translationAdding a knee exoskeleton to standard training was safe and feasible for veterans with chronic stroke. While the small study showed improved walking speed and stair power in the device group, these gains were not significantly different from the control group, so efficacy remains unproven.
• PTOTCohort2026Rehabilitation Dose Contributes to Improvement in Transfer and Mobility Activities Among Patients With Ischemic Stroke Who Required Assistance Before Hospitalization: A Nationwide Database Observational Study.Archives of rehabilitation research and clinical translationFor severely dependent stroke patients, more daily rehabilitation in the first 14 days was linked to greater achievement in sitting, transfer, and wheelchair mobility at 30 days. This is an association, not proof of cause.
• PTOTCohort2026Characterizing visual compensation for proprioceptive impairments during the subacute phase of stroke.Journal of neuroengineering and rehabilitationMost stroke survivors improved arm position sense by 26 weeks, but 22%, 13%, and 9% still could not fully compensate for errors by looking at their arm.
• PTOTOther2026Manual Dexterity in Patients with Disorder of Consciousness.Archives of rehabilitation research and clinical translationIn 60 patients with disorders of consciousness, more hand movement was linked to minimally conscious state, while arm movement was not. Check both hands when assessing consciousness; this is an association, not proof of treatment effect.
• PTOTSLPCohort2026Trajectories and Predictors of Activity Participation Among People with Parkinson Disease: A 3-Year Longitudinal Study.Archives of rehabilitation research and clinical translationParticipation levels in people with Parkinson disease remained stable over three years, but depressive symptoms predicted immediate drops in activity. Patients with milder symptoms still lost participation over time, so monitor mood and social support in all patients, not just those with severe depression.
• PTOTPilot2026Neural Effects of Low-Frequency Acupoint Electrical Stimulation Therapy on Patients With Poststroke Motor Dysfunction: A Resting-State Functional Magnetic Resonance Imaging Study.Archives of rehabilitation research and clinical translationPatients with subacute stroke who received low-frequency acupoint electrical stimulation showed improved motor function and daily living scores. Brain scans revealed increased activity in the right motor network and decreased activity in the left cerebellum. Changes in the right motor area correlated with better motor recovery.
• PTOTSLPCohort2026Clinical Determinants of Functional Independence at Discharge in Patients With Spinal Cord Dysfunction Due to Metastatic Spinal Tumors.Archives of rehabilitation research and clinical translationIn patients with spinal metastases, only 23 of 153 achieved functional independence at discharge. Rapid tumor growth, severe motor impairment, high inflammation, and persistent pain predicted dependence. Neurologic level and spinal instability did not. Early prognostic assessment should guide goals from intensive training to supportive care.
• OTRCT2026Effect of a Video-Guided Swallowing Exercise Program on Adherence in Stroke Patients with Dysphagia: A Randomized Controlled Trial.DysphagiaStroke patients given a video-guided swallowing exercise program showed significantly better adherence than those using a printed handbook, but swallowing function improved similarly in both groups. The video helped people stick with the exercises without producing greater functional gains.
• PTOTRCT2026Extending reach: hybrid robotic-functional electrical stimulation training for post-stroke upper extremity rehabilitation.Journal of neuroengineering and rehabilitationAdding multi-muscle electrical stimulation to robot-assisted reaching training improved how far people with chronic stroke could reach and reduced arm stiffness more than robot training alone. The study was small, non-blinded, and tested only six weeks of therapy.
• PTOTPilot2026Can neurologic music therapy make the difference when using immersive virtual reality in Parkinson disease motor training? Promising findings from a secondary analysis.Frontiers in rehabilitation sciencesAdding music therapy to virtual reality treadmill training for Parkinson's did not improve overall balance or walking scores more than VR alone. However, the music group showed better turning speed and trunk control, suggesting music helps with timing rather than general mobility.
• PTOTSLPCohort2025Utilization of Neurology and Allied Health Services by People With Parkinson's Disease in Israel: A Retrospective Observational Study.Journal of neurologic physical therapy : JNPTPeople with Parkinson's in Israel rarely used therapy services. Only about one in five used physical therapy, and speech therapy use was under 4%. Women and Arab patients were less likely to access care. Physical therapy use in early disease linked to more hospitalizations, possibly reflecting sicker patients.
• PTOTSystematic Review2026Does more rehabilitation lead to better upper limb outcomes after stroke? A systematic review.Frontiers in rehabilitation sciencesIncreasing upper-limb therapy dose showed a positive effect on Fugl-Meyer scores but not on Action Research Arm Test scores overall. Significant gains on the arm test only appeared when therapy time was more than doubled, suggesting a high dose is needed for functional change.
• OTCohort2026Towards an understanding of disturbed sleep phenotypes after traumatic spinal cord injury.Journal of rehabilitation medicineIn Veterans with traumatic spinal cord injury, sleep problems were common but often not recorded. Sleep apnoea clustered with heart and metabolic conditions; insomnia clustered with anxiety and post-traumatic stress disorder.
• PTOTMeta-Analysis2025Effects of meeting exercise guidelines on depression and anxiety in multiple sclerosis - a systematic review and meta-analysis.Physiotherapy theory and practiceExercise meeting MS guidelines reduced depression scores by 4.46 points, exceeding the threshold for noticeable improvement. However, the effect on anxiety was not significant. The evidence is weak due to high risk of bias in most included trials.
• PTOTSLPSystematic Review2026Meta-synthesis of qualitative studies on home-based exercise rehabilitation experiences among stroke patients: a continuity of care perspective.Frontiers in rehabilitation sciencesStroke survivors described home exercise as failing when discharge guidance stopped and succeeding when nurses, family, or peers provided ongoing feedback. Clinicians should treat the first weeks post-discharge as a high-risk gap requiring active follow-up, not just education.
• PTOTSLPPilot2026Body-weight supported treadmill or total body recumbent stepper for mobility-adapted cardiopulmonary exercise testing in multiple sclerosis patients with varying disability.Frontiers in rehabilitation sciencesPeople with multiple sclerosis achieved similar peak oxygen uptake on both a recumbent stepper and a supported treadmill, but more met criteria for a maximal test on the stepper. Half could not finish the treadmill due to leg symptoms. The stepper may be more reliable for assessing fitness in those with mobility disability.
• PTOTSLPCohort2026Comparing people with persisting post-concussion symptoms from an emergency department-based research sample with patients in a clinical rehabilitation sample: an explorative, retrospective analysis.Journal of rehabilitation medicinePatients referred to rehab for post-concussion symptoms had worse function and lower return-to-work than those tracked from emergency departments. Emergency-based studies do not represent the severity of patients seeking specialist care. Assess functional participation, not just symptom counts.
• PTOTProtocol2026Outdoor bicycle training following stroke: protocol development, feasibility testing and application guidelines.Frontiers in rehabilitation sciencesFive stroke survivors with mild-to-moderate deficits completed a 3-week group outdoor cycling program. All rated it highly satisfying and improved confidence and personal cycling goals. Balance and general mobility scores did not change significantly, and two minor falls occurred.
• PTOTRCT2026Identifying candidates for torque-assisted exoskeleton for gait assistance after stroke: a pre-specified subgroup analysis.European journal of physical and rehabilitation medicinePatients with severe walking impairment (FAC 0-1) walked faster and further with the exoskeleton on. Patients with better baseline walking ability performed worse when wearing it. Functional Ambulatory Category was the only factor predicting who would benefit.
• PTOTRCT2026Efficacy of different frequencies of extracorporeal shockwave on plantar flexor spasticity of the ankle in patients with stroke: a single-center, prospective, single-blind, randomized controlled trial.Journal of neuroengineering and rehabilitationAdding shockwave therapy to standard rehab reduced calf tightness and improved ankle flexibility in stroke patients. Both 4 Hz and 10 Hz frequencies worked, but 4 Hz showed a greater reduction in muscle stiffness after three weeks.
• PTOTQualitative2026Commonalities in rehabilitation data across diverse health conditions: a comparison of seven large European databases.Journal of rehabilitation medicineRehabilitation databases across Europe share some categories, but no variables are common to all. They mostly record biomedical and impairment data, with activities, participation and psychosocial factors underrepresented.
• PTOTSLPOther2025Association between walking space and physical activity for hospitalized patients with stroke: a cross-sectional study.Journal of physical therapy scienceStroke patients allowed to walk in the ward or hospital had more light activity and less sitting than those walking only in their room. Room-bound independence matched dependent patients. Set mobility goals by space, not just walking ability.
• PTOTSLPSurvey2026Quality of rehabilitation care in Portuguese stroke units: findings from 2017-2018 and 2023 national cross‑sectional surveys.Journal of rehabilitation medicinePortuguese stroke units improved multidisciplinary meetings and discharge coordination over six years. However, fully staffed teams remained rare, weekend assessments lagged significantly behind weekdays, and neurogenic bladder screening was almost never performed.
• PTOTOther2026Telerehabilitation Following Stroke: Development of Training Content and Evaluation of an App-Based Training Program.JMIR rehabilitation and assistive technologiesPatients with moderate-to-severe stroke rated a new app-based exercise program as user-friendly, but adherence to the exercises was low during the one-week test. Therapists liked the system, yet the study cannot show whether it improves recovery.
• PTOTOther2026Resting-state and task-state fNIRS fusion assessment method for upper limb motor function in stroke patients.Journal of neuroengineering and rehabilitationCombining resting and hand-grasp fNIRS measures with clinical data predicted upper-limb Fugl-Meyer scores better than either fNIRS measure alone. Cortical stroke predictions were closest. Subcortical stroke predictions remained less accurate.
• PTOTOther2026Make it fun but keep it simple: EEG reveals the impact of easy yet engaging games for stroke rehabilitation.Journal of neuroengineering and rehabilitationStroke survivors showed a brain pattern linked to effort only during the visually engaging game, not the plain version. Increasing difficulty made the task harder but did not increase this brain activation. For your patients, keeping games simple and engaging may support attention better than adding challenges.
• PTOTSLPOther2026Patient-centered goal-setting in stroke rehabilitation: a scoping review.Frontiers in rehabilitation sciencesGoal-setting in stroke rehabilitation varies widely, with no standard procedure ensuring it is patient-centered. Most studies focused on initial goal-setting, while ongoing monitoring, evaluation, and coordination between different care sectors were rarely described or implemented.
• OTSLPQualitative2026Traumatic brain injury-related stigma among intimate partner violence survivors.Brain injuryWomen with intimate partner violence histories and TBI described stigma across healthcare, courts, work, school, and relationships. Participants linked clinicians dismissing symptoms and invisible deficits to shame and delayed care, and said TBI education could validate symptoms and reduce stigma.
• PTOTCase-Control2026Three-dimensional gait analysis for assessing dynamic ankle spasticity after stroke.Journal of neuroengineering and rehabilitationStroke survivors with dynamic ankle spasticity walked slower and spent more time with both feet on the ground. Bedside findings of reduced plantarflexion range and weak dorsiflexors identified those at risk. Prolonged double support time tracked severity.
• PTOTRCT2026The impact of robot-assisted training on gait, balance, and endurance in patients with partial spinal cord injuries: insights from rehabilitation.Journal of neuroengineering and rehabilitationTwice-weekly robot-assisted gait training improved walking speed, endurance, and balance more than once-weekly training or conventional therapy in active patients with incomplete spinal cord injuries. Those with greater residual movement (AIS D) showed the largest gains.
• PTOTRCT2026The recovery of lower limb function in stroke patients: which sequence of transcranial direct current stimulation combined with lower limb rehabilitation robot is most effective-A randomized controlled trial.Journal of neuroengineering and rehabilitationApplying transcranial direct current stimulation simultaneously with robot-assisted gait training improved lower limb function, balance, and walking speed more effectively than applying it before the session or using sham stimulation. The simultaneous approach showed advantages as early as two weeks, with most patients achieving independent walking.
• PTOTSystematic Review2025Metric properties of the Tonic Stretch Reflex Threshold (TSRT) as a measure of spasticity: a systematic review with meta-analysis.Archives of physiotherapyThe Tonic Stretch Reflex Threshold is not reliable enough for clinical use. Measurement error is too high to detect small changes in spasticity, and results correlate poorly with standard scales like the Modified Ashworth Scale. It should not replace existing assessments.
• PTOTCohort2026Mapping Brain Function After Stroke: From Early Disorganization to Late Compensation.Neurorehabilitation and neural repairBrain activity patterns after stroke change dramatically over time, shifting from early disorganization to later compensation. However, the link between brain connectivity and motor recovery depends entirely on lesion location and severity. High connectivity can signal either recovery or maladaptive noise.
• PTOTSLPRCT2026Transcranial direct current stimulation of the dorsolateral prefrontal cortex improves dual-task performance in people with stroke.Journal of neuroengineering and rehabilitationA single session of brain stimulation improved walking speed and thinking accuracy during complex dual tasks, but did not significantly reduce the interference between them. The benefit was strongest on cognitive tasks like serial subtraction, not on gait stability.
• PTOTSLPCase Report2026Case Report: A period-based upper limb rehabilitation program using a degrees-of-freedom constraint strategy in severe post-stroke hemiparesis.Frontiers in rehabilitation sciencesIn one patient with severe post-stroke arm weakness, a three-phase program using gravity support, electrical stimulation, and orthoses to progressively release joint constraints was associated with reduced spasticity, less pain, and slight motor improvement. This is a single case, not evidence of efficacy.
• PTOTOther2026Structural-functional connectivity coupling in motor-brain networks following acute ischemic stroke.Journal of neuroengineering and rehabilitationIn people one week after a stroke, stronger coupling between specific brain structure and function links correlated with worse arm and hand movement. This suggests the brain's compensatory wiring may sometimes hinder recovery rather than help it.
• PTOTSLPOther2026Growing stronger: Nine decades of physical disability representation in children's media and implications for pediatric rehabilitation.Journal of pediatric rehabilitation medicinePositive portrayals of physical disability in children's media rose sharply after 2000, with 90% of post-2000 films and shows depicting disability positively compared to 63% before. Spinal cord injury is heavily overrepresented. Therapists can use media literacy to address internalized stigma and reinforce rehabilitation goals.
• PTOTPilot2026Effects of ultrasound-guided nerve hydro-dissection on severe post stroke shoulder pain: a pilot study.Frontiers in rehabilitation sciencesUpper-limb motor scores did not differ between groups, but shoulder pain scores decreased more with ultrasound-guided nerve hydro-dissection added to physiotherapy, occupational therapy, acupuncture and topical diclofenac in 12 patients with severe post-stroke shoulder pain.
• OTSLPQualitative2026Conversation Barriers and Strategies Used by People With Parkinson's and Their Partners to Support Conversation.International journal of language & communication disordersPeople with Parkinson's and partners described barriers like word finding, fatigue, background noise, and partner habits. They reported using strategies such as timing conversations, reducing noise, speaking clearly, planning topics, and video calls.
• PTOTSLPCohort2026Explainable machine learning prediction of functional independence measure scores and gain in subacute stroke survivors.Journal of neuroengineering and rehabilitationAdmission scores on basic daily tasks like bowel management strongly predicted discharge independence, while age and toileting skills predicted overall functional gain. These machine learning models identified specific prognostic factors, offering a transparent way to forecast rehabilitation outcomes in subacute stroke survivors.
• PTOTSLPQualitative2026A Smart Textile Biofeedback Training System for Upper Limb Rehabilitation After Stroke: Co-Design Development and Evaluation Study.JMIR rehabilitation and assistive technologiesStroke survivors and clinicians found a smart textile biofeedback sleeve easy to use and motivating. It helped them see and control remaining muscle activity. They suggested it for home training in chronic stroke, noting it needs clear instructions and support.
• PTOTSLPPilot2026Cortical mapping of real-time ultrasound-imaging visual feedback for ankle dorsiflexion in patients after stroke: a fNIRS study.Journal of neuroengineering and rehabilitationReal-time ultrasound feedback during ankle exercises did not increase brain activity in the primary motor area. It reduced deoxygenated blood signals in motor planning regions and altered brain connectivity in stroke survivors. These are preliminary neural changes, not proof of improved movement or recovery.