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.

3,875 PAPERS · PAGE 29 OF 78 · NEWEST FIRST

• PTOTCohort2021Movement compensations during a step ascent task are associated with stair climbing performance in people with multiple sclerosis.Gait & posturePeople with MS who sway their pelvis more during a single step climb take longer to ascend a full flight of stairs. This links movement compensation directly to functional performance, suggesting balance and proximal control training may be key targets.
• PTOTSLPCase-Control2021Comprehensive Clinical Assessment of Vestibular Function in Multiple Sclerosis.Journal of neurologic physical therapy : JNPTPeople with MS showed impaired central vestibular integration on VOR cancellation and SVV variance tests, correlating with disease severity. Peripheral reflex tests like vHIT and VEMPs were normal. This suggests central processing deficits, not peripheral damage, drive balance issues in mild-to-moderate MS.
• PTOTOther2021Sound psychometric properties of the Swedish version of the Spinal Cord Independence Measure Self-Report.Journal of rehabilitation medicineThe Swedish Spinal Cord Independence Measure Self-Report reliably scores overall physical independence in community settings. It fails to group breathing, bladder, and bowel items into a single consistent score, so clinicians should interpret these subscale results with caution.
• PTOTSLPPilot2021Identifying bidirectional total and non-linear information flow in functional corticomuscular coupling during a dorsiflexion task: a pilot study.Journal of neuroengineering and rehabilitationA new method measured brain-to-muscle signals in ten stroke survivors and ten healthy controls. It found that stroke patients had significantly weaker two-way communication between the brain and ankle muscles in both beta and gamma frequency bands.
• PTOTRCT2021Corpus Callosum Integrity Relates to Improvement of Upper-Extremity Function Following Intensive Rehabilitation in Children With Unilateral Spastic Cerebral Palsy.Neurorehabilitation and neural repairIn children with unilateral cerebral palsy, lower corpus callosum integrity predicted greater bimanual hand function gains after Constraint-Induced Movement Therapy (CIMT). This association was not seen after Hand-Arm Bimanual Intensive Therapy (HABIT), where all children improved regardless of baseline brain structure.
• PTOTRCT2021Evidence of neuroplasticity with robotic hand exoskeleton for post-stroke rehabilitation: a randomized controlled trial.Journal of neuroengineering and rehabilitationRobotic exoskeleton therapy improved wrist spasticity, movement range, and hand function more than conventional physiotherapy in stroke patients. Brain scans showed increased excitability in the injured hemisphere, suggesting neuroplasticity. This is a small pilot, so confirm with larger trials before changing practice.
• PTOTSystematic Review2021Distance-limited walk tests post-stroke: A systematic review of measurement properties.NeuroRehabilitationThe 10-metre comfortable walk test is the only measure with strong evidence across all stroke recovery phases. For acute and subacute patients, the 5-metre comfortable test is a reliable alternative. Standardized protocols are highly reliable, but you must match the specific testing conditions to the study supporting them.
• PTRCT2021Effects of a robot-aided somatosensory training on proprioception and motor function in stroke survivors.Journal of neuroengineering and rehabilitationWrist position sense thresholds lowered over testing days in both stroke survivors and controls. The study did not show the robot training produced a larger change in stroke survivors than in controls. Motor tracing changes were not established.
• PTOTQualitative2021Experiences of secondary health conditions amongst people with spinal cord injury in South Africa: A qualitative study.The South African journal of physiotherapyPeople with spinal cord injury described secondary health conditions such as pain, bowel and bladder problems, pressure sores and spasms as limiting movement, daily care, work and social life. They also reported fear, shame, sadness and some new coping skills.
• PTOTOther2021Relative independence of upper limb position sense and reaching in children with hemiparetic perinatal stroke.Journal of neuroengineering and rehabilitationChildren with hemiparetic perinatal stroke varied in upper limb position sense and reaching. Robot tests showed no significant link between the two, so a child can have impaired position sense but normal reaching, or the reverse.
• PTOTSLPCohort2021Neurodevelopmental profiles of children with unilateral cerebral palsy associated with middle cerebral artery and periventricular venous infarctions.Developmental medicine and child neurologyChildren with unilateral cerebral palsy caused by middle cerebral artery infarction had significantly worse hand function, sensation, and cognition than those with periventricular venous infarction. Therapists should screen for sensory and cognitive barriers in this group before starting upper limb training.
• PTOTSLPNarrative Review2021Motor Dysfunction in REM Sleep Behavior Disorder: A Rehabilitation Framework for Prodromal Synucleinopathy.Neurorehabilitation and neural repairPeople with isolated REM sleep behavior disorder often show subtle motor signs years before a Parkinson's diagnosis. The authors propose a framework for early exercise and rehabilitation, but note there are no trials proving these interventions prevent or slow the disease.
• PTOTCohort2021Effect of post-stroke spasticity on voluntary movement of the upper limb.Journal of neuroengineering and rehabilitationSpasticity, measured by the threshold at which muscle resistance begins, strongly predicts the quality of voluntary reaching movements in stroke survivors. This effect is distinct from overall motor impairment scores, suggesting that treating spasticity may improve movement quality beyond what general rehabilitation achieves.
• PTOTSLPRCT2021Domains of Health-Related Quality of Life Are Associated With Specific Deficits and Lesion Locations in Chronic Aphasia.Neurorehabilitation and neural repairDepression symptoms and arm weakness predicted lower overall quality of life. Language production deficits predicted lower communication quality. Specific brain lesions in the basal ganglia and inferior frontal areas were linked to poorer physical and psychosocial outcomes.
• PTPilot2021Semi-automated approaches to optimize deep brain stimulation parameters in Parkinson's disease.Journal of neuroengineering and rehabilitationIn two Parkinson's patients with DBS, algorithm-guided frequency testing found the same setting that most reduced rigidity with fewer tests, but patients preferred lower frequencies than that setting. This is proof-of-principle, not a therapy trial.
• PTOTRCT2021Effects of a Tailored Physical Activity Intervention on Cardiovascular Structure and Function in Individuals With Spinal Cord Injury.Neurorehabilitation and neural repairAn 8-week community-based physical activity coaching program improved fitness in people with spinal cord injury but did not change resting heart or blood vessel structure. Only those with lower-level injuries showed minor heart shape changes, suggesting higher-level injuries may need more intense or specific loading.
• PTOther2021Diaphragm Pacing and a Model for Respiratory Rehabilitation After Spinal Cord Injury.Journal of neurologic physical therapy : JNPT
• PTOTSLPNarrative Review2021Narrative review of clinical practice guidelines for treating people with moderate or severe traumatic brain injury.NeuroRehabilitationOnly 17 clinical practice guidelines for moderate-to-severe TBI rehabilitation met rigorous vetting standards since 2010. Most guidelines focus on symptom control rather than functional recovery, and many published documents labeled as guidelines lack the necessary systematic review process to be trustworthy.
• PTOTCohort2021The utility of upper limb loading device in determining optimal walking ability in ambulatory individuals with spinal cord injury.Hong Kong physiotherapy journal : official publication of the Hong Kong Physiotherapy Association Limited = Wu li chih liaoMost participants could progress to a cane or no device, walking faster and further than walker users. Upper limb loading correlated with walking ability, suggesting the device may help therapists identify who can safely reduce support.
• PTOTQualitative2021Parents' Perspectives on a Computer Game-Assisted Rehabilitation Program for Manual Dexterity in Children With Cerebral Palsy: Qualitative Analysis of Expectations, Child Engagement, and Benefits.JMIR rehabilitation and assistive technologiesParents found game-assisted hand therapy more engaging than conventional therapy for children with cerebral palsy, noting improved dexterity and interest. They requested more frequent updates to maintain challenge and expressed interest in home-based use.
• PTOTCohort2021Clinical validation of kinematic assessments of post-stroke upper limb movements with a multi-joint arm exoskeleton.Journal of neuroengineering and rehabilitationExoskeleton-based kinematic assessment accurately predicted motor impairment in severely impaired stroke patients. Shoulder internal/external rotation and grip pressure were the strongest predictors. This method took 6 minutes, compared to 30 minutes for the clinical Fugl-Meyer Assessment.
• PTOTSLPSurvey2021Predictors of mental health among parents of children with cerebral palsy during the COVID-19 pandemic in Iran: A web-based cross-sectional study.Research in developmental disabilitiesCaregiver burden predicted anxiety, depression, and stress more strongly than income or education. About half of parents reported anxiety symptoms. For therapists, this means assessing and reducing the daily load of care, not just the child's function, is central to supporting the family.
• PTSystematic Review2021The future of General Movement Assessment: The role of computer vision and machine learning - A scoping review.Research in developmental disabilitiesAutomated video analysis of infant general movements is advancing, but no current tool matches trained human assessment. It may support early referral later, not replace clinical evaluation.
• PTOther2021Effect of the use of a body weight-supported walker on gait parameters in hemiplegic stroke patients.Journal of physical therapy scienceWith 25% body weight supported in a walker, 19 hemiplegic stroke patients walked faster, with longer strides and more symmetrical steps than with their usual walking aid. This was a single supported walk, not evidence that training improved walking.
• PTOTRCT2021Augmented efficacy of intermittent theta burst stimulation on the virtual reality-based cycling training for upper limb function in patients with stroke: a double-blinded, randomized controlled trial.Journal of neuroengineering and rehabilitationAdding brain stimulation to virtual reality cycling reduced spasticity and improved participation in stroke patients. However, it did not improve upper limb motor function compared to sham stimulation plus the same exercise. The benefit was specific to tone and daily life involvement, not movement quality.
• PTOTSLPOther2021Using Biofeedback to Reduce Step Length Asymmetry Impairs Dynamic Balance in People Poststroke.Neurorehabilitation and neural repairUsing visual feedback to reduce step length asymmetry in people post-stroke increased forward body rotation during walking, suggesting impaired dynamic balance rather than improvement. The strategy used to achieve symmetry matters, as participants varied in how they compensated.
• PTPilot2021Effects of Orthoses on Standing Postural Control and Muscle Activity in Children With Cerebral Palsy.Pediatric physical therapy : the official publication of the Section on Pediatrics of the American Physical Therapy AssociationA custom orthosis reduced center-of-gravity sway compared with bare feet or the usual AFO, and reduced eyes-closed loss of balance compared with bare feet. Muscle activity did not decrease.
• PTCohort2021Hospital readmission in stroke survivors one year versus three years after discharge from inpatient rehabilitation: Prevalence and associations in an Asian cohort.Journal of rehabilitation medicine24.0% of stroke survivors were readmitted within one year. Recurrent stroke, falls, seizures, pneumonia, and urinary tract infection were listed causes. Comorbidity, inpatient complications, and lower function at rehabilitation admission were associated with readmission.
• PTOther2021Hidden Markov Model based stride segmentation on unsupervised free-living gait data in Parkinson's disease patients.Journal of neuroengineering and rehabilitationFor daily Parkinson's disease gait data, a Hidden Markov Model scored higher on the main stride-detection measure than a template matching method. Short bouts were the weakest point.
• PTCohort2021Normative Achilles and patellar tendon shear wave speeds and loading patterns during walking in typically developing children.Gait & postureShear wave tensiometry successfully tracked Achilles and patellar tendon loading in twelve typically developing children walking at five speeds. The method revealed distinct swing-phase tendon forces that standard joint moment data missed, providing a new way to visualize muscle-tendon behavior.
• PTRCT2021IncobotulinumtoxinA for the treatment of lower-limb spasticity in children and adolescents with cerebral palsy: A phase 3 study.Journal of pediatric rehabilitation medicineHigher doses were not shown to work better than lower doses, but all incobotulinumtoxinA doses tested reduced plantar flexor tone in children with cerebral palsy lower-limb spasticity.
• PTOTQualitative2021Motivation for Rehabilitation in Patients With Subacute Stroke: A Qualitative Study.Frontiers in rehabilitation sciencesSubacute stroke patients are driven by extrinsic factors like returning home, work, or family roles, not by enjoyment of therapy itself. Older patients often conserve energy by skipping self-training despite high motivation, so staff should assess motivation through conversation rather than just observing activity levels.
• PTOTSLPOther2021Generalizing the predictive relationship between 1-month motor skill retention and Rey-Osterrieth Delayed Recall scores from nondemented older adults to individuals with chronic stroke: a short report.Journal of neuroengineering and rehabilitationAdding visuospatial memory test scores to prediction models modestly improved accuracy for 1-month motor skill retention in older adults and people with stroke. The benefit was small and based on very few stroke patients, so it is not yet a clinical tool.
• PTCohort2021Parent-Reported PEDI-CAT Mobility and Gross Motor Function in Infants With Cerebral Palsy.Pediatric physical therapy : the official publication of the Section on Pediatrics of the American Physical Therapy AssociationParents reported their infants' daily mobility accurately. Scores matched therapist assessments closely, even for babies with severe motor impairments. This allows PTs to use a short parent questionnaire to capture typical daily function without a lengthy clinic evaluation.
• PTOTSLPQualitative2021Women with cerebral palsy: A qualitative study about their experiences with sexual and reproductive health education and services.Journal of pediatric rehabilitation medicineWomen with cerebral palsy reported that providers often assumed they were not sexually active, omitting basic sexual health education and exams. They faced physical barriers like inaccessible exam tables and privacy conflicts when needing assistance, leading to a heavy reliance on self-advocacy.
• PTSystematic Review2021Functional electrical stimulation cycling exercise after spinal cord injury: a systematic review of health and fitness-related outcomes.Journal of neuroengineering and rehabilitationFor adults with spinal cord injury, functional electrical stimulation cycling consistently improved lower-body muscle health across studies. It also often increased leg power and aerobic fitness. Evidence for other health outcomes was weaker and less consistent.
• PTOTSLPQualitative2021Development of an ICF Core Set for adults with cerebral palsy: capturing their perspective on functioning.Developmental medicine and child neurologyAdults with cerebral palsy identified pain, fatigue, and mood issues as primary body problems. They highlighted weak collaboration between disciplines and poor transition to adult services as major barriers. Those with intellectual disability reported distinct challenges in language and self-care.
• PTCohort2021A prospective study to establish the minimal clinically important difference of the Mini-BESTest in individuals with stroke.Clinical rehabilitationA 4-point change on the Mini-BESTest indicates small improvement, and 5 points indicate substantial improvement in stroke patients. A 1-point change is not enough to be considered clinically important, despite some statistical discrimination.
• PTOTPilot2021Assessing Physical Function and Mobility following Pediatric Traumatic Brain Injury with the NIH Toolbox Motor Battery: A Feasibility Study.Physical & occupational therapy in pediatricsThe NIH Toolbox Motor Battery is feasible for children with traumatic brain injury, taking about 23 minutes. It detects endurance and balance problems that parents may not report, but it fails in children under 5 due to distraction and difficulty following instructions.
• PTOTSLPQualitative2021Homes of Stroke Survivors Are a Challenging Environment for Rehabilitation Technologies.JMIR rehabilitation and assistive technologiesStroke survivors' homes are often emotionally charged and socially complex, making technology placement difficult. Partners may enforce exercise schedules that conflict with the survivor's desire for leisure, causing distress. Successful deployment requires negotiating space and usage with the whole household, not just the patient.
• PTOTMeta-Analysis2021Serious games for upper limb rehabilitation after stroke: a meta-analysis.Journal of neuroengineering and rehabilitationSerious games designed for rehabilitation improved upper limb function, activity, and participation after stroke compared to conventional therapy. Games that followed at least 8 of 11 neurorehabilitation principles showed significantly better results than those that followed fewer.
• PTSLPOther2021Electronic Health Records As a Platform for Audiological Research: Data Validity, Patient Characteristics, and Hearing-Aid Use Persistence Among 731,213 U.S. Veterans.Ear and hearingHearing aid use persisted in 63.3% of veterans at 24 months. Persistence was lower in new users, older adults, and those with Parkinson's, diabetes, arthritis, vision impairment, or high disease burden. These associations are descriptive, not causal.
• PTOther2021Measurements of the centre of pressure of individual legs reveal new characteristics of reduced anticipatory postural adjustments during gait initiation in patients with post-stroke hemiplegia.Journal of rehabilitation medicineWhen people with post-stroke hemiplegia started walking, the pressure point under the paretic foot moved later in time and over a smaller distance, especially when swinging that leg first. This may explain difficulty shifting weight onto the stance side.
• PTOTSystematic Review2021Study Paradigms and Principles Investigated in Motor Learning Research After Stroke: A Scoping Review.Archives of rehabilitation research and clinical translationExplicit instructions about movement sequences hindered motor learning in people with stroke, while providing feedback and using mental practice or action observation improved it. Increasing task difficulty helped, but neurostimulation results were inconsistent and hard to apply clinically.
• PTOTCohort2021Clinical value of assessing motor performance in postacute stroke patients.Journal of neuroengineering and rehabilitationIn 15 postacute stroke patients, wearable sensors showed daily walking and arm use varied widely and did not match clinical capacity scores. A patient with good walking capacity could still be mostly sedentary, or a slow walker could cover long distances at home.
• PTOTPilot2021Biomechanical analysis of an unpowered hip flexion orthosis on individuals with and without multiple sclerosis.Journal of neuroengineering and rehabilitationFive people with MS who wore a simple, passive hip orthosis showed significant increases in peak hip flexion angle and net hip work. The device was well-tolerated, but muscle activity responses were highly variable, suggesting individualized fitting is required.
• PTOTCase Series2021Health Parameters in Standing and Nonstanding Nonambulatory Adults With Cerebral Palsy.Archives of rehabilitation research and clinical translationBone density and health parameters showed no meaningful differences between 13 adults with cerebral palsy who stood and 5 who did not. Only descriptive occurrences, such as stand pivot transfers, were noted in the standing group.
• PTCase Report2021A New Method for Postural Misalignment of a 6-Year-Old Girl With Cerebral Palsy: A Case Report.Archives of rehabilitation research and clinical translationIn a single 6-year-old girl with cerebral palsy, Constraint Standing Training improved knee hyperextension and flexed-knee gait. She walked stairs independently after 4 weeks. This is one case, not proof that the method works for others.
• PTOTOther2020Psychological Effects of Hands-On Training Using Public Transportation among Inpatients with Physical Disabilities: Analysis of the Self-Efficacy and Perception of Occupational Enablement Using a Multimethod Design.Occupational therapy internationalHands-on public transport training increased patients' confidence but did not change their view of their own ability. Patients who used transport after discharge had better balance and walking scores than those who did not.
• PTPilot2021Development of a digital learning program for physiotherapists to enhance clinical implementation of aerobic exercise in stroke rehabilitation.Archives of physiotherapyFive physiotherapists rated a new online course on aerobic exercise for stroke rehabilitation as relevant and easy to navigate. They suggested practical improvements like adding a progress bar and certificates. This feedback shaped a revised program now undergoing larger evaluation.