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 40 OF 78 · NEWEST FIRST

• PTOTOther2023Ultrasound Assessment of Spastic Muscles in Ambulatory Chronic Stroke Survivors Reveals Function-Dependent Changes.Journal of rehabilitation medicineAmbulatory chronic stroke survivors had thinner muscles on the affected side than on the unaffected side, especially in the arm. Greater wrist flexor muscle loss tracked weaker grip, and greater thigh muscle loss tracked worse walking times.
• PTOther2023Optimization of Protocols Using Neuromuscular Electrical Stimulation for Paralyzed Lower-Limb Muscles to Increase Energy Expenditure in People With Spinal Cord Injury.American journal of physical medicine & rehabilitationNeuromuscular electrical stimulation of paralyzed lower-limb muscles significantly increased energy expenditure in men with spinal cord injury. The most effective protocol stimulated four muscle groups with a 1:4 second duty cycle, raising energy use by 51% compared to sitting still.
• PTOTCohort2022Music-based intervention drives paretic limb acceleration into intentional movement frequencies in chronic stroke rehabilitation.Frontiers in rehabilitation sciencesParetic limb acceleration increased significantly during music-based training, indicating better voluntary control. Clinical scores also improved, but the link between movement mechanics and functional gains was weak. Accelerometers offer real-time feedback during therapy, not just pre- and post-test results.
• PTOTRCT2022Feasibility and psychophysical effects of immersive virtual reality-based mirror therapy.Journal of neuroengineering and rehabilitationEleven stroke survivors completed an immersive VR mirror therapy pilot with no adverse events. Nine showed motor improvement, and participants reported high concentration and acceptance. This demonstrates feasibility for a larger trial, not proven efficacy.
• PTPilot2022A unilateral robotic knee exoskeleton to assess the role of natural gait assistance in hemiparetic patients.Journal of neuroengineering and rehabilitationIn three chronic stroke patients, a unilateral knee exoskeleton improved gait symmetry on a treadmill. The healthy pattern strategy worked better than copying the unaffected leg. Patients also changed their unaffected leg's movement to match, reducing compensation.
• PTOTOther2022Quantitative measurement of resistance force and subsequent attenuation during passive isokinetic extension of the wrist in patients with mild to moderate spasticity after stroke.Journal of neuroengineering and rehabilitationA custom wrist device measured spasticity in 17 stroke patients. It found no link between peak resistance and clinical scores, but the rate of force drop-off correlated with severity, especially when finger spasticity was included in the assessment.
• PTOTOther2022A unified scheme for the benchmarking of upper limb functions in neurological disorders.Journal of neuroengineering and rehabilitationThis paper proposes a standardized framework for assessing upper limb movement using sensors and robots. It defines specific motor skills, abilities, and measurement protocols for research and clinical use. The framework has not yet been tested in patients, so it is a proposal for future validation rather than a proven assessment tool.
• PTCohort2022Beyond steps per day: other measures of real-world walking after stroke related to cardiovascular risk.Journal of neuroengineering and rehabilitationAverage steps per day did not predict systolic blood pressure in people with stroke. Instead, walking pace and the number of long sedentary bouts were the key factors. Lab tests of walking capacity missed this relationship, so real-world monitoring is needed to assess cardiovascular risk.
• PTOTRCT2023Estimating the cost consequence of the early use of botulinum toxin in post-stroke spasticity: Secondary analysis of a randomised controlled trial.Clinical rehabilitationEarly botulinum toxin after stroke did not raise total NHS costs over six months. Contracture-related costs were lower, but overall costs did not differ.
• PTOTCohort2023Responsiveness and trajectory of changes in the rating of everyday arm-use in the community and home (REACH) scale over the first-year post-stroke.Clinical rehabilitationAbout 87% of participants used their affected arm more by 12 months, with the biggest gains by three months. People with severe baseline arm weakness started lower and improved differently. Arm-use scores changed with arm capacity and self-reported change.
• PTOTCohort2022Results from the International Spinal Cord Injury Community Survey: The Lived Experience of People with Spinal Cord Injury in South-Eastern Brazil.Journal of rehabilitation medicinePeople with spinal cord injury in south-eastern Brazil reported spasticity as their most problematic health condition (33%) and neuropathic pain (13%). Public spaces and long-distance transport were major environmental barriers.
• PTOTSLPSurvey2022Pandemic intake questionnaire to improve quality, effectiveness, and efficiency of outpatient neurologic and developmental care at the Kennedy Krieger institute during the COVID-19 pandemic.Frontiers in rehabilitation sciencesGuardians of children with neurodevelopmental disorders reported worsened mood, behavior, sleep, and therapy-access problems during the pandemic. A pre-visit questionnaire surfaced these concerns, and Five out of six program directors found it helpful.
• PTQualitative2022The Impact of COVID-19 Lockdown Restrictions on Exercise Behavior Among People With Multiple Sclerosis Enrolled in an Exercise Trial: Qualitative Interview Study.JMIR rehabilitation and assistive technologiesEight women with MS described different lockdown exercise experiences. Those already doing home-based trial exercise adapted and kept exercising, while facility-based participants lost in-person support and stopped walking. Both wanted home equipment, videos, and online peer contact.
• PTOTPilot2022Effects of nordic walking exercise on gait, motor/non-motor symptoms, and serum brain-derived neurotrophic factor in individuals with Parkinson's disease.Frontiers in rehabilitation sciencesTwelve people with Parkinson's disease improved their walking endurance and motor symptoms after six weeks of Nordic walking. These gains were still present three months later when they continued exercising on their own, and no falls occurred during the study.
• PTOTNarrative Review2022Utility of transcranial magnetic stimulation in the assessment of spinal cord injury: Current status and future directions.Frontiers in rehabilitation sciencesTMS can objectively measure corticospinal connectivity and silent periods in spinal cord injury, detecting residual function missed by clinical exams. However, inconsistent findings, high measurement error, and unknown clinical meaning limit its current use for guiding individual therapy.
• PTCohort2022Brief composite mobility index predicts post-stroke fallers after hospital discharge.Frontiers in rehabilitation sciencesA brief discharge score using obstacle crossing, unsupported step test, gait speed, and walking disability predicted 3-month falls after stroke better than obstacle crossing alone. It was proof-of-concept, not a treatment.
• PTOTCohort2023Time-matched accelerometers on limbs and waist in children with CP give new insights into real-life activities after botulinum toxin treatment: A proof of concept study.Journal of pediatric rehabilitation medicineAfter botulinum toxin injections plus home training, children with cerebral palsy walked less from three weeks through three months. In children injected in an arm, the more affected arm was not used more; the better arm was used more.
• PTOTCohort2023Age at Onset of Spinal Cord Injury is Associated with Increased Inpatient Care Needs, Reduced Independence at Discharge and a Higher Risk of Institutionalization after Primary Inpatient Rehabilitation.Journal of rehabilitation medicineOlder age at spinal cord injury onset predicts more daily nursing hours and lower independence at discharge, but does not change length of stay or daily therapy time. For each additional year of age, the odds of needing institutional care after discharge rise by 1.03-fold.
• PTOTRCT2023Effects of transcutaneous electrical acupoint stimulation on upper-limb impairment after stroke: A randomized, controlled, single-blind trial.Clinical rehabilitationAdding transcutaneous electrical acupoint stimulation to standard stroke rehabilitation did not improve upper limb motor recovery more than sham stimulation. The primary outcome showed no significant difference between groups.
• PTOTSLPCohort2022Post-concussive symptoms mediate the relationship between sleep problems and participation restrictions among veterans with mild traumatic brain injury.Frontiers in rehabilitation sciencesSleep problems link to participation restrictions in veterans with mild TBI, but the path depends on the symptom type. Cognitive symptoms mediate both social and productivity restrictions. Mood symptoms affect only social participation, while vestibular symptoms affect only productivity. Screen for sleep issues to target these specific barriers.
• PTOTOther2022Limb accelerations during sleep are related to measures of strength, sensation, and spasticity among individuals with spinal cord injury.Journal of neuroengineering and rehabilitationSleep movement data from ankle accelerometers predicted strength and sensation scores with high accuracy. This suggests passive overnight monitoring could offer a new, unobtrusive way to assess impairment in spinal cord injury without requiring active patient participation.
• PTOTPilot2022The Effects of an Individualized Smartphone-Based Exercise Program on Self-defined Motor Tasks in Parkinson Disease: Pilot Interventional Study.JMIR rehabilitation and assistive technologiesFifteen patients with Parkinson disease completed a 4-week home exercise program via a smartphone app. Usability was good and adherence was high. Patients reported improved personal daily tasks, but standard clinical measures showed no significant change.
• PTOTQualitative2023The impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on individuals living with spinal cord injury: A qualitative study.Rehabilitation psychologyVeterans with spinal cord injury reported losing routine care, physical activity, and social contact during the pandemic. They cited closed facilities, lack of home help, and fear of exposure as barriers, while finding telehealth convenient for some services.
• PTRCT2022Effect of innovative vs. usual care physical therapy in subacute rehabilitation after stroke. A multicenter randomized controlled trial.Frontiers in rehabilitation sciencesAdding trunk-focused exercises to usual stroke physiotherapy did not improve trunk control or physical activity more than usual care alone. Both groups improved in balance and walking. Usual care showed better quality of life scores, possibly due to longer treatment duration.
• PTOTQualitative2022Therapists' perspectives on using brain-computer interface-triggered functional electrical stimulation therapy for individuals living with upper extremity paralysis: a qualitative case series study.Journal of neuroengineering and rehabilitationTherapists who delivered BCI-triggered electrical stimulation therapy in research settings said it would not fit clinical use as delivered. They wanted faster setup, fewer people in the room, and a peer community; they felt physically capable and motivated.
• PTOTSLPOther2022Gaze-contingent display technology can help to reduce the ipsilesional attention bias in hemispatial neglect following stroke.Journal of neuroengineering and rehabilitationGaze-contingent masks shifted neglect patients' attention leftward. However, this did not improve target detection in the neglected side and worsened reaction times on the right. The technology alters eye movements but does not yet fix functional neglect.
• PTOther2023A Comparison of Acute Ischemic Stroke Patients Discharged to Inpatient Rehabilitation vs a Skilled Nursing Facility: The Paul Coverdell National Acute Stroke Program.Archives of physical medicine and rehabilitationAfter acute ischemic stroke, older patients, Black and Hispanic patients, those with Medicaid or Medicare, higher stroke severity, and poor walking were less likely to go to inpatient rehab than a skilled nursing facility. Larger hospitals and stroke units sent more patients to rehab.
• PTOTSLPRCT2023Actor-partner effects of wellbeing, hope and self-esteem on depression in stroke survivor-caregiver dyads: A randomized controlled trial.Clinical rehabilitationNarrative therapy groups lowered depression in stroke survivors more than standard psychoeducation did. Survivors’ own wellbeing and self-esteem drove their mood, but their caregivers’ depression also tracked with how the survivor felt, so treating the pair as a unit matters.
• PTOTRCT2022Developing guiding principles for technology-based rehabilitation program by engaging people with motor incomplete tetraplegia.Journal of neuroengineering and rehabilitationPeople with chronic motor incomplete tetraplegia said they would only stick with home technology if it matched their specific goals, allowed independent setup, and offered a just-right challenge. They rejected devices that were too easy, too hard, or required a caregiver to assemble.
• PTOTNarrative Review2022Brain-Computer Interface-Controlled Exoskeletons in Clinical Neurorehabilitation: Ready or Not?Neurorehabilitation and neural repairNon-invasive brain-computer interface exoskeletons are technically ready but not yet routine care. Current systems have limited accuracy and cannot restore daily living tasks. Clinicians should view them as promising tools for severe paralysis, not proven treatments, while awaiting better devices and reimbursement.
• PTCohort2022Rate of change in longitudinal EMG indicates time course of an individual's neuromuscular adaptation in resistance-based muscle training.Frontiers in rehabilitation sciencesIn 11 healthy adults, bicep curl training over about 100 days produced lower muscle electrical signal peaks over time compared with controls. This signal change was measured, not tested as a clinical outcome.
• PTOTRCT2022Augmented reality for stroke rehabilitation during COVID-19.Journal of neuroengineering and rehabilitationChronic stroke survivors who replaced part of their usual therapy with augmented reality training showed significant improvements in upper and lower limb motor function. However, walking ability did not improve significantly, and balance gains were inconsistent between home and centre-based groups.
• PTPilot2022Acute submaximal exercise does not impact aspects of cognition and BDNF in people with spinal cord injury: A pilot study.Frontiers in rehabilitation sciencesA single 30-minute session of moderate arm cycling did not improve cognitive test scores or increase brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) levels in eight people with spinal cord injury. The exercise was safe and well-tolerated, but showed no acute effect on brain health markers.
• PTOTCohort2023Energy expenditure and perceived effort during uphill and downhill walking in people with multiple sclerosis.European journal of physical and rehabilitation medicinePeople with mild multiple sclerosis felt uphill and downhill walking was much harder than healthy controls did, even though their actual energy use was lower. They may be working differently to manage slopes. Ask about effort, not just speed.
• PTOTRCT2022Performing a shortened version of the Action Research Arm Test in immersive virtual reality to assess post-stroke upper limb activity.Journal of neuroengineering and rehabilitationA shortened immersive VR ARAT tracked traditional paretic-hand scores in people after stroke, but omitted six items and needed headset setup.
• PTRCT2022May Dual Transcranial Direct Current Stimulation Enhance the Efficacy of Robot-Assisted Therapy for Promoting Upper Limb Recovery in Chronic Stroke?Neurorehabilitation and neural repairAdding dual tDCS to robot-assisted therapy did not improve upper limb function more than sham tDCS in chronic stroke. Both groups improved, and a secondary range-of-motion finding did not change the main result.
• PTOTSLPMeta-Analysis2023Healthcare professionals' perceived barriers and facilitators of implementing clinical practice guidelines for stroke rehabilitation: A systematic review.Clinical rehabilitationTime and resources were the most consistent issue in stroke guideline implementation. Competing tasks, poor protocols and low confidence blocked use. Protected time, local routines, training, audit and champions helped.
• PTOTSLPPilot2022Under pressure: design and validation of a pressure-sensitive insole for ankle plantar flexion biofeedback during neuromuscular gait training.Journal of neuroengineering and rehabilitationA pressure-sensitive insole increased calf muscle activity during treadmill walking in children with cerebral palsy, matching the effect of a more complex EMG system. The pressure sensor is cheaper, faster to set up, and less prone to signal loss from sweat or hair.
• PTCase-Control2022Impaired foot placement strategy during walking in people with incomplete spinal cord injury.Journal of neuroengineering and rehabilitationPeople with incomplete spinal cord injury placed their feet less accurately during walking than healthy controls, even when walking at the same slow speed. They compensated by taking wider steps. This suggests balance training should specifically target foot placement accuracy.
• PTOTOther2022Reliability and validity of the East Asian children's version of mini-MACS in children with cerebral palsy.Frontiers in rehabilitation sciencesThe Chinese version of the Mini-MACS reliably classifies manual ability in children with cerebral palsy. Parents and therapists agreed closely, and the tool correlated with both the Nine-hole Peg Test and the Gross Motor Function Classification System.
• PTOTOther2022Berg Balance Scale is a Valid Measure for Plan Interventions and for Assessing Changes in Postural Balance in Patients with Stroke.Journal of rehabilitation medicineA new scoring template for the Berg Balance Scale helps therapists spot the 'just right' challenge level for stroke patients. Items in the transition zone between easy and hard tasks guide short-term goals, while harder items suggest long-term targets.
• PTPilot2022Feasibility and Safety of a Powered Exoskeleton for Balance Training for People Living with Multiple Sclerosis: A Single-Group Preliminary Study (Rapper III).Journal of rehabilitation medicinePeople with MS completed a powered exoskeleton balance programme without serious harm attributed to the device. Some reported that MS affected daily life less and that quality of life improved. No control group means benefit from the device is unproven.
• PTRCT2023Functional Neuroplasticity and Motor Skill Change Following Gross Motor Interventions for Children With Diplegic Cerebral Palsy.Neurorehabilitation and neural repairChildren with diplegic cerebral palsy improved advanced motor skills after 6 weeks of strength or sports training. Brain scans showed that increased activity in the same-side brain hemisphere during non-dominant leg movement was linked to better skill gains. This suggests atypical brain wiring can support learning.
• PTOTCohort2023Prevalence and determinants of hip pain in non-ambulatory cerebral palsy children: a retrospective cohort study.European journal of physical and rehabilitation medicineHip pain was reported in 8.9% of children with severe cerebral palsy, rising to 10.9% in those with GMFCS level V. Key independent predictors were older age, female sex, higher migration percentage, and lumbar scoliosis. Pain often resolved after treatment, suggesting a need for targeted assessment rather than assuming dislocation is the sole cause.
• PTOTSystematic Review2022Technology-assisted assessment of spasticity: a systematic review.Journal of neuroengineering and rehabilitationNo technology-assisted spasticity measure is fully validated for clinical use yet. However, manual stretching with EMG shows promise as a quick, low-cost alternative to the Modified Ashworth Scale.
• PTOTPilot2022Feedback control of upright seating with functional neuromuscular stimulation during a reaching task after spinal cord injury: a feasibility study.Journal of neuroengineering and rehabilitationFeedback-controlled electrical stimulation helped four of five people with spinal cord injury return to an upright seated position faster after reaching for a weighted jar. Effects on trunk sway and reach distance varied widely between individuals, and one person with a lower-level injury saw no benefit.
• PTOTOther2022Naturalistic visualization of reaching movements using head-mounted displays improves movement quality compared to conventional computer screens and proves high usability.Journal of neuroengineering and rehabilitationHead-mounted displays improved 3D reaching quality and reduced movement onset time compared to 2D screens in healthy elderly and pilot brain-injured patients. Usability was high across all technologies, with no significant differences in motivation or self-reported cognitive load.
• PTOTCohort2023Sensor based assessment of turning during instrumented Timed Up and Go Test for quantifying mobility in chronic stroke patients.European journal of physical and rehabilitation medicineA wearable sensor on the lower back during a Timed Up and Go test distinguished stroke patients with limited mobility from those with good mobility. Average turning speed below 39 to 42 degrees per second reliably identified the impaired group, offering a quick objective measure for clinical assessment.
• PTOTOther2022Design and validation of a multi-task, multi-context protocol for real-world gait simulation.Journal of neuroengineering and rehabilitationA short lab protocol with varied tasks captures a wider range of walking speeds than straight walking alone. Adding complex tasks like turning and stepping over obstacles slowed people down more than simply asking them to walk slowly. The protocol was safe for people with mobility impairments.
• PTOther2022Methodological heterogeneity biases physical activity metrics derived from the Actigraph GT3X in multiple sclerosis: A rapid review and comparative study.Frontiers in rehabilitation sciencesPhysical activity data from hip-worn Actigraph GT3X in multiple sclerosis can change a lot depending on how researchers process it. Step counts, activity time, sedentary time and moderate to vigorous activity may not be comparable between studies.