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 48 OF 78 · NEWEST FIRST

• PTOther2023Prevention of hip dislocation in severe cerebral palsy (GMFCS III-IV-V): an interdisciplinary and multi-professional Care Pathway for clinical best practice implementation.European journal of physical and rehabilitation medicineChildren with severe cerebral palsy should have early hip screening, with X-ray by 24 months and more often if risk signs appear. Postural management is recommended; botulinum toxin A and preventive surgery are conditional team options. These are expert recommendations, not tested interventions.
• PTOTSLPOther2023Motor-cognitive functions required for driving in post-stroke individuals identified via machine-learning analysis.Journal of neuroengineering and rehabilitationA machine-learning model accurately predicted driving aptitude in post-stroke individuals using a subset of cognitive tests. Key predictors included time orientation, sustained attention, and visual neglect. This suggests a shorter, targeted screening battery could replace the current week-long assessment.
• PTOTCase Series2023Stabilizing leaning postures with feedback controlled functional neuromuscular stimulation after trunk paralysis.Frontiers in rehabilitation sciencesIn three people with spinal cord injury, a feedback-controlled implanted stimulator held forward leaning postures and increased forward reach by 10.2, 46.7, and 16 cm compared with no stimulation. Lateral reaches did not improve.
• PTOTRCT2023Feasibility and outcomes of supplemental gait training by robotic and conventional means in acute stroke rehabilitation.Journal of neuroengineering and rehabilitationAdding extra gait training to standard care is feasible and safe. Both robotic and conventional methods improved walking and function similarly. Neither was significantly better, but the robotic group needed fewer sessions to achieve gains.
• PTOTSLPOther2024A translational roadmap for transcranial magnetic and direct current stimulation in stroke rehabilitation: Consensus-based core recommendations from the third stroke recovery and rehabilitation roundtable.Neurorehabilitation and neural repairExperts identified five barriers preventing brain stimulation from becoming routine in stroke care. They recommend stricter reporting, better animal models, and larger trials to prove which patients benefit before clinicians change practice.
• PTOTSLPCohort2024Post-stroke Depressive Symptoms and Cognitive Performances: A Network Analysis.Archives of physical medicine and rehabilitationMood was the most central depressive symptom, while executive function dominated the cognitive network. Psychomotor functioning and attention acted as bridges between the two. This suggests targeting mood and executive function may help resolve co-occurring post-stroke depression and cognitive issues.
• PTOTCohort2024Reliability and validity of the Greek adaptation of the Modified Barthel Index in neurorehabilitation patients.European journal of physical and rehabilitation medicineThe Greek Modified Barthel Index was stable and matched other daily function scores well in stroke and spinal cord injury rehab, but it did not fit as a single score. Use transfers and daily activities plus mobility separately.
• PTOTCohort2023ToulGaitViz: a tool for the systematic description of lower limb clearance during the swing phase of hemiparetic gait after stroke. A cohort study.European journal of physical and rehabilitation medicinePost-stroke walkers rely heavily on compensatory movements to clear the ground, unlike healthy walkers who use natural limb shortening. A new software tool quantifies this compensation. It helps clinicians identify if gait issues stem from stiffness or excessive compensation, guiding targeted treatment.
• PTOTQualitative2023A qualitative study to elicit user requirements for lower limb wearable exoskeletons for gait rehabilitation in spinal cord injury.Journal of neuroengineering and rehabilitationPeople with spinal cord injury and clinicians have different priorities for exoskeletons. Patients want home use and psychological benefits, while clinicians worry about workload and cost. Both groups agree devices must be adjustable and easy to put on. This study reports their preferences, not clinical outcomes.
• PTCohort2023Mild Stroke, Serious Problems: Limitations in Balance and Gait Capacity and the Impact on Fall Rate, and Physical Activity.Neurorehabilitation and neural repairPeople after mild stroke fell more often than healthy controls, had poorer balance and gait, lower confidence, and less intense activity, even when leg motor scores were normal. Screen balance and gait after mild stroke.
• PTOTSLPPilot2023Feasibility, safety, and efficacy of task-oriented mirrored robotic training on upper-limb functions and activities of daily living in subacute poststroke patients: a pilot study.European journal of physical and rehabilitation medicineAdding 30 minutes of mirrored robotic training to usual care improved arm function and daily living scores more than usual care alone in 32 subacute stroke patients. The study was a small pilot with no randomisation, so treat these gains as preliminary rather than proven.
• PTRCT2023Combined Reactive and Volitional Step Training Improves Balance Recovery and Stepping Reaction Time in People With Parkinson's Disease: A Randomised Controlled Trial.Neurorehabilitation and neural repairPeople with Parkinson’s disease who did 12 weeks of home stepping games plus two supervised slip/trip sessions had faster choice stepping reaction times and fewer total laboratory falls than controls, but daily-life falls were not reduced.
• PTOTMeta-Analysis2023Effectiveness of transcranial direct current stimulation on balance and gait in patients with multiple sclerosis: systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized clinical trials.Journal of neuroengineering and rehabilitationtDCS improved walking speed and functional gait compared to sham, but did not improve static balance or patient-reported walking difficulty. The benefit was moderate, but evidence quality is low due to high variability between studies and potential publication bias.
• PTOTOther2024A programme evaluation of 'First Steps': A peer-conceived, developed and led self-management intervention for people after a Parkinson's diagnosis.Clinical rehabilitationA peer-led Parkinson's self-management programme did not improve anxiety, depression, daily functioning, quality of life or carer strain compared with usual care. People in the programme group increased their physical activity, but this was not better than usual care.
• PTOTSLPCohort2024Predicting the functional outcome of intensive inpatient rehabilitation after stroke: results from the RIPS Study.European journal of physical and rehabilitation medicineAdmission scores on six items predict discharge function after stroke rehab. Younger age, higher independence, fewer comorbidities, better cognition, lower stroke severity, and higher motor function at admission linked to better discharge outcomes.
• PTOTCohort2024Relation Between Cognitive Assessment and Clinical Physical Performance Measures After Mild Traumatic Brain Injury.Archives of physical medicine and rehabilitationIn people with mild traumatic brain injury, cognitive scores correlated strongly with complex physical tasks like agility and high-level mobility, but not with simple walking or dual-tasking. Dual-task performance reflected prioritization strategies rather than cognitive ability.
• PTOTOther2023Testing spasticity mechanisms in chronic stroke before and after intervention with contralesional motor cortex 1 Hz rTMS and physiotherapy.Journal of neuroengineering and rehabilitationAfter rTMS plus physiotherapy, chronic stroke patients had less reflex-mediated wrist stiffness and better arm scores. Passive tissue stiffness did not change. Because both treatments were given together, rTMS alone cannot be credited.
• PTOTSystematic Review2023Relationship between resting-state functional connectivity and change in motor function after motor imagery intervention in patients with stroke: a scoping review.Journal of neuroengineering and rehabilitationAcross 13 studies, changes in resting-state brain connectivity correlated with motor function improvement after motor imagery or brain-computer interface interventions in stroke patients. This suggests a neural basis for these treatments but does not prove they cause the recovery.
• PTOTOther2023Post-stroke deficits in the anticipatory control and bimanual coordination during naturalistic cooperative bimanual action.Journal of neuroengineering and rehabilitationPeople with right-hemisphere stroke showed the poorest anticipatory force scaling when lifting a weighted box. Both stroke groups had impaired coordination in the paretic hand, but adding weight improved how well the two hands worked together, suggesting some capacity was masked by low demand.
• PTOTSystematic Review2023Essential training variables of arm-hand training in people with cervical spinal cord injury: a systematic review.Journal of rehabilitation medicineArm-hand training programmes for cervical spinal cord injury showed better before-after gains in programmes that used skill practice, real-life tasks, both hands and lasted at least 8 weeks.
• PTRCT2023Effects of high-intensity gait training with and without soft robotic exosuits in people post-stroke: a development-of-concept pilot crossover trial.Journal of neuroengineering and rehabilitationIn four people with chronic stroke, high-intensity walking training with a soft exosuit improved walking speed and distance more than the same training without the device. The study is a small pilot, so treat this as early feasibility, not proof.
• PTOTSLPOther2023Understanding stroke survivors' preferences regarding wearable sensor feedback on functional movement: a mixed-methods study.Journal of neuroengineering and rehabilitationStroke survivors found wearable sensor reports easy to understand and motivating, but no single metric was preferred. They wanted real-time feedback tied to personal goals and emphasized that clinicians are still needed to interpret data and maintain accountability.
• PTOTSLPSystematic Review2023Applications of Repetitive Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation to Improve Upper Limb Motor Performance After Stroke: A Systematic Review.Neurorehabilitation and neural repairMost stroke rTMS trials still suppress the unaffected hemisphere, but this often fails to improve motor function. Evidence suggests matching the stimulation to the patient's specific nerve damage is critical, as suppressing the unaffected side can worsen outcomes in severely impaired patients.
• PTOTSLPCohort2023World Health Organization Disability Assessment Schedule versus Functional Independence Measure in Traumatic Brain Injury.Journal of rehabilitation medicineProxy WHODAS-12 scores differentiated mild from moderate traumatic brain injury more accurately than the Functional Independence Measure. Participation restrictions were more severe than activity limitations, especially in milder injuries, suggesting a need to assess social and community involvement specifically.
• PTOTSLPCohort2023Healthcare resource utilization and costs among patients with post-stroke spasticity before and after spasticity management including onabotulinumtoxina.Journal of rehabilitation medicineIn 735 adults with post-stroke spasticity, healthcare costs dropped significantly after starting spasticity management including onabotulinumtoxinA. This was driven by fewer hospitalizations, despite increased outpatient visits and pharmacy costs. The study did not prove the drug caused these savings.
• PTOTPilot2024Neurophysiological underpinnings of an intensive protocol for upper limb motor recovery in subacute and chronic stroke patients.European journal of physical and rehabilitation medicineTwo weeks of robotic arm training improved clinical scores in both subacute and chronic stroke patients. Subacute patients also showed smoother, faster movement and specific brain-wave changes, suggesting true motor recovery. Chronic patients improved clinically but without these kinematic or neural markers.
• PTOTCase Report2024Multidisciplinary physical rehabilitation program of individuals with spinal muscular atrophy in an inclusive school setting.Journal of pediatric rehabilitation medicineA nine-year-old girl with type 2 SMA improved in sitting and rolling after a year of combined physiotherapy and hippotherapy. She sustained sitting for five minutes and gained strength, but could not walk. This single case cannot prove the treatment works.
• PTOTSLPRCT2024Cognitive-motor dual-task training improves dynamic stability during straight and curved gait in patients with multiple sclerosis: a randomized controlled trial.European journal of physical and rehabilitation medicineAdding cognitive-motor dual-task training to conventional therapy improved dynamic balance and head stability during walking in people with multiple sclerosis. These gains persisted two months after training ended, offering a concrete way to enhance gait safety beyond standard exercises.
• PTOTPilot2024Text messaging intervention for fatigue self-management in people with stroke, spinal cord injury, and multiple sclerosis: A pilot study.Disability and health journal25 of 27 people with MS, stroke, or spinal cord injury completed a 12-week fatigue text program, with 93% retention and 85.17% text response among completers. This is feasibility, not proof fatigue improved.
• PTOTOther2024Do patients with neurological disorders benefit from immersive virtual reality? A scoping review on the emerging use of the computer-assisted rehabilitation environment.European journal of physical and rehabilitation medicineSeven studies on immersive VR show it safely improves gait, balance, and some cognitive skills in neurological patients. However, evidence on emotional symptoms is conflicting, and high costs mean this technology is not yet ready for routine clinical use.
• PTOTPilot2024Ankle proprioception in children with cerebral palsy.Journal of pediatric rehabilitation medicineChildren with cerebral palsy needed larger ankle position differences to detect movement than peers. However, their consistency in judging positions was normal. This suggests the deficit is a shift in where they perceive neutral, not random error in sensing.
• PTOTCohort2023The Evolution of Hand Proprioceptive and Motor Impairments in the Sub-Acute Phase After Stroke.Neurorehabilitation and neural repairHand proprioception and motor function often recover independently after stroke. Only 42% of patients showed matched changes in both. Patients with poor hand use at baseline had less proprioceptive recovery. Assess and treat these systems separately rather than assuming one drives the other.
• PTOTOther2023Lesion-specific cortical activation following sensory stimulation in patients with subacute stroke.Journal of neuroengineering and rehabilitationFocal vibration of the biceps activated the sensorimotor cortex in patients with subcortical stroke but not in those with cortical or mixed stroke. Basal ganglia hemorrhage showed stronger activation than ischemia. This suggests vibration effects depend heavily on lesion location.
• PTOTSLPPilot2023Immersive virtual reality gameplay detects visuospatial atypicality, including unilateral spatial neglect, following brain injury: a pilot study.Journal of neuroengineering and rehabilitationImmersive VR gameplay was feasible for acute inpatient brain injury, with minimal motion sickness and acceptable usability. It detected visuospatial atypicality in 61.5% of patients versus 22.2% of controls, identifying attention problems missed by standard pen-and-paper neglect tests.
• PTOTCohort2023Duration of rehabilitation therapy to achieve a minimal clinically important difference in mobility, walking endurance and patient-reported physical health: an observational study.Journal of rehabilitation medicineExercise duration needed for clinically important improvement ranged from 8 to 88 hours. Neurological patients with MS or Parkinson's required significantly more time than those recovering from knee or hip surgery. Patient-reported health improved with less exercise than mobility or walking endurance measures.
• PTOTOther2023Upper extremity asymmetry due to nerve injuries or central neurologic conditions: a scoping review.Journal of neuroengineering and rehabilitationUpper extremity asymmetry is mostly assessed in stroke and cerebral palsy using clinical kinematics and strength tests. Real-world data collection is increasing but remains limited. Most studies rely on low-level evidence, with few randomized trials or cohort studies.
• PTOTCase-Control2023In-depth quantification of bimanual coordination using the Kinarm exoskeleton robot in children with unilateral cerebral palsy.Journal of neuroengineering and rehabilitationChildren with unilateral cerebral palsy showed impaired bimanual coordination compared to typically developing peers. The ball-on-bar task best distinguished coordination deficits and related them to manual ability, while the object-hit task primarily reflected differences between the hands.
• PTOTPilot2023Effects of overground gait training assisted by a wearable exoskeleton in patients with Parkinson's disease.Journal of neuroengineering and rehabilitationEight patients with Parkinson's disease trained with a wearable hip exoskeleton. They walked faster and with longer strides immediately after training and one month later. However, standard clinical tests for motor symptoms and balance did not show significant improvement.
• PTOTCohort2023Accelerometer-measured physical activity at 3 months as a predictor of symptoms of depression and anxiety 1 year after stroke: a multicentre prospective cohort study in central Norway.Journal of rehabilitation medicineAccelerometer-measured physical activity at 3 months post-stroke did not predict depression or anxiety at 1 year after adjusting for stroke severity and other factors. Sedentary time, light, and moderate activity levels showed no significant link to mood outcomes.
• PTOTOther2023Multi-Site Identification and Generalization of Clusters of Walking Behaviors in Individuals With Chronic Stroke and Neurotypical Controls.Neurorehabilitation and neural repairWalking patterns after stroke fall into four distinct, reproducible clusters, not just a single average profile. Fast walkers show marked asymmetry, while slow walkers split into two groups with different force deficits. Identifying which cluster a patient belongs to allows for targeted rehabilitation strategies rather than generic gait training.
• PTOTSLPQualitative2024Healthcare professionals' experiences of delivering a stroke Early Supported Discharge service - An example from Ireland.Clinical rehabilitationStroke home rehabilitation teams in Ireland were unevenly resourced, with staff shortages and limited psychology access constraining delivery. Most teams dropped telerehabilitation after COVID, while families needed clearer information and support.
• PTOTSLPRCT2024Mixed methods, single case design, feasibility trial of a motivational conversational agent for rehabilitation for adults with traumatic brain injury.Clinical rehabilitationTwo adults with traumatic brain injury and four clinicians found a conversational agent helpful for maintaining rehabilitation goals between appointments. Participants reported good usability and motivation, though the small sample and short duration limit conclusions about clinical effectiveness.
• PTOther2023Validating the Safe and Effective Use of a Neurorehabilitation System (InTandem) to Improve Walking in the Chronic Stroke Population: Usability Study.JMIR rehabilitation and assistive technologiesIn a simulated home test, 14 of 15 adults with chronic stroke completed key InTandem walking-device tasks without errors. The one error involved sensor setup and a software bug. This was about safe use, not improved walking.
• PTOTPilot2023Movement Component Analysis of Reaching Strategies in Individuals With Stroke: Preliminary Study.JMIR rehabilitation and assistive technologiesPeople with mild-to-moderate stroke rely heavily on trunk flexion and shoulder elevation to reach, rather than using their arm joints. This method visualizes these compensatory strategies, helping therapists set specific goals to reduce inefficient movement patterns.
• PTOTOther2023Muscle redundancy is greatly reduced by the spatiotemporal nature of neuromuscular control.Frontiers in rehabilitation sciencesComputer modeling shows that because muscles cannot change force instantly, the brain has far fewer coordination options than previously thought. This explains why minor strength changes can force patients to adopt entirely new movement patterns.
• PTOther2023Sensorimotor rhythm and muscle activity in patients with stroke using mobile serious games to assist upper extremity rehabilitation.Frontiers in rehabilitation sciencesStroke survivors showed stronger brain activation during shoulder exercises when using a vibration-feedback smartphone game compared to standard instruction. Muscle activity also increased for the shoulder, but not for the elbow or wrist. This short-term lab test does not prove the game improves functional recovery.
• PTOTPilot2023Mixed methods usability evaluation of an assistive wearable robotic hand orthosis for people with spinal cord injury.Journal of neuroengineering and rehabilitationFive people with spinal cord injury tried a wearable robotic hand for grasping. Four improved their hand function scores, but one got worse because the device blocked their existing tenodesis grasp. Donning took almost five minutes and required assistance, which users disliked.
• PTOTSLPCohort2024Establishing a Clinical Care Pathway to Expedite Rehabilitation Transitions for Stroke Patients With Dysphagia and Enteral Feeding Needs.American journal of physical medicine & rehabilitationA clinical pathway using PM&R consultation to identify stroke patients likely to recover swallowing allowed transfer to rehab with a nasogastric tube. This group achieved oral diet significantly faster than those receiving early PEG placement.
• PTOTSLPCohort2024Outcomes following intensive day rehabilitation for young people in Western Australia.Journal of pediatric rehabilitation medicineYoung people in intensive day rehab improved in function and goal attainment, with gains maintained at six months. But with no control group, natural recovery or community therapy may explain some progress, so do not assume the programme alone caused the change.
• PTOTOther2024Paired DBS and TMS Reveals Dentato-Cortical Facilitation Underlying Upper Extremity Movement in Chronic Stroke Survivors.Neurorehabilitation and neural repairDirect stimulation of the cerebellum in stroke survivors with severe arm weakness facilitated motor cortex activity at short intervals. This excitatory effect was stronger in those with more severe impairment, suggesting the cerebellum may compensate for lost brain function in these patients.