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 52 OF 78 · NEWEST FIRST

• PTOTSLPCohort2024Sensitive Identification of Asymmetries and Neuromuscular Deficits in Lower Limb Function in Early Multiple Sclerosis.Neurorehabilitation and neural repairPeople with early MS and normal manual muscle strength showed reduced single-leg jump performance compared to healthy controls. This objective test detected subclinical asymmetries and deficits that standard clinical exams missed.
• PTOTCohort2024Gait speed at the acute phase predicted health-related quality of life at 3 and 12 months after stroke: a prospective cohort study.Journal of rehabilitation medicineStroke survivors who walked faster in the acute phase reported better health-related quality of life at 3 and 12 months. Those in the fastest group had significantly higher quality-of-life scores and fewer problems with mobility, self-care, and daily activities than those in the slowest group.
• PTOTSLPCohort2024Impact of deep brain stimulation on gait in Parkinson disease: A kinematic study.Gait & postureGait speed, step length, and stride length worsened less than a year after deep brain stimulation, even though medication doses dropped and clinical motor scores improved. These kinematic declines were not predicted by target site or medication changes.
• PTOTOther2024Use of functional magnetic resonance imaging to identify cortical loci for lower limb movements and their efficacy for individuals after stroke.Journal of neuroengineering and rehabilitationA custom footplate and leg cushion reduced head motion during fMRI, allowing researchers to map specific brain areas for lower limb movements. In stroke survivors, brain activity patterns in these mapped areas correlated with motor function scores, suggesting these loci could help target future neurorehabilitation.
• PTOTSLPCohort2024Long-term impact of a community-based adapted boxing program on physical functioning and quality of life of individuals with Parkinson's disease.NeuroRehabilitationIndividuals with Parkinson's disease attending community boxing for over a year showed improved mobility and leg strength. Balance did not change. Quality of life scores worsened slightly, though the change was smaller than the threshold for clinical significance. There was no control group.
• PTOTSLPOther2024Nutrition and Food Security Among Veterans: Operationalizing Nutritional Functioning.Archives of physical medicine and rehabilitationVeterans with polytrauma face nutritional barriers rooted in psychosocial and cognitive factors, not just food access. Many view food assistance as a "handout" and struggle with meal planning due to PTSD and pain, requiring tailored rehabilitation interventions that address these specific psychological and functional obstacles.
• PTOther2024A comprehensive multivariate analysis of the center of pressure during quiet standing in patients with Parkinson's disease.Journal of neuroengineering and rehabilitationQuiet standing sway in Parkinson's disease split into five components and six subtypes. Sway area and speed alone did not separate mild from severe PD, so PTs may need to look beyond one sway number.
• PTOTOther2023Relationship between muscle activity characteristics and physical therapy parameters during posterior gait assistance with knee-ankle-foot orthosis in severe acute stroke hemiplegic patients.Journal of physical therapy scienceIn acute stroke patients using a knee-ankle-foot orthosis with therapist support, all measured leg muscles worked hardest in the first half of the step. Rectus femoris activity correlated with balance and movement scores, offering a possible indicator of function when voluntary movement is hard to assess.
• PTPilot2023Effect of three-hour ankle joint immobilization with an ankle foot orthosis on corticospinal excitability and ankle joint angle excursion during gait.Journal of physical therapy scienceThree hours of ankle immobilization with an AFO reduced brain signals to leg muscles and altered ankle movement during walking in healthy staff. The brain's output to the muscles dropped, and the ankle moved less naturally at key transition points in the gait cycle.
• PTOTSLPOther2023Applicability of fractional anisotropy from standardized automated tractography for outcome prediction of patients after stroke.Journal of physical therapy scienceIn 14 stroke patients, fractional anisotropy from automated tractography strongly predicted long-term motor recovery. This method worked even when comparing raw lesion-side scores, unlike standard region-of-interest mapping which failed on raw scores. It offers a practical tool for prognosis without needing healthy-side comparisons.
• PTOTSLPSystematic Review2024Predictive Factors for Successful Decannulation in Patients with Tracheostomies and Brain Injuries: A Systematic Review.DysphagiaFor patients with brain injuries, decannulation success is predicted by better consciousness, effective swallowing, and a strong cough. Younger age and traumatic rather than anoxic causes also help. These factors suggest who might tolerate tube removal, but do not guarantee it.
• PTOTOther2024Minimal clinically important differences of spatiotemporal gait variables in Parkinson disease.Gait & postureIn Parkinson disease, specific gait changes mark clinically important differences: 8.2cm/s for speed, 3.6cm for step length, and about 0.7% for variability. These values help determine if treatment effects are real or just measurement noise.
• PTRCT2024Efficacy of Walking Adaptability Training on Walking Capacity in Ambulatory People With Motor Incomplete Spinal Cord Injury: A Multicenter Pragmatic Randomized Controlled Trial.Neurorehabilitation and neural repairWalking adaptability training did not improve walking speed more than conventional treadmill and strength training in people with incomplete spinal cord injury. Both groups improved after 6 weeks, and gains remained at follow-up.
• PTOTOther2024Human-centered design of a novel soft exosuit for post-stroke gait rehabilitation.Journal of neuroengineering and rehabilitationThe new stroke-specific NewGait device scored 84.3 on usability versus 62.7 for the original, indicating best imaginable usability. Silicone bands survived 500,000 cycles while latex failed at 26,727. Clinical effectiveness remains untested.
• PTOTSLPCohort2024Community integration and its predictors in people with stroke: a multicenter longitudinal study.Journal of rehabilitation medicineStroke survivors' community integration improved over a year, driven by gains in daily living and balance. Baseline independence and balance were the strongest predictors of long-term integration. Therapists should prioritise self-care and balance training, not just motor recovery.
• PTOTSLPCohort2023Prevalence and Correlates of VA-Purchased Community Care Use Among Post-9/11-Era Veterans With Traumatic Brain Injury.The Journal of head trauma rehabilitationVeterans with traumatic brain injury who had severe injuries, mental health conditions, or suicide risk were more likely to use community care purchased by the VA than those with milder injuries. This group represents a large portion of community patients who may lack specialized TBI training.
• PTOTCohort2024Early Prediction of Poststroke Rehabilitation Outcomes Using Wearable Sensors.Physical therapyWearable sensors during a brief walk improved prediction of discharge ambulation and fall risk in ambulatory stroke patients, but did not help predict independence. For nonambulatory patients, standard clinical records alone remained as accurate as sensor data.
• PTOTRCT2024Vertical locomotion improves horizontal locomotion: effects of climbing on gait and other mobility aspects in Parkinson's disease. A secondary analysis from a randomized controlled trial.Journal of neuroengineering and rehabilitationTwelve weeks of supervised indoor climbing improved normal and fast walking speed, stand-and-walk speed, and sit-to-stand speed in mild-to-moderate Parkinson's compared to unsupervised home exercise. Dual-task walking did not improve in either group.
• PTOther2024Augmenting locomotor perception by remapping tactile foot sensation to the back.Journal of neuroengineering and rehabilitationHealthy walkers felt back vibrations as their own movement when timing matched, even after a full step-cycle delay. Stride timing showed no clear change, so this is a perception finding, not a tested gait treatment.
• PTOther2024The impact of anxiety on gait impairments in Parkinson's disease: insights from sensor-based gait analysis.Journal of neuroengineering and rehabilitationPD patients with anxiety walked with shorter, slower steps and more variable toe-off and heel-strike angles than those without anxiety, mainly during normal walking. This is an association, not proof that anxiety caused the gait changes.
• PTOther2024Impact of Concussions on Postural Stability Performance Using the Head Shake-Sensory Organization Test.International journal of sports physical therapyYoung adults with prior concussion had worse balance than controls when shaking their head on a force plate, and worse still on foam. Standard balance testing without head shake did not separate the groups.
• PTOTOther2024Detecting the symptoms of Parkinson's disease with non-standard video.Journal of neuroengineering and rehabilitationA machine learning model using smartphone videos of a finger-to-nose task correctly detected Parkinson's symptoms in 91% of cases. However, it failed to detect symptoms from hand rotation videos, and the system still requires manual identification of the patient in the frame.
• PTOTSLPOther2024Psychometric properties of the Danish version of the Caregiver Burden Scale: Investigating predictors and severity of burden after stroke, spinal cord injury, or traumatic brain injury.Journal of rehabilitation medicineThe Danish Caregiver Burden Scale reliably measures overall strain, disappointment, and emotional involvement in stroke, spinal cord, and brain injury caregivers. However, its Environment and Isolation subscales are unreliable for most groups. Longer caregiving and being a spouse predicted higher burden.
• PTSurvey2024Validity and reliability of the 2-min step test in individuals with stroke and lower-limb musculoskeletal disorders.Frontiers in rehabilitation sciencesThe 2-minute step test can be used as a space-saving endurance measure in stroke and lower-limb musculoskeletal disorders. Its scores were moderately related to 6-minute walk distance, but people with stroke took more steps at retest.
• PTOTCase Report2024Utility and usability of a wearable system and progressive-challenge cued exercise program for encouraging use of the more involved arm at-home after stroke-a feasibility study with case reports.Journal of neuroengineering and rehabilitationIn six chronic stroke survivors, a wearable app delivering 180 daily vibration cues prompted arm exercise in 98% of cases. Users rated usability high. This confirms the device works technically. It does not prove the exercises improved function or recovery.
• PTOTSLPOther2024Cerebral palsy pain instruments: Recommended tools for clinical research studies by the National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke Cerebral Palsy Common Data Elements project.Developmental medicine and child neurologyFifteen pain assessment tools are recommended for children with cerebral palsy, but none are classified as core. Most tools target school-aged children who can self-report, leaving significant gaps for non-verbal patients and those with communication challenges.
• PTOTOther2024Linking corticospinal tract activation and upper-limb motor control in adults with cerebral palsy.Developmental medicine and child neurologyAdults with cerebral palsy had smaller wrist flexor corticospinal responses at high stimulation levels than typical adults. Among adults with cerebral palsy, smaller responses were associated with poorer manual dexterity, selective motor control, and self-reported upper-limb tasks.
• PTOTSLPCohort2024Changes in physical activity level during hospitalization in patients with stroke and those with fracture: a prospective longitudinal study.Journal of physical therapy scienceDuring rehabilitation, both stroke and fracture patients spent less time sitting and more time moving. The biggest gain was in light activity during non-therapy hours. However, total activity remained far below WHO guidelines, suggesting the hospital environment itself limits movement regardless of diagnosis.
• PTOTSLPSystematic Review2024Exoskeleton-based exercises for overground gait and balance rehabilitation in spinal cord injury: a systematic review of dose and dosage parameters.Journal of neuroengineering and rehabilitationMost studies using exoskeletons for walking and balance in spinal cord injury reported improvements. Typical effective protocols involved 60-minute sessions, three times a week, for eight to twelve weeks. However, study designs varied widely, and many did not report training intensity or dropouts.
• PTOther2024Factors associated with gait efficiency in children with cerebral palsy: association between gait abnormality and balance ability.Journal of physical therapy scienceMore heart beats per distance walked was linked to more visible gait abnormalities and poorer balance in children with cerebral palsy who walk without aids. Heel lift timing, knee position in swing, turning, and feet-together standing were the strongest markers.
• PTOther2023The Use of Methylphenidate During Inpatient Rehabilitation After Pediatric Traumatic Brain Injury: Population Characteristics and Prescribing Patterns.The Journal of head trauma rehabilitationPrescribing methylphenidate in pediatric TBI rehab is highly variable, with an 18-fold difference in starting doses. Patients receiving it were generally older and had more severe injuries. This describes current practice patterns rather than proving the medication improves recovery.
• PTCohort2024Relationships between mediolateral step modulation and clinical balance measures in people with chronic stroke.Gait & postureBetter control of how the paretic foot is placed sideways predicted higher balance scores, less fear of falling, and fewer falls in people with chronic stroke. The link was weak to moderate, so this biomechanical measure does not replace standard clinical assessment.
• PTRCT2024Effects of motor and cognitive complex training on obstacle walking and brain activity in people with Parkinson's disease: a randomized controlled trial.European journal of physical and rehabilitation medicineCognitive-motor training improved obstacle walking speed and stride length in people with Parkinson's, while complex walking training did not. The cognitive-motor group also showed increased brain activity in the supplementary motor area, suggesting better motor planning during challenging walks.
• PTOther2024Validation of bioimpedance phase angle in lower extremity of male patients with chronic spinal cord injury.Journal of physical therapy scienceIn men with chronic spinal cord injury, lower-limb phase angle from bioimpedance was lower than in healthy men and was related to ultrasound thigh muscle size and fat and fibrous tissue. No function or treatment effect was tested.
• PTOTCohort2024Early functional factors for predicting outcome of independence in daily living after stroke: a decision tree analysis.Journal of rehabilitation medicineA decision tree model predicts independence in daily living after stroke. Patients who could stand up from sitting and had good balance on admission were most likely to achieve a good outcome at discharge. This helps therapists set early goals based on initial mobility and balance scores.
• PTOTQualitative2024"There's always something, and then there's more": a qualitative examination of how virtual peer led self-management can create community around the evolving SCI experience.Frontiers in rehabilitation sciencesParticipants in an online spinal cord injury self-management program valued peer validation over professional advice. They described finding community with others who understood their specific lived experience, which they felt was more powerful than standard clinical support.
• PTOTSLPOther2024Immersive VR for upper-extremity rehabilitation in patients with neurological disorders: a scoping review.Journal of neuroengineering and rehabilitationMost studies of immersive VR for arm rehabilitation reported improvements, but all were small, uncontrolled trials. Cybersickness was rarely measured. Treat this as evidence of feasibility, not proof that VR works better than standard therapy.
• PTOTRCT2024Dog-assisted physiotherapy in amyotrophic lateral sclerosis: a randomized controlled pilot study.European journal of physical and rehabilitation medicineAdding a therapy dog to balance exercises for two weeks improved walking distance, balance, and mood more than standard physiotherapy alone in people with ALS. The study was small and short, so it shows promise but does not prove long-term benefit or how to apply it in routine care.
• PTRCT2024Effects of robot-assisted gait training using the Welwalk on gait independence for individuals with hemiparetic stroke: an assessor-blinded, multicenter randomized controlled trial.Journal of neuroengineering and rehabilitationWelwalk robot gait training added to conventional physical therapy did not improve overall gait independence in subacute hemiparetic stroke. A difference appeared only in a small cerebral infarction subgroup, so it is not proof the robot works.
• PTOTSLPRCT2024Enhancing touch sensibility with sensory electrical stimulation and sensory retraining.Journal of neuroengineering and rehabilitationSub-threshold electrical stimulation improved texture discrimination within the treated group, but the difference versus sham failed significance after correction. Stimulation increased scanning speed and brain activity, yet no direct clinical benefit was proven for patients.
• PTOTOther2024Exploring the challenges of avoiding collisions with virtual pedestrians using a dual-task paradigm in individuals with chronic moderate to severe traumatic brain injury.Journal of neuroengineering and rehabilitationPeople with chronic traumatic brain injury walked closer to virtual pedestrians and started avoiding them later when doing a cognitive task. They did not hit the obstacles, but their strategy was riskier than healthy adults, who widened their path and slowed down.
• PTOTCohort2024Prediction of long-term functional outcome following different rehabilitation pathways after stroke unit discharge.Journal of rehabilitation medicinePatients planned for home or outpatient rehab after stroke had higher odds of independence at 1 and 5 years than those with no planned rehab. Inpatient rehab was linked to lower odds of independence, but these patients had more severe strokes and comorbidities.
• PTOTCohort2024The use of accelerometer bracelets to evaluate arm motor function over a stroke rehabilitation period - an explorative observational study.Journal of neuroengineering and rehabilitationChange in wrist movement over stroke rehab did not track change in clinical arm function, although readings matched arm function scores at the start and were still related at the end. Ten of 18 patients did not change their self-reported arm use.
• PTOTCohort2024Improving physical movement during stroke rehabilitation: investigating associations between sleep measured by wearable actigraphy technology, fatigue, and key biomarkers.Journal of neuroengineering and rehabilitationIn 18 stroke inpatients, no sleep link was found for affected-side movement. More night wakings tracked with weaker non-affected grip, and longer time to fall asleep tracked with better non-affected block performance. Fatigue was common but not linked to movement.
• PTRCT2024Effects of flexor reflex stimulation on gait aspects in stroke patients: randomized clinical trial.Journal of neuroengineering and rehabilitationDuring a single session, stroke patients walked faster and farther with sole-of-foot reflex stimulation than without, but most gait parameters did not change and the speed gain was below reported clinically meaningful values.
• PTOTCohort2024The independence of impairments in proprioception and visuomotor adaptation after stroke.Journal of neuroengineering and rehabilitationStroke survivors with impaired position sense still adapted to visual distortions at normal rates. Proprioceptive deficits and visuomotor adaptation impairments occur independently, so a patient’s poor body awareness does not predict their ability to learn from visual feedback.
• PTOTRCT2024Effectiveness of action observation treatment based on pathological model in hemiplegic children: a randomized-controlled trial.European journal of physical and rehabilitation medicineChildren with hemiplegia who watched videos of a hand with similar movement patterns and then copied the actions improved more in spontaneous bimanual hand use immediately after 8 hours of therapy than those who watched typically developed hands. This advantage disappeared by follow-up.
• PTOTSLPSystematic Review2024Hope as experienced by people with acquired brain injury in a rehabilitation-or recovery process: a qualitative systematic review and thematic synthesis.Frontiers in rehabilitation sciencesHope after brain injury is a double-edged sword: it drives recovery but can cause despair when unfulfilled. Patients need therapists to make small progress visible, set realistic goals, and balance honesty with support. The therapeutic alliance is crucial for maintaining hope.
• PTQualitative2024Understanding the Sociocultural Challenges and Opportunities for Affordable Wearables to Support Poststroke Upper-Limb Rehabilitation: Qualitative Study.JMIR rehabilitation and assistive technologiesAfter stroke, home upper-limb rehab was shaped by therapist gender preferences, family overhelp, beliefs, cost, and unsupervised exercise risks. Participants wanted affordable wearables with feedback, but no device was tested.
• PTOTOther2024Measurement properties of movement smoothness metrics for upper limb reaching movements in people with moderate to severe subacute stroke.Journal of neuroengineering and rehabilitationSPARC was the most dependable and best tracked upper-limb reaching improvement after subacute stroke. LDLJ was also dependable, but all three time-based smoothness measures were more affected by movement time.