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 54 OF 78 · NEWEST FIRST

• PTOTCohort2024Influence of virtual reality and task complexity on digital health metrics assessing upper limb function.Journal of neuroengineering and rehabilitationFor people with MS, virtual reality assessments were more responsive to rehabilitation changes than physical tasks, despite the physical tasks having lower variability and higher usability. Neither method proved significantly more reliable or valid for detecting upper limb function.
• PTCohort2024Cholinergic nucleus degeneration and its association with gait impairment in Parkinson's disease.Journal of neuroengineering and rehabilitationIn Parkinson's patients, degeneration in the right cholinergic brain regions was linked to slower walking, shorter strides, and reduced ankle movement. This association persisted even when controlling for cognitive scores or medication dose, suggesting a direct link between this specific brain atrophy and gait impairment.
• PTOTSLPSystematic Review2024Leisure Engagement Among People Living With Acquired Brain Injury: A Scoping Review.OTJR : occupation, participation and healthPeople with acquired brain injury engage less in leisure than before, shifting toward sedentary, solitary, home-based activities. Transport, fatigue, and cognitive limits block community participation. Assess these specific barriers and environmental factors, not just physical recovery, to support meaningful re-engagement.
• PTOTSLPOther2024Wearable sensor and smartphone assisted vestibular physical therapy for multiple sclerosis: usability and outcomes.Frontiers in rehabilitation sciencesPeople with MS found a home-based vestibular therapy app with a head sensor easy to use and helpful. They improved balance and reported less dizziness, though adherence averaged 60%. This is a usability study, not proof the tech works better than standard care.
• PTOther2024Customized passive-dynamic ankle-foot orthoses can improve walking economy and speed for many individuals post-stroke.Journal of neuroengineering and rehabilitationCustomized ankle-foot braces reduced walking effort and increased speed on average, but many people post-stroke did not benefit individually. Usual braces did not consistently improve gait mechanics, although satisfaction was higher with the customized brace.
• PTOTSystematic Review2024Guidelines for chronic pain in adult spinal cord injury population: Scoping review.The South African journal of physiotherapyMost pain guidelines for spinal cord injury focus only on nerve pain, ignoring musculoskeletal pain. Only one high-quality guideline covered both types and recommended specific screening tools. Clinicians should check if their current protocols address nociceptive pain or rely on guidelines that miss it.
• PTOTPilot2024Para table tennis improves psychological/mental and cardiovascular health in individuals with spinal cord injury.NeuroRehabilitationFour weeks of twice-weekly para table tennis improved self-efficacy and arterial elasticity in adults with spinal cord injury. The study was a small pilot with a control group doing static activities, so the specific contribution of the sport versus general activity remains unclear.
• PTOTSLPOther2024Spinal manipulation and mobilisation in paediatrics - an international evidence-based position statement for physiotherapists.The Journal of manual & manipulative therapySpinal manipulation and mobilisation should not be performed on infants or for non-musculoskeletal conditions like asthma or colic. For adolescents with neck or back pain, these techniques may be appropriate if combined with sound clinical reasoning.
• PTRCT2024Safety & efficacy of a robotic hip exoskeleton on outpatient stroke rehabilitation.Journal of neuroengineering and rehabilitationAverage comfortable walking speed improved by 0.12 m/s after therapist-guided gait training with the GEMS-H, but that was below the 0.14 m/s clinically important gain. Daily steps rose by 1,750 per day, and device-related adverse events were 0.81%.
• PTOTOther2024Bone health education in individuals with spinal cord injury or disease-the Bare Bones Podcast Series: plan it, produce it, post it!Frontiers in rehabilitation sciencesClinicians can direct patients with spinal cord injury to a free podcast series and handouts co-designed with patients. These resources simplify complex bone health guidelines to help patients prepare for appointments and ask about fracture risks.
• PTOTSLPOther2024A usability study on the inGAIT-VSO: effects of a variable-stiffness ankle-foot orthosis on the walking performance of children with cerebral palsy.Journal of neuroengineering and rehabilitationIn six children with cerebral palsy, a variable-stiffness ankle orthosis significantly lowered the physiological cost of walking by 45.26% without reducing distance walked. It did not improve speed or balance. Usability was rated good or excellent by five of six participants.
• PTOTSLPPilot2024Estimating highest capacity propulsion performance using backward-directed force during walking evaluation for individuals with acquired brain injury.Journal of neuroengineering and rehabilitationA new robotic treadmill test measuring forward walking power correlated strongly with endurance and fast walking, but not comfortable speed. The standard sit-to-stand test did not correlate with this power measure, suggesting it is a poor proxy for walking propulsion capacity in people with acquired brain injury.
• PTCohort2024Multiple sclerosis and spasticity: the role of anaesthetic nerve blocks on rectus femoris muscle. When should stiff knee be treated with botulinum toxin?Journal of rehabilitation medicineIn 14 people with MS and stiff knee, a diagnostic nerve block predicted who would improve after botulinum toxin. Those with more severe disability saw the block match toxin results across all walking tests. Those with milder disability saw the block underestimate improvement in agility tasks.
• PTOTSLPSystematic Review2024Mapping the costs and socioeconomic characteristics involved in traumatic brain injuries: a scoping review.Journal of rehabilitation medicineMost studies link lower socioeconomic status to higher costs and worse outcomes after traumatic brain injury, but the evidence is sparse and inconsistent. Only two studies fully measured social position, so current data cannot reliably guide clinical decisions on individual patients.
• PTOTSLPRCT2024Clinical and neurophysiological effects of bilateral repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation and EEG-guided neurofeedback in Parkinson's disease: a randomized, four-arm controlled trial.Journal of neuroengineering and rehabilitationCombining brain stimulation with neurofeedback improved Parkinson's motor symptoms more than either alone. However, neither treatment changed walking speed, balance, or finger tapping speed. The effect on quality of life was positive but based on a small, unblinded sample.
• PTOTPilot2024Neuromuscular conditions in post-stroke ankle-foot dysfunction reflected by surface electromyography.Journal of neuroengineering and rehabilitationSurface EMG showed reduced muscle activation on the affected side and increased coordination on the unaffected side in post-stroke patients. These differences were not seen in traditional clinical assessments, suggesting EMG may reveal hidden neuromuscular compensation.
• PTOTCase Series2024Feedback control of heart rate during robotics-assisted tilt table exercise in patients after stroke: a clinical feasibility study.Journal of neuroengineering and rehabilitationA feedback system automatically adjusted exercise intensity to keep stroke patients' heart rate at a target during robot-assisted tilt-table stepping. In 12 patients, heart rate tracking was accurate, with an average error of 2.00 beats per minute. The system was feasible, but this was not a clinical trial.
• PTOTRCT2024The influence of scaffolding on intrinsic motivation and autonomous adherence to a game-based, sparsely supervised home rehabilitation program for people with upper extremity hemiparesis due to stroke. A randomized controlled trial.Journal of neuroengineering and rehabilitationScaffolding game difficulty did not improve adherence or motivation compared to hidden algorithmic adjustment. However, both sparsely supervised home programs produced clinically meaningful gains in arm function and daily activities. The game design mechanism was not the driver of recovery.
• PTOTOther2024Robotic assessment of bilateral and unilateral upper limb functions in adults with cerebral palsy.Journal of neuroengineering and rehabilitationAdults with mild to moderate cerebral palsy were most often impaired on a robotic bilateral asymmetric hitting task, even when their everyday object handling was rated as mild. Symmetric and unilateral reaching tasks identified fewer impairments.
• PTOTQualitative2024Application of the participatory design in the testing of a baropodometric insole prototype for weight-bearing asymmetry after a stroke: A qualitative study.Hong Kong journal of occupational therapy : HKJOTOne woman after stroke described a vibrating insole prototype as comfortable and felt she was walking more normally. Shoe size and app faults were barriers.
• PTOTSLPOther2024A Participatory Model for Cocreating Accessible Rehabilitation Technology for Stroke Survivors: User-Centered Design Approach.JMIR rehabilitation and assistive technologiesStroke survivors who completed an 8-week technology-based rehabilitation program provided detailed feedback that shaped the design of new devices, including a low-cost hand tool and a dosage monitoring app. This describes a development process, not evidence that these tools improve function.
• PTOTCohort2024Non-adherence to follow-up care in persons with spinal cord injury within 10 years after initial rehabilitation.Journal of rehabilitation medicineTen years after rehab, only 36% of people with spinal cord injury attended annual follow-ups. Older age, lack of a partner, and travel times over 2 hours predicted non-adherence. Deaths accounted for 29% of dropouts, while 44% of those who died stopped attending within the first year.
• PTCohort2024Classification of upper limb spasticity patterns in patients with multiple sclerosis: a pilot observational study.Journal of rehabilitation medicineIn 25 people with MS after one botulinum toxin A cycle, upper limb spasticity was grouped into six shoulder-elbow-forearm-wrist patterns; pattern 6, with internally rotated shoulder, flexed elbow and neutral forearm/wrist, was reported in 29.5% of limbs. No treatment effect was tested.
• PTQualitative2024Peer support as pressure ulcer prevention strategy in special school learners with paraplegia.The South African journal of physiotherapyLearners with paraplegia in a special school identified peer support as a key strategy to prevent pressure ulcers. They proposed structured groups led by experienced peers, supported by physiotherapists, to share self-care skills and counter negative peer pressure.
• PTOTOther2024Effects of semi-immersive virtual reality and manipulation of optic flow speed on gait biomechanics in people post-stroke.Journal of rehabilitation medicineAdding semi-immersive virtual reality to self-paced treadmill walking did not change gait mechanics in people post-stroke, but it was safe and increased enjoyment. Manipulating optic flow speed caused only small, likely clinically irrelevant changes in walking speed.
• PTCohort2024Physical activity and functional limitations in pediatric multiple sclerosis: Are fatigue and depression confounding variables?Journal of pediatric rehabilitation medicineHigher moderate-to-vigorous physical activity was linked to better perceived function in youth with multiple sclerosis. This link remained significant even when accounting for fatigue and depression. Depression was also independently associated with worse function, while fatigue was not.
• PTOTSurvey2024Work Difficulties in People with Multiple Sclerosis.Journal of occupational rehabilitationAmong 340 people with MS, older age, southern residence, and higher disability were linked to unemployment; higher education and open-ended contracts were linked to staying employed. In employed people, physical difficulties and fatigue were common.
• PTOTCohort2024Differences in rehabilitation evaluation access for rural and socially disadvantaged stroke survivors.Topics in stroke rehabilitationRural and socially disadvantaged stroke survivors received significantly fewer community-based physical and occupational therapy evaluations than their peers. Access to outpatient therapy was particularly low for these groups, with only 2.0% of the total cohort receiving outpatient occupational therapy.
• PTOTQualitative2025Nutrition and eating beliefs and behaviors among individuals with spinal cord injuries and disorders: Healthy or misconceived?Rehabilitation psychologyVeterans with chronic spinal cord injuries often restrict calories severely to manage weight or because injury altered their appetite and digestion. They also face physical barriers to cooking and shopping, leading many to rely on processed foods despite knowing this is unhealthy.
• PTOTSLPQualitative2024Factors related to high-risk movement behaviour in people with stroke who are highly sedentary and inactive.Disability and rehabilitationStroke survivors with high-risk sedentary habits were largely unaware of their movement patterns and relied on daily routines rather than conscious regulation. Participants stated that receiving feedback on their actual activity levels and support to break habitual sitting were key to enabling change.
• PTOTSurvey2024Improving telehealth for persons with multiple sclerosis - a cross-sectional study from the Australian MS longitudinal study.Disability and rehabilitationMost participants with MS used telehealth, and most who rated it said it was positive. They wanted preparation guidance, remote monitoring devices, and ways to do physical tests or treatment remotely.
• PTOTOther2024ICF classification of therapeutic goals for outpatient episodes of neurorehabilitation in post-stroke and Parkinson disease.Disability and rehabilitationClinicians mostly set goals for what patients can do in the clinic, not in daily life. Only 21% of goals targeted real-world performance, and fewer than 1% used direct measurement. This disconnect may explain why capacity improves but daily function does not.
• PTOTOther2025Similarities and differences in factors associated with high and low sedentary behavior after stroke: a mixed methods study.Disability and rehabilitationPeople with more device-measured sitting time after stroke described basic daily tasks, help done for them, and barriers without solutions. People with less sitting time described wider activities, doing things with others, and finding ways around barriers.
• PTOTSystematic Review2025Barriers and facilitators to parent-delivered interventions for children with or infants at risk of cerebral palsy. An integrative review informed by behaviour change theory.Disability and rehabilitationParents delivering home therapy for children with or at risk of cerebral palsy often felt underprepared, time pressed, and emotionally strained. Clear knowledge, coaching for skills, realistic goals, flexible home programmes, family support, and stable therapist relationships were described as facilitating delivery.
• PTSLPCohort2024The Effects of Repetitive Head Impact Exposure on Mental Health Symptoms Following Traumatic Brain Injury.The Journal of head trauma rehabilitationRepetitive head impacts occurring after a moderate to severe traumatic brain injury were linked to higher depression and anxiety scores five years later. Impacts that happened before the index injury were not associated with these mental health outcomes.
• PTOTSLPSurvey2024Using machine learning to discover traumatic brain injury patient phenotypes: national concussion surveillance system Pilot.Brain injuryMachine learning sorted self-reported concussion symptoms into five distinct groups. One group had many symptoms and worse outcomes, including more social and work impairment. Another had headache alone and resolved quickly. These profiles may help target care, but the study did not test any treatment.
• PTOTSLPOther2024Neurobehavioral Symptom Profiles for the Behavioral Assessment Screening Tool in Chronic Traumatic Brain Injury.The Journal of head trauma rehabilitationAdults with chronic TBI fell into three distinct symptom profiles: High-Risk (mostly younger men with high substance misuse and impulsivity), Moderate-Risk, and High Negative Affect (mostly women with mild TBI and low other symptoms). These patterns suggest tailoring screening and intervention based on demographic and symptom clusters rather than treating TBI symptoms as a single uniform block.
• PTCohort2024Healthy Days at Home Among Older Medicare Beneficiaries With Traumatic Brain Injury Requiring Inpatient Rehabilitation.The Journal of head trauma rehabilitationOlder adults with traumatic brain injury spent 65.3% of the first year after discharge alive at home without hospital, nursing home, or home health care, compared with 93.2% before hospitalization. Being discharged home and better mobility at discharge were linked to more days at home.
• PTOTCohort2024Transcranial Doppler ultrasonography can predict inpatient rehabilitation functional outcome in patients with stroke.PM & R : the journal of injury, function, and rehabilitationStroke patients with abnormally low blood flow velocity in the affected brain artery gained significantly less motor function during inpatient rehabilitation compared to those with normal flow. This single-center study suggests transcranial Doppler may help predict motor recovery potential.
• PTOTSLPQualitative2024Attitudes of cardiac rehabilitation and stroke teams towards integration of stroke survivors into adapted cardiac rehabilitation: A focus group study.Clinical rehabilitationCardiac rehab staff reported positive experiences integrating stroke survivors but lacked confidence managing stroke-specific issues like tone and fatigue. Stroke teams doubted cardiac staff's ability to provide safe support. Both groups agreed a specialist stroke physiotherapist must be present in classes.
• PTCohort2024The Association of Interlimb Coordination and Temporal Symmetry With Walking Function and Motor Impairment After Stroke.American journal of physical medicine & rehabilitationWorse interlimb coordination was associated with slower walking and greater motor impairment in people with chronic stroke. These associations were stronger than those for temporal symmetry, suggesting coordination is a more relevant target for gait rehabilitation than symmetry.
• PTOTSLPSystematic Review2024Life expectancy and long-term survival after traumatic spinal cord injury: a systematic review.European journal of physical and rehabilitation medicinePeople with traumatic spinal cord injury live significantly shorter lives than the general population. Survival depends heavily on injury level and severity, with tetraplegia and high-level lesions carrying the greatest mortality risk.
• PTOTSLPQualitative2024"They Just Love Me"-An Examination of Social Support Experiences and Values Among People With TBI.The Journal of head trauma rehabilitationPeople with TBI described good support as reliable, loving relationships, not just help with tasks. They valued doing things together, contributing to others, and feeling genuinely cared for. Tangible help was often available, but emotional closeness and dependable inclusion were harder to find.
• PTOTSLPCohort2024Temporal Profile of Serum Neurofilament Light (NF-L) and Heavy (pNF-H) Level Associations With 6-Month Cognitive Performance in Patients With Moderate-Severe Traumatic Brain Injury.The Journal of head trauma rehabilitationElevated serum pNF-H levels measured 16 to 90 days after moderate-to-severe traumatic brain injury predict worse cognitive performance at six months. This association held even after adjusting for age and education. Acute levels and NF-L were not predictive.
• PTOTCase-Control2024Elevated blood pressure in children with cerebral palsy and its relationship with adiposity and physical activity.Disability and health journalChildren with cerebral palsy had higher diastolic blood pressure than matched typically developing peers. This elevation was linked to visceral fat, not body mass index or physical activity levels. Standard BMI screening may miss this risk, suggesting blood pressure checks are vital for this group.
• PTOTRCT2024Distal Versus Proximal Arm Improvement After Paired Vagus Nerve Stimulation Therapy After Chronic Stroke.Archives of physical medicine and rehabilitationPaired vagus nerve stimulation improved distal arm function (hand/wrist) significantly more than sham stimulation in chronic stroke patients. Proximal arm function (shoulder/elbow) improved similarly in both groups. This suggests VNS specifically targets fine motor recovery when paired with intensive therapy.
• PTOTSLPSurvey2024Silent Struggles: Traumatic Brain Injuries and Mental Health in Law Enforcement.The Journal of head trauma rehabilitationMost officers in one county reported head injuries, but screening for PTSD showed no difference between those with and without them. Depression scores were higher in officers with head injuries, yet the cross-sectional design cannot prove the injuries caused this.
• PTOTSystematic Review2024Remotely Assessing Motor Function and Activity of the Upper Extremity After Stroke: A Systematic Review of Validity and Clinical Utility of Tele-Assessments.Clinical rehabilitationNo remote upper-limb assessment for stroke met the threshold for clinical utility. While some tools showed good reliability or validity, all required special equipment or training, and none scored high enough to be recommended for routine use.
• PTOTOther2025Falls in people with mobility limitations: a cross-sectional analysis of a US registry of assistive device users.Disability and rehabilitation. Assistive technologyHalf of adults seeking mobility devices reported a fall in the past three months. Those with progressive conditions like Parkinson's or osteoarthritis fell most often, while many still used only canes or no device.
• PTOTCohort2025Is the Level of Consent to a National Research Registry Associated With Patient Outcomes After Traumatic Spinal Cord Injury? A Population-Based Study From the Rick Hansen Spinal Cord Injury Registry.American journal of physical medicine & rehabilitationAfter traumatic spinal cord injury, people who gave only minimal registry consent or withdrew consent were more likely to stay longer in acute care, develop pressure injuries, and be discharged away from home. This is an association, not proof consent caused worse care.