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 77 OF 78 · NEWEST FIRST

• PTOTSystematic Review2023Motor Imagery and Mental Practice in the Subacute and Chronic Phases in Upper Limb Rehabilitation after Stroke: A Systematic Review.Occupational therapy internationalImagining hand movements added to standard therapy improved upper limb function in most of 11 stroke studies, but every study paired it with physiotherapy or occupational therapy, so the independent effect of mental practice alone is unknown.
• PTSystematic Review2022Effects of robotic upper limb treatment after stroke on cognitive patterns: A systematic review.NeuroRehabilitationAcross 81 robotic arm therapy trials in stroke, 90% screened patients for cognitive impairment but only 9% measured whether cognition changed. The few cognitive results that exist are mixed, with no consistent benefit on thinking or attention.
• PTRCT2026Walking Environment and Speed Differentially Change More Affected Limb Dynamic Motor Control in Children With Cerebral Palsy.Neurorehabilitation and neural repairAquatic treadmill walking produced higher dynamic motor control than overground or dry treadmill walking in children with CP. Slow walking also scored higher than fast walking. Both effects were acute, from one session.
• PTOTOther2026Association between sociodemographic and injury factors in community reintegration following spinal cord injury: An analysis of two datasets.The South African journal of physiotherapyBeing younger and employed was linked to fuller community reintegration in 182 people with spinal cord injury in South Africa. Injury level, severity, and type were not associated with reintegration.
• PTPilot2026Effect of a Power Mobility Intervention on the Sleep Health of Toddlers with Cerebral Palsy.Physical & occupational therapy in pediatricsNo clear link was found between power mobility use and sleep in 12 toddlers with CP. Most caregivers reported no change or slightly better sleep on days the child used the device. The study was too small to draw conclusions.
• PTOTQualitative2026From Metrics to Meaning in Neurological Rehabilitation: Clinicians' Perspectives on Digital Metrics of Upper Limb Functioning-A Focus Group Study.JMIR rehabilitation and assistive technologiesClinicians said digital upper limb metrics are only interpretable alongside basic ROM, strength, and grasp checks, and that the right metrics depend on the diagnosis. They preferred simple measures like task duration over complex kinematic values, and valued real-world arm use patterns over lab-based capacity scores.
• PTOther2026Examining Associations Between Environmental Exposures and Neurobehavioral Symptoms in Post-9/11 Veterans With a Probable History of TBI.The Journal of head trauma rehabilitationVeterans with probable TBI who reported more environmental exposures (burn pits, solvents, metals) had higher symptom scores on a 0-88 scale. Because data were collected at one time point from self-report, this shows a link, not a cause.
• PTOther2026The Social Context of Pain in Youth With Cerebral Palsy: The Role of Caregiver Mental Health, Parenting Style and Protective Responses to Pain.Child: care, health and developmentCaregiver depression, anxiety, and authoritarian parenting were each associated with how much pain interfered with a child's daily life, but none were linked to pain intensity. The design is cross-sectional, so no causal direction can be drawn.
• PTSystematic Review2026Task-Based Mapping of Compensatory Strategies and Movement Kinematics After Stroke: A Systematic Scoping Review.Physiotherapy research international : the journal for researchers and clinicians in physical therapyAcross transfers, gait, balance, and reaching, the most consistently reported post-stroke compensations were slower movement, reduced joint range, and extra trunk or shoulder involvement. These appeared mostly in the sagittal plane, in both late subacute and chronic stages.
• PTRCT2026Transcutaneous auricular vagus nerve stimulation paired with task-specific training for improving walking and balance in chronic stroke: a double-blind, randomised controlled feasibility trial.Journal of neuroengineering and rehabilitationBoth groups improved in walking and balance after six weeks of task-specific training, but the ear stimulation added no measurable benefit over a switched-off device. The trial was too small to detect a difference, and the authors state it is not evidence the treatment works.
• PTOTCohort2026Botulinum toxin treatment for multiple sclerosis and post-stroke spasticity in clinical practice: differences in injection doses and patterns.Frontiers in rehabilitation sciencesMS patients receive lower botulinum toxin doses and are injected in different muscles than stroke patients, yet both groups report similar benefit. Dosing was individualized rather than protocol-driven.
• PTOTCase Report2026Evaluation of an intensive, private, community, upper limb rehabilitation program for people with chronic stroke: a mixed methods case series.Frontiers in rehabilitation sciencesOne of two people with chronic stroke who completed 18 hours of intensive upper limb therapy over six weeks showed an arm impairment gain above the minimal clinically important difference. The other did not. Self-efficacy went up for one and down for the other.
• PTQualitative2026Bridging the Gap in Early Cerebral Palsy Detection: Primary Care Providers' and Specialists' Perspectives on Implementing PROMPTs for Referral.Child: care, health and developmentCanadian primary care providers and specialists described CP detection tools as practical when built into existing well-baby checklists, but identified diagnostic hesitancy before age 2 and rural access gaps as the main barriers to earlier referral.
• PTOTRCT2026Safety and feasibility of paired vagus nerve stimulation with rehabilitation for improving upper extremity function in people with cervical spinal cord injury: a pilot randomized controlled trial.Frontiers in rehabilitation sciencesIn six people with chronic cervical spinal cord injury, implanted vagus nerve stimulation paired with arm therapy was safe and feasible. All three who got active stimulation improved on a hand-function score; none in the sham group did. It was not powered to test efficacy.
• PTOTSurvey2026Ambulatory individuals with spinal cord injury using walking aids generally do not report better long-term outcomes than wheelchair users: results from the InSCI-NL survey.Journal of rehabilitation medicinePeople with spinal cord injury who walk with aids did not report better participation, employment, health, or quality of life than manual wheelchair users. Their only advantage was in self-care and bladder and bowel independence.
• PTOTSLPCohort2026Early rehabilitation in trauma patients: an observational study from two Norwegian trauma centers.Journal of rehabilitation medicineOf 317 severely injured trauma patients in two Norwegian hospitals, only 1 in 10 was seen by a rehabilitation specialist within the recommended 72 hours. Physiotherapy reached 72%, but occupational therapy, speech therapy, and social work involvement was low, particularly for multitrauma patients.
• PTOTSurvey2026Employment after spinal cord injury in the United States: predictors and barriers.Frontiers in rehabilitation sciencesAmong US adults with spinal cord injury, 67.7% were in paid work. The unemployed most often cited transportation as the barrier (82.5%), and about 70% said they wanted to work. Not receiving disability benefits was the strongest factor associated with being employed.
• PTOTSystematic Review2026Machine learning-based adaptive personalization in virtual reality stroke rehabilitation: a systematic review.Frontiers in rehabilitation sciencesML-adaptive VR improved upper limb scores by 7.47 points on the Fugl-Meyer scale, past the 5.25-point threshold for meaningful change. But 68% of the 25 studies had fewer than 30 patients, so this is proof-of-concept, not established practice.
• PTSLPCohort2026Longitudinal speech and gross motor function development in children and adolescents with cerebral palsy.Developmental medicine and child neurologySpeech motor classification in children with CP can still improve into adolescence even when gross motor level stays the same. 19 of 44 children changed speech level between ages 4 and 14, and every change was toward better speech.
• PTOTSLPSystematic Review2026Transitional care interventions and outcome measures in stroke rehabilitation: a scoping review.Disability and rehabilitationMost stroke transitional care programs center on educating patients and families, while system-level supports like care coordination are rarely built in. Only 3 of 31 measured language or communication outcomes, and 17 restricted or 4 excluded people with aphasia or cognitive-communication disorders.
• PTSystematic Review2026Effects of Technology-Based Perturbation Training During Walking on Physical Function in Stroke, Multiple Sclerosis, and Parkinson's Disease: A Scoping Review.NeuroRehabilitationNo clear advantage was found for technology-based perturbation training over similar non-perturbation walking in stroke, MS, or PD. The perturbation group did show improvements, but the evidence is preliminary and the studies were small and heterogeneous.
• PTCohort2026Functional connectivity between homotopic perisylvian regions correlates with functional status after stroke.European journal of physical and rehabilitation medicineGreater connectivity between matching brain areas on both sides of the perisylvian region correlated with higher daily-living independence in 58 stroke patients. Lesion size and location did not. This is a cross-sectional biomarker finding, not a treatment result.
• PTCohort2026Subtype-specific optimal cut-off values of the Berg Balance Scale for predicting independent walking in inpatient stroke rehabilitation: a multicentre cohort study.Journal of rehabilitation medicineA Berg Balance Scale score at admission predicts independent walking at discharge in stroke rehabilitation. The useful cut-off is 33 for ischaemic stroke and 12 for haemorrhagic stroke. The single score performs as well as adding age, sex, and other factors to the prediction.
• PTSurvey2026Self-perceived competence and readiness of undergraduate physiotherapy students in treating patients with spinal cord injury.The South African journal of physiotherapyFourth-year physiotherapy students rated their competence to treat spinal cord injury patients at 70% and readiness at 73%. Having completed a clinical block was associated with higher perceived competence, but not with readiness.
• PTCase Report2026Atypical baclofen pump catheter dislodgement in spastic cerebral palsy - A case report.Journal of pediatric rehabilitation medicineA 16-year-old with spastic CP had his baclofen pump catheter migrate in front of the refill port and calcify. No withdrawal symptoms were present and pump interrogation was normal. The problem was found only by touch at a routine visit and required urgent surgery.
• PTOTSLPCohort2026Cognitive Impairments and Health System Outcomes in Inpatient Rehabilitation: A Comparison of Patients With Stroke and Those With Type II Diabetes Mellitus.The American journal of occupational therapy : official publication of the American Occupational Therapy AssociationIn inpatient rehab, whether a patient had stroke or diabetes did not predict their functional outcomes or readmission. What did predict them was how well they could function when they arrived and how many medical problems they carried.
• PTOTRCT2026The impact of persistent post-concussion symptoms and exercise intolerance on patient-specific functioning after mild traumatic brain injury: a biopsychosocial perspective.Journal of rehabilitation medicineA 12-week aerobic exercise programme added to usual rehabilitation did not improve patient-reported activity limitations beyond what was seen in the control group after mTBI. Both groups improved over 6 months.
• PTSystematic Review2026Enhanced Gait Variability Index in Neurological and Geriatric Rehabilitation: A Scoping Review.NeuroRehabilitationThe eGVI shows the most consistent evidence in Parkinson's disease but is not yet ready for standalone clinical use. Protocols vary widely across studies and the single reference score has not been validated for the populations using it.
• PTOTQualitative2026Bridging the gap: The experiences and needs of people with spinal cord injury when transitioning out of inpatient rehabilitation.The South African journal of physiotherapyPeople with SCI in South Africa described their rehab as mostly helpful but flagged three gaps: staff not always SCI-informed, the hospital not resembling home, and psychological support lacking structure. Only two of eleven planned to continue psychology after discharge.
• PTOther2026Optimal Reactive Balance Training Characteristics Poststroke: Secondary Analysis of a Clinical Trial.Physiotherapy research international : the journal for researchers and clinicians in physical therapyMore balance perturbations during training was associated with better reactive balance scores in 30 people with chronic stroke. No training characteristic predicted fewer falls in daily life. The association is correlational, not causal.
• PTRCT2026Effects of sub-symptom threshold aerobic exercise on persistent postconcussion symptom burden and exercise intolerance: a randomized controlled trial.Physical therapyStructured aerobic exercise added to standard care did not reduce postconcussion symptoms more than standard care alone. It did improve exercise tolerance at 12 weeks. Both groups improved in symptoms, mood, and fatigue over time.
• PTRCT2025Higher Heart Rates During Locomotor High-Intensity Interval Training Are Associated With Gait Asymmetry and Fatigue After Stroke.Cardiopulmonary physical therapy journalMore asymmetric step length and less fatigue at baseline predicted higher heart rate in the first week of HIIT for 27 people with chronic stroke. No baseline walking measure predicted intensity across 12 weeks. Intensity rose by session 6.
• PTOTCase Report2026Nursing strategies for severe poststroke fatigue: a case report of a structured, multidimensional intervention program.Frontiers in rehabilitation sciencesOne 71-year-old stroke patient's fatigue score fell from 6.8 to 3.2 over six weeks while receiving structured nursing care alongside daily physical, occupational, and speech therapy. As a single case with no control, this describes one person's experience, not evidence the programme works.
• PTOther2026Implementation of a gait and balance battery of outcome measures in an inpatient rehabilitation hospital.Physical therapyIndividual gait and balance measures hit 70% completion within a year of implementation in an inpatient rehab hospital, but the full 5-measure battery never did. Physical therapists said patient function and time were the main barriers.
• PTOTCohort2026Timing and Intensity of Rehabilitation Services During Acute Stroke Hospitalization: Impacts on Functional Recovery and Community Discharge.The American journal of occupational therapy : official publication of the American Occupational Therapy AssociationAmong stroke patients receiving OT, a shorter wait between evaluation and first treatment and higher daily therapy intensity were each linked to better discharge function and greater odds of community discharge. PT showed only one significant link: earlier evaluation.
• PTOTSLPNarrative Review2026Applications of ICF-Based Assessments and Interventions in Post-Stroke Rehabilitation: A Narrative Review.NeuroRehabilitationICF-based stroke assessments cover 84.8% of UK guideline topics, but interventions cover only 45.5%. Both skew toward body function and activity. Participation and environmental factors are barely addressed in either.
• PTCase-Control2026Early Neuromuscular and Co-activation Patterns After Anterior Cruciate Ligament Reconstruction In Males: A Case-control Exploratory Feasibility Study.International journal of sports physical therapyTwo weeks after ACL reconstruction, the operated knee produced about half the quadriceps signal of a healthy knee, and hamstring co-activation was substantially higher across all muscle pairs. The non-operated knee also showed elevated co-activation.
• PTPilot2026Heterogeneous Recruitment Curve Responses to Anodal Transcranial Direct Current Stimulation in Children With Unilateral Spastic Cerebral Palsy.Neurorehabilitation and neural repairA single anodal tDCS session produced no significant group-level change in corticospinal excitability in children with unilateral spastic cerebral palsy. Responses were highly variable: 55% showed a directional shift toward increased excitability, the rest did not. No predictors of response were identified.
• PTOTSLPSystematic Review2026A scoping review of outcome and outcome measure sets for adults with spinal cord injury, stroke, and traumatic brain injury.Journal of rehabilitation medicineStroke, spinal cord injury, and traumatic brain injury patients share 54% of their rehabilitation outcome priorities, yet only 3% of the recommended measures are used across all three conditions. Clinicians treating all three groups are measuring the same things with different tools.
• PTOTPilot2026Introduction of Nurse-Led Rehabilitation Services for Patients With Stroke After Discharge to Improve Self-Care Management in Bangladesh: Pilot Randomized Controlled Trial.JMIR rehabilitation and assistive technologiesNo significant difference between the nurse-led group and usual care on functional independence, self-efficacy, social participation, or caregiver burden at 3 months. Both groups improved, and the control group also received external rehabilitation, so the null result does not mean the intervention failed.
• PTOTPilot2026Implementation of Stroke Prevention Intervention Make My Day in Swedish Primary Healthcare.Canadian journal of occupational therapy. Revue canadienne d'ergotherapieThe programme was feasible and well-received, with engaging occupations the most valued mechanism and high app use. But only two of five planned sites could run it, attendance fell short, and Swedish reimbursement rules do not cover this type of prevention work.
• PTOTSystematic Review2026The Combined Use of Non-Invasive Neurostimulation with Interactive Digital Technologies in Spinal Cord Injury Rehabilitation: A Scoping Review.Journal of rehabilitation medicineCombining electrical stimulation with VR or games showed preliminary gains in gross-motor function and patient engagement across 12 small SCI studies, but the authors state the evidence is too weak to support any clinical recommendation.
• PTOTRCT2026Correlation of Motor-Task Related Brain Activation Changes With Motor Performance Changes Induced by Constraint-Induced Therapy After Stroke.Neurorehabilitation and neural repairArm function improved with CIMT, as expected from the parent trial, but brain activation for a controlled finger task did not significantly change in any group. The one significant link: more functional gain went with preserved affected-hemisphere M1 activation.
• PTOther2026Linking the Pre-Assessment Information Form (PIF) to the ICF: Enhancing Standardized Functional Assessment in Parkinson's Disease.Physiotherapy research international : the journal for researchers and clinicians in physical therapyThe PIF, a pre-assessment form for Parkinson's physiotherapy, maps predominantly to mobility and self-care, with no coverage of participation, cognition, or environmental factors. It captures walking and transfers in detail but says nothing about social roles, thinking, or the patient's environment.
• PTOther2026Continuous video-based postural tracking for Parkinson's disease: a pose estimation approach with landmark calibration.Journal of physical therapy scienceAn automated video tool for measuring postural angles in Parkinson's disease tracks forward-flexion angles well but overestimates lateral trunk flexion by about 5°. Half the 10° threshold for Pisa syndrome, so it should not replace manual measurement for that diagnosis.
• PTOther2026Lung function and ventilatory response during high-intensity treadmill walking in adults with cerebral palsy: a cross-sectional study.Journal of rehabilitation medicineAdults with CP who walk have largely normal resting lung function, yet 40% report breathlessness as their main exercise limiter and 70% show reduced breathing reserve at maximal effort. This is not a pulmonary pathology, and breathing reserve does not predict who feels breathless.
• PTOTCohort2026Long-term medical and psychosocial vulnerability after home return following severe traumatic brain injury.Journal of rehabilitation medicineAmong adults with severe TBI living at home one year after injury, 16.7% carried a five-year pattern of depression, anxiety, low life satisfaction, and repeated hospital visits. Home return did not mean recovery was complete.
• PTRCT2026rTMS Over Dorsolateral Prefrontal Cortex Augments Dual-Task Training for Mobility, Balance and Cognition in Sub-Acute Stroke: A Randomized Controlled Trial.Physiotherapy research international : the journal for researchers and clinicians in physical therapyAdding rTMS to dual-task exercise did not improve dual-task walking speed over exercise alone, but did shorten dual-task timed-up-and-go time and improve balance in 30 sub-acute stroke patients over 2 weeks.
• PTOTSLPOther2026Designing an mHealth App for Stroke Rehabilitation in Indonesia: Mixed Methods Design Science Research Study.JMIR rehabilitation and assistive technologiesA stroke rehabilitation app prototype in Indonesia scored 'Good' on usability (SUS 71.83) and identified home-visit, activity-target, and progress-monitoring features as key gaps. No clinical outcomes were measured. This is a design study, not evidence the app improves recovery.
• PTCohort2026The Influence of Motor and Nonmotor Factors on Ambulatory Activity in People With Parkinson Disease.Journal of neurologic physical therapy : JNPTOff-medication motor severity was weakly linked to fewer daily steps in PD, but the association lost significance when depression was added to the model. Lightheadedness on standing was the stronger finding: those reporting it averaged 1,899 fewer steps per day.