Frontiers in Neurology

This systematic review and meta-analysis primarily aimed to investigate the differential effectiveness of motor dual-task training (MDT) and cognitive dual-task training (CDT) on gait performance, balance control, and motor function in stroke survivors, and explored other important moderating factors such as stroke chronicity and individual functional profiles to inform a precision-based, personalized approach. Twenty-one RCTs involving 786 stroke survivors were included. Dual-task training demo...

BackgroundVirtual reality (VR) is increasingly used to enhance upper limb rehabilitation after stroke, yet its effectiveness during the acute and subacute phases--critical windows for neuroplasticity--remains unclear. This systematic review and meta-analysis evaluated the effects of VR-based interventions on upper limb outcomes in individuals within six months post-stroke and examined potential moderators of treatment response. MethodsFive databases and grey literature were searched to June 202...

Stroke can affect sensorimotor control, impairing balance and locomotion. These impairments increase the risk of falls, limit patient independence, and reduce their quality of life. In this study, we investigated how stroke affects the bilateral coordination of soleus motor units during standing, in individuals undergoing subacute rehabilitation. Fourteen participants (n=7 females; time since stroke=19{+/-}8 days; age=60.2{+/-}15.9 years) were recruited after admission for inpatient rehabilitat...

BackgroundMild traumatic brain injury (mTBI) affects millions worldwide, with cognitive impairment substantially impacting daily functioning. Despite this burden, evidence-based non-pharmaceutical interventions remain lacking in clinical practice. Emerging evidence suggests aerobic exercise may improve post-mTBI cognition; however, the methodological limitations, particularly inadequate control groups, prevent definitive conclusions. ObjectiveThis pilot randomized controlled trial examined the ...

Structured AbstractO_ST_ABSObjectiveC_ST_ABSGeneral cognitive ability (g), a latent variable derived from cognitive data, can predict life outcomes (e.g., educational attainment and occupational success) among neurologically healthy individuals. The value of g for predicting post-stroke functional outcomes is unknown. We addressed this gap here. MethodWe derived g using exploratory structural equation modeling of 15 neuropsychological tests administered to 112 patients with stroke, 69 of whom a...

BackgroundThe ability to elicit a rapid, reactive step to recover balance after a postural destabilization is paramount to fall prevention. In response to a given balance perturbation magnitude, people after stroke display impaired spatiotemporal stepping kinematics. Yet, spatiotemporal stepping kinematics at individualized perturbation magnitudes after stroke and the underlying neural correlates remain unknown. Here, we tested whether stepping kinematics differ in people after stroke at individ...

There is evidence that adults with spinal cord injury (SCI) have deficits in mental body representations (e.g., altered visuospatial body maps and reduced body awareness), due to the diminished or lack of sensory information reaching the brain. These mental body representation deficits are important and need to be quantified, because they can impact daily functioning and they are associated with neuropathic pain. The currently available evaluation scales measure certain aspects of mental body re...

PurposeEvidence suggests the contralesional cortico-reticulospinal tract (cCRST) upregulates after stroke, and that this upregulation correlates with worse motor function, suggesting it may be harmful for walking recovery. However, this relationship may be confounded by the extent of ipsilesional corticospinal tract (CST) and CRST damage, which could cause both greater cCRST upregulation and worse walking function. No previous studies have tested whether this confounding relationship exists, nor...

Brain imaging studies have demonstrated that adults with spinal cord injury (SCI) exhibit deficits in body and interoceptive awareness. However, there is limited research on the degree and impact of these deficits. Few clinical trials have examined interventions to improve body and interoceptive awareness in this population. We compared scores on the Multidimensional Assessment of Interoceptive Awareness, Version 2 (MAIA-2) and the Revised Body Awareness Rating Questionnaire (BARQ-R) between ad...

Sound- and music-based gait training (SM-GT), including rhythmic auditory stimulation and music-based movement approaches, has been shown to improve gait and functional outcomes in people with Parkinsons disease (PD). However, little is known about how such interventions are recognized and implemented in real-world settings. This study investigated awareness and actual use of SM-GT among people with PD in Japan across inpatient rehabilitation, home-based rehabilitation, and daily-life contexts. ...

BackgroundAdapted dance is a promising rehabilitation intervention for physical and psychosocial impairments in people with chronic stroke. However, in-person attendance is hindered by limited community ambulation, transportation, and schedule conflicts. At-home participation with a live-streamed dance program could address these issues, but psychosocial benefits may be diminished because of reduced social interactions. The primary objective of this study was to assess the feasibility and safety...

Optimal blood pressure (BP) management following endovascular treatment (EVT) for acute ischemic stroke (AIS) secondary to intracranial large vessel occlusion remains unestablished. The randomized HOPE trial (Hemodynamic Optimization of Cerebral Perfusion after Successful Endovascular Therapy in Patients with Acute Ischemic Stroke) (NCT04892511) seeks to determine if a strategy of hemodynamic optimization using different systolic BP targets, tailored to the degree of final recanalization, is sup...

Executive dysfunction affects nearly 50% of individuals with traumatic brain injuries (TBI), yet interventions targeting the underlying neural mechanisms remain limited. This study examined whether aerobic exercise modulates functional connectivity to improve executive function in individuals with mild TBI and identified the neural pathways mediating these improvements. In this secondary analysis of a 12-week pilot randomized controlled trial, participants with mild TBI (n=24) were randomized to...

ObjectiveTo describe the design and development of NeuroRehab VR, a fully immersive, specific and gamified virtual reality (VR) software aimed at improving the quality of life and reducing disability in post-stroke patients. MethodsA public-private collaborative research project was carried out between 2022 and 2024 by a multidisciplinary and multicenter team comprising neurologists, rehabilitation specialists, physiotherapists, exercise and sport sciences professionals and members of the compa...

BackgroundPost-stroke disability contributes substantially to long-term functional limitation, yet access to rehabilitation remains inequitable in low and middle-income countries (LMICs), where workforce and service delivery constraints are pronounced. Global priorities, including WHOs Rehabilitation 2030 agenda, emphasize integrating scalable rehabilitation into health systems and decentralizing services beyond tertiary-centers. Evidence supports home and community-oriented approaches, includin...

ObjectiveA comparative analysis was conducted on the rehabilitation effects of limb functions in patients with post-stroke yawning-induced parakinesia brachialis oscitansysis (PBO), patients without PBO, and patients whose PBO naturally disappeared after the onset of the disease. MethodsThe study included ischemic stroke patients diagnosed and treated in our hospital from March 2024 to June 2024. Patients were divided into two groups: the PBO group and the non-PBO group, based on whether PBO wa...

MotivationGlaucoma is a progressive visual pathway disorder leading to visual field loss, which can be linked to disruptions in visuo-motor function and an increase in fall risk. Motor-cognitive training has been shown to affect visuo-motor functional connectivity (FC) in healthy controls (HC) and could therefore be a viable strategy for the management of glaucoma patients (GL). MethodsUsing 3T resting state functional-MRI (rs-fMRI), we studied the effect of a multimodal intervention (MMI [resi...

BackgroundStroke is the leading cause of adult-onset disability, with impairments across motor, language, cognitive, swallowing, mood, and gait domains. Non-invasive brain stimulation techniques like repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation (rTMS) have emerged as promising tools to augment rehabilitation therapies to improve post-stroke impairments. This systematic review and meta-analysis will evaluate the efficacy of rTMS for post-stroke recovery across multiple functional domains and iden...

IntroductionTraditional clinical motor function assessment scales, despite their importance, often fail to identify the underlying neurophysiological mechanisms of postural control disorders. In this regard, stabilography, as an objective quantitative method, acquires particular diagnostic value. The aim of this study was to identify and compare frequency markers of postural control disorders in adults with cerebral palsy (CP) and healthy subjects using stabilographic signal power analysis in n...

BackgroundDespite recommendations in clinical guidelines, clinical experience indicates that engagement with splints and orthotics varies amongst people after stroke. ObjectivesThe aim of the study was to understand the factors that influence engagement with splints and orthotics in people after stroke. MethodsPeople after stroke who had been wearing a splint or orthotic (also known as devices) for at least 2 months under the care of one Community Neurosciences Team in the UKs National Health ...