NeuroRehabilitation - Volume 29, issue 3

Authors: van Tilborg, Ilse A.D.A. | Kessels, Roy P.C. | Hulstijn, Wouter

Article Type: Research Article

Abstract: How people suffering from dementia can be taught new motor skills for everyday household activities is an important but relatively unexplored area of research. Previous studies have demonstrated intact implicit learning abilities in patients with Alzheimer dementia (AD) on computerized motor-learning tasks and everyday activities, but explicit training strategies have been found to be beneficial in AD as well. The aim of the present study was to compare two explicit training methods, i.e. observational learning and learning by guidance, and an implicit training method in patients with AD and healthy controls. All three types of training methods resulted in statistically …significant learning. However, while improvement from baseline was similar in both groups, the absolute performance of the patients in the explicit training methods was well below that of the controls. The modest success of the explicit training methods and the slightly better results achieved with the observation method should be investigated further in studies of the acquisition of everyday activities. Show more

Keywords: Observation, guidance, Alzheimer, dementia, motor skill, learning, rehabilitation

DOI: 10.3233/NRE-2011-0705

Citation: NeuroRehabilitation, vol. 29, no. 3, pp. 295-304, 2011

Authors: Kim, Soo Hyun | Lee, Dong Gyu | You, Hee | Son, Su Min | Cho, Yun Woo | Chang, Min Cheol | Lee, Jun | Jang, Sung Ho

Article Type: Research Article

Abstract: Little is known about the clinical usefulness of diffusion tensor tractography (DTT) for the arcuate fasciculus (AF) in stroke patients with aphasia. Using DTT, we attempted to investigate the clinical usefulness of the AF in patients with aphasia. Five stroke patients and 7 age- and sex-matched normal subjects were recruited for this study. We recruited stroke patients with language dysfunction who had lesions in the left corona radiata and basal ganglia level. DTT for the AF was reconstructed using DTI-studio software. Korean-Western Aphasia Battery (K-WAB) was used for measurement of language function. Patient 1, who showed mild dysarthria, revealed a …normal left AF in terms of integrity and DTT parameters. In patient 2, with conduction aphasia, the left AF showed partial injury; however, the integrity of the left AF was spared. Patients 3 and 4, who had no brain lesions at Broca's area on conventional brain MRI, showed disruptions of the left AF over the stroke lesions after originating from Wernicke's area and they presented with Broca's aphasia. Patient 5 revealed global aphasia on K-WAB and the left AF was not reconstructed due to severe injury and Wallerian degeneration. We found that DTT for the AF could provide useful information on the presence or severity of injury of the AF, which could not be detected on conventional brain MRI in stoke patients. In addition, it could be helpful in classification of the aphasia type of stroke patients. Show more

Keywords: Diffusion tensor imaging, diffusion tensor tractography, stroke, arcuate fasciculus, aphasia

DOI: 10.3233/NRE-2011-0706

Citation: NeuroRehabilitation, vol. 29, no. 3, pp. 305-310, 2011

Authors: Akbari, Shadi | Ashayeri, Hassan | Fahimi, Malahat Akbar | Kamali, Mohamad | Lyden, Patrick D.

Article Type: Research Article

Abstract: Purpose: We aimed to investigate whether test performance in neurological and cognitive areas is able to predict daily task performance in stroke patients and if the two selected measures of stroke severity and cognitive function could be used as valid tools to predict functional outcomes after stroke. Method: We assessed 27 stroke patients (hemorrhagic and infarct) through Barthel Index (BI), Lowenstein Occupational Therapy Cognitive Assessment (LOTCA) and National Institute of Health Stroke Scale (NIHSS) in the first 6 months after stroke. Results: The correlation of intensity of neurological impairment (NIHSS score) and ADL performance (BI score) …was significant (P < 0/05), but we found no relation between general cognitive function (the total score of LOTCA) and individual independence (total score of BI). Although ADL performance areas associated with some cognitive components. Conclusion: The dependency after stroke is more affected by physical symptoms of stroke than by cognitive disorders. Moreover, the intensity of neurological impairment could be a better explanation for a patient’s inability to perform basic ADL independently. Low direct relations in total scores of NIHS scale and BI was found, but LOTCA is not appropriate for prediction of independency in basic ADL performance after stroke. Nevertheless, further studies and confirmation are needed. Show more

Keywords: Activities of daily living, cognition, dependency, stroke

DOI: 10.3233/NRE-2011-0707

Citation: NeuroRehabilitation, vol. 29, no. 3, pp. 311-316, 2011