NeuroRehabilitation - Volume 45, issue 2

Authors: Santos, Pietro | Machado, Tácia | Santos, Luan | Ribeiro, Nildo | Melo, Ailton

Article Type: Research Article

Abstract: BACKGROUND: Studies have demonstrated that the combination of Nintendo Wii (NW) with Conventional Exercises (CE) was effective in the rehabilitation of patients with Parkinson’s Disease (PD), but there are no studies comparing the effects of this combination on both techniques isolated. OBJECTIVE: To investigate if the effects of the combination of NW to CE are superior to isolated techniques in the rehabilitation of balance, gait, functional mobility and improvement of the quality of life of individuals with PD. METHODS: 45 patients with PD were divided into three groups, NW alone, CE alone and NW plus EC. …The sessions occurred for 50 minutes, twice a week and evaluations administered before and after the 2-month intervention. RESULTS: Significant differences were found in the pre and post intervention analyzes of all the outcomes in the three groups, but there was no difference between the groups. The effect size was evaluated, in which the NW plus CE group had a greater magnitude of the therapeutic effect. CONCLUSION: The NW plus CE was statistically as effective as each intervention alone in the rehabilitation of patients with PD, however, the use of this combination provided a magnitude of the therapeutic effect superior to the other groups. Show more

Keywords: Parkinson’s disease, virtual reality, conventional exercises, rehabilitation

DOI: 10.3233/NRE-192771

Citation: NeuroRehabilitation, vol. 45, no. 2, pp. 255-263, 2019

Authors: Brincks, John | Jørgensen, Julie Brøbech | Giese, Iben Engelbrecht | Palle, Marie Louise | Callesen, Jacob | Johnsen, Erik | Næss-Schmidt, Erhard Trillingsgaard | Dalgas, Ulrik

Article Type: Research Article

Abstract: BACKGROUND: Clinical tests that can discriminate between people at risk of falling and those not at risk are warranted. The discriminative properties of the Six-Spot Step Test was investigated in people with Parkinson’s disease at risk of falling. METHODS: Eighty-one participants with a median age of 69 years (Q1–Q3:63–74) and a median Hoehn and Yahr score of 2.5 (Q1–Q3:2–3) completed the Six-Spot Step Test and the Timed “Up and Go” test. A mini-BESTest score of 19 or below was used as a cut-off for defining risk of falling, and a receiver operating characteristics curve was generated to determine …clinical relevant cut-off scores. RESULTS: A cut-off score of 7.0 and 6.8 seconds identified people not at risk of falling, while 11.1 and 9.4 seconds identified people at risk of falling for the Six-Spot Step Test and the Timed “Up and Go” test, respectively. When maximizing the sensitivity and specificity a cut-off score of 9.2 (accuracy of 84%) and 8.1 seconds (accuracy of 70%) was found for the Six-Spot Step Test and the Timed “Up and Go” test, respectively. CONCLUSION: The Six-Spot Step Test discriminates accurately between people with Parkinson’s disease at risk of falling and people not at risk. Show more

Keywords: Walking agility, risk of falling, Parkinson’s disease, clinical test, discriminative properties

DOI: 10.3233/NRE-192801

Citation: NeuroRehabilitation, vol. 45, no. 2, pp. 265-272, 2019

Authors: Kalyani, H.H.N. | Sullivan, K.A. | Moyle, G. | Brauer, S. | Jeffrey, E.R. | Kerr, G.K.

Article Type: Research Article

Abstract: BACKGROUND: While dance may improve motor features in Parkinson’s disease (PD), it is not yet clear if the benefits extend to non-motor features. OBJECTIVE: To determine whether dance classes based on Dance for PD® , improve cognition, psychological symptoms and Quality of Life (QoL) in PD. METHODS: Participants were allocated to a Dance Group (DG; n  = 17) or Control Group (CG: n  = 16). Participants had early-stage PD (Hoehn & Yahr: DG = 1.6±0.7, CG = 1.5±0.8) with no cognitive impairment (Addenbrooke’s score: DG = 93.2±3.6, CG = 92.6±4.3). The DG undertook a one-hour class, twice weekly for 12 weeks, while the CG had treatment …as usual. Both groups were assessed for disease severity (MDS-UPDRS), cognition (NIH Toolbox® cognition battery, Trail Making Test), psychological symptoms (Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale, MDS-UPDRS-I) and QoL (PDQ-39, MDS-UPDRS-II). RESULTS: Group comparison of pre-post change scores showed that selected cognitive skills (executive function and episodic memory), psychological symptoms (anxiety and depression) as well as QoL (PDQ-39 summary index) were significantly improved by the intervention (DG > CG, p ’s < 0.05, Cohen’s d  > 0.8). DISCUSSIONS and CONCLUSION: Dance classes had a clear benefit on psychological symptoms, QoL and a limited cognitive benefit. Follow-up assessment is required to confirm the durability of these effects. Show more

Keywords: Parkinson’s disease, dance, cognition, psychological symptoms, quality of life

DOI: 10.3233/NRE-192788

Citation: NeuroRehabilitation, vol. 45, no. 2, pp. 273-283, 2019

Authors: De Luca, Rosaria | Latella, Desiree | Maggio, Maria Grazia | Di Lorenzo, Giuseppe | Maresca, Giuseppa | Sciarrone, Francesca | Militi, David | Bramanti, Placido | Calabrò, Rocco Salvatore

Article Type: Research Article

Abstract: BACKGROUND: Parkinson’s disease (PD) is a neurodegenerative disease due to dopamine deficiency in the basal ganglia, leading to motor symptoms such as bradykinesia, tremor, stiffness, and postural instability. This disease may also be associated with a broad spectrum of non-motor symptoms. More than 24% of patients with PD have one or more cognitive symptoms. OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the effects of computer-assisted cognitive rehabilitation (CACR) in Parkinson’s disease (PD). METHODS: Sixty patients with PD were enrolled in this study and were randomly divided into control group (CG) and experimental group (EG). Each participant was evaluated at the …beginning (T0) and at the end of training (T1). The CG underwent standard cognitive training (SCT) while EG performed CACR using the ERICA platform, aimed at improving several cognitive domains. In both the group, each training consisted of 3 sessions a week, each of these lasting sixty minutes, for eight weeks. RESULTS: Although both the groups had significant improvement after CR, we observed more significant changes in the EG, especially concerning attention, orientation and visual-spatial domains. CONCLUSIONS: Our data demonstrate that CACR is more effective than SCT in improving visual-spatial and executive deficits, in patients affected by PD. Show more

Keywords: Parkinson’s disease, cognitive dysfunctions, cognitive rehabilitation, computer assisted cognitive rehabilitation

DOI: 10.3233/NRE-192789

Citation: NeuroRehabilitation, vol. 45, no. 2, pp. 285-290, 2019

Authors: Amatya, Bhasker | Young, Jamie | Khan, Fary

Article Type: Other

Abstract: The aim of this commentary is to discuss the rehabilitation perspective in the recently published Cochrane Review “Non-pharmacological interventions for chronic pain in multiple sclerosis” by Amatya, Young & Khan.1 , under the direct supervision of Multiple Sclerosis and Rare Diseases of the CNS group. This Cochrane Corner is produced in agreement with NeuroRehabilitation by Cochrane Rehabilitation.

Keywords: Multiple sclerosis, chronic pain, non-pharmacological intervention, rehabilitation

DOI: 10.3233/NRE-189009

Citation: NeuroRehabilitation, vol. 45, no. 2, pp. 291-293, 2019