Restorative Neurology and Neuroscience - Volume 34, issue 1

Authors: Paiva, Sílvia | Magalhães, Rosana | Alves, Jorge | Sampaio, Adriana

Article Type: Research Article

Abstract: Numerous studies have been conducted discussing the importance and effectiveness of cognitive interventions for stroke-related cognitive impairments. Definite conclusions, however, are yet to be established. An extensive literature and database search was executed to summarize the existing evidence from high-quality randomized clinical trials on the effects of cognitive intervention and feasibility of this approach in stroke patients. Out of 507 identified studies, after thorough inspection, only three randomized clinical trials, with low risk of bias, met the established criteria and were included in the following meta-analysis. No significant effects of cognitive intervention in any of the analyzed outcomes were observed …with feasibility analyzes displaying high rates of completion and adherence. The following study suggests a lack of sufficient evidence to support or refute the efficacy of cognitive intervention in stroke patients. However, these results should be interpreted with caution. Additionally, serious efforts must be made to improve the quality of empirical studies in the field. In sum, the quality of methodological techniques in the field were inspected in hopes of contributing to further development of this therapeutic approach. Show more

Keywords: Stroke, cognitive impairment, cognitive intervention, efficacy, feasibility, systematic review, meta-analysis

DOI: 10.3233/RNN-150590

Citation: Restorative Neurology and Neuroscience, vol. 34, no. 1, pp. 139-152, 2016

Authors: Backhaus, W. | Kempe, S. | Hummel, F.C.

Article Type: Research Article

Abstract: There is extensive evidence for positive effects of sleep on motor learning in young individuals; however, the effects of sleep on motor learning in people with stroke and in healthy older individuals are not well understood. The aim of this systematic review was to quantify the association between sleep and procedural memory performance - a marker for motor learning - in healthy older people and people with stroke. After searches in PubMed, Medline and Embase fourteen studies, including 44 subjects after stroke and 339 healthy older participants were included. Overall, sleep was found to enhance motor performance in people after …stroke in comparison to an equivalent time of wakefulness. In addition, although evidence is limited, sleep only enhanced motor performance in people after stroke and not in age-matched healthy older adults. In older adults the effect of a sleep intervention did – in general - not differ from equivalent periods of wakefulness. Tasks with whole hand or whole body movements could show significant changes. The results suggest a delayed retention effect after longer breaks including sleep, hinting towards a changed learning strategy as a result of aging. Current evidence for sleep dependent learning in people after stroke is promising, however sparse. Show more

Keywords: Sleep, aging, stroke, motor memory, consolidation, systematic review

DOI: 10.3233/RNN-150521

Citation: Restorative Neurology and Neuroscience, vol. 34, no. 1, pp. 153-164, 2016