NeuroRehabilitation
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NeuroRehabilitation · Jan 2018
Design of an early intervention for persistent post-concussion symptoms in adolescents and young adults: A feasibility study.
About 5-15 % of patients with concussion experience persistent post-concussion symptoms (PCS) longer than 3 months post-injury. ⋯ The new early intervention is feasible and may prevent chronification of PCS. An RCT is currently performed to evaluate the effect of the intervention.
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NeuroRehabilitation · Jan 2018
Case ReportsVagus nerve stimulation paired with tactile training improved sensory function in a chronic stroke patient.
Recent studies indicate that vagus nerve stimulation (VNS) paired with rehabilitation can enhance neural plasticity in the primary sensory and motor cortices, improve forelimb function after stroke in animal models and improve motor function in patients with arm weakness after stroke. ⋯ Sensory function significantly improved in this man following VNS paired with tactile stimulation. This approach merits further study in controlled clinical trials.
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NeuroRehabilitation · Jan 2018
Case ReportsThe utility of clinical criteria in patients with chronic traumatic encephalopathy.
Repetitive traumatic brain injury (TBI) is associated with chronic traumatic encephalopathy (CTE), a progressive neurodegenerative disorder characterized by Alzheimer-like changes in the brain. CTE has been defined through neuropathological findings among deceased athletes and others exposed to repetitive TBI, but to date there are no definitive clinical criteria for CTE. ⋯ The prevention and neurorehabilitation of CTE depends on clinical diagnosis, but, without a biomarker, the clinical diagnosis of CTE remains difficult. This report suggests that clinical criteria for CTE may be greatly improved with emphasis on several critical historical and clinical correlates of CTE.
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NeuroRehabilitation · Jan 2017
ReviewVirtual and augmented reality in the treatment of phantom limb pain: A literature review.
Phantom limb pain (PLP), the perception of discomfort in a limb no longer present, commonly occurs following amputation. A variety of interventions have been employed for PLP, including mirror therapy. Virtual Reality (VR) and augmented reality (AR) mirror therapy treatments have also been utilized and have the potential to provide an even greater immersive experience for the amputee. However, there is not currently a consensus on the efficacy of VR and AR therapy. ⋯ Despite the positive findings, all of the studies were confined purely to case studies and case report series. No studies of higher evidence have been conducted, thus considerably limiting the strength of the findings. As such, the current use of VR and AR for PLP management, while attractive due to the increasing levels of immersion, customizable environments, and decreasing cost, is yet to be fully proven and continues to need further research with higher quality studies to fully explore its benefits.
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NeuroRehabilitation · Jan 2017
Meta AnalysisPrevalence of persistent vegetative state in patients with severe traumatic brain injury and its trend during the past four decades: A meta-analysis.
Estimating the prevalence of persistent vegetative state (PVS) following severe traumatic brain injury (sTBI) and its change over time is important for the study of the disease. ⋯ Prevalence of PVS at six months after sTBI has no significant change over the past four decades. Age and gender do not seem to have a significant effect on the prevalence.