Computer-assisted Cognitive Rehabilitation Research Articles

Computer-Assisted Rehabilitation Shows Greater Efficacy Than Traditional in Visuospatial Skills and Cognition in Neglect Patients

This study is crucial for improving unilateral spatial neglect (USN) treatments, focusing on comparing the effectiveness of computer-assisted cognitive rehabilitation (CACR) against conventional rehabilitation (CR) methods. It aimed to address a significant research gap and improve patient outcomes by evaluating the impact of CACR versus CR on visuospatial perception, visual field and attention, and visual memory in patients with USN. This study was a randomized controlled trial. Forty-five consecutive patients with USN from a university rehabilitation center were divided into two groups: 22 patients received CACR with Rehacom software, focusing on saccadic eye movement, visual field, and visual-motor coordination, while 23 underwent CR that combined hemispheric activation approach, mental imagery training, and vibration therapy. Assessments included the Motor-Free Visual Perception Test (MVPT), Line Bisection Test (LBT), Visual Span Test (VST), and Visual Recognition Test (VRT). The study employed ANCOVA and effect size calculations to evaluate the effectiveness of CACR compared to CR in treating patients with USN. Results indicated that CACR significantly outperformed CR in improving visuospatial perception, visual field, attention, and memory, showcasing its effectiveness in treating USN. These findings demonstrate the superiority of CACR over CR, particularly in enhancing visual memory and attention, as evidenced by the large effect size in VRT and moderate effects in LBT and VST. This suggests CACR's potential as a more effective approach for rehabilitation in patients with USN due to brain injuries.

Effects of Virtual Reality-Based Cognitive Rehabilitation in Stroke Patients: A Randomized Controlled Trial.

During the process of recovering functional ability after damage caused by a stroke, it is important to restore cognitive function via cognitive rehabilitation. To achieve successful rehabilitation, it is important for patients to have a sense of efficacy in their ability to manage their disease well. Therefore, a virtual reality-based cognitive rehabilitation program based on self-efficacy theory was developed, and its effects were compared with conventional and computer-assisted cognitive rehabilitation. The virtual reality-based cognitive rehabilitation program consisted of sessions lasting 30 min each five days a week for eight weeks. After applying the virtual reality-based cognitive rehabilitation program, there were significant differences in group-by-time interactions regarding stroke self-efficacy, cognitive function, visual perception, activities of daily living, and health-related quality of life. In addition, there were significant group differences among the three groups in terms of stroke self-efficacy and health-related quality of life. In conclusion, our virtual reality-based cognitive rehabilitation program developed based on self-efficacy theory is effective for inpatients with stroke and improves their stroke self-efficacy, cognitive function, visual perception, activities of daily living, and health-related quality of life.

Computer-assisted cognitive rehabilitation in neurological patients: state-of-art and future perspectives.

Advances in computing technology enabled researchers and clinicians to exploit technological devices for cognitive training and rehabilitation interventions. This expert review aims to describe the available software and device used for cognitive training or rehabilitation interventions of patients with neurological disorders. A scoping review was carried out to analyze commercial devices/software for computerized cognitive training (CCT) in terms of feasibility and efficacy in both clinical and home settings. Several cognitive domains responding to the different patients' needs are covered. This review showed that cognitive training for patients with neurological diseases is largely covered by several devices that are widely used and validated in the hospital setting but with few translations to remote/home applications. It has been demonstrated that technology and software-based devices are potential and valuable tools to administer remotely cognitive rehabilitation with accessible costs. According to our results, CCT entails the possibility to continue cognitive training also in different settings, such as home, which is a significant breakthrough for the improvement of community care. Other possible areas of use should be the increase in the amount of cognitive therapy in the free time during the hospital stay.

Comparison of Rehabilitative Interventions That Ameliorate Post-stroke Working Memory Deficit: A Systematic Review.

Stroke is one of the most common causes of disability in the world. It has sensory, motor, and cognitive symptoms. Many cognitive domains might get involved in a stroke. This systematic review focuses on working memory domain deficits after stroke and their various rehabilitation methods. This review is based on Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses(PRISMA) guidelines. For this review, we have searched PubMed, Google Scholar, and Science Direct databases and screened thoroughly with the inclusion criteria of free full-text English papers in the last 10 years that have exclusively studied humans. The articles included in the search are randomized control trials (RCTs), observational studies, meta-analysis studies, systematic reviews, and traditional reviews. Consequent quality assessment was done using the most commonly used tools for each type of study and eight papers were selected. From these papers, full-text articles were studied, analyzed, and tabulated. We found five different rehabilitation methods: transcranial direct-current stimulation, computer-assisted cognitive rehabilitation, physical activity, goal setting, and multimodal rehabilitation. We found that goal setting, computer-assisted cognitive rehabilitation, and multimodal rehabilitation can improve working memory deficits. While transcranial direct current stimulation and physical activity were inconsistent, further studies are needed. The small sample size, no follow-up, the inclusion of only a few studies,the size of the stroke, and comorbid conditions like mild cognitive impairment, dementia, and depression were the main limitations of this study. Future reviews must include a larger number of studies with large sample sizes, including follow-up as an inclusion criterion. We need more clinical trials on these methods for better knowledge.

Comparative efficacy of 5 non-pharmacological therapies for adults with post-stroke cognitive impairment: A Bayesian network analysis based on 55 randomized controlled trials.

BackgroundAs a common sequela after stroke, cognitive impairment negatively impacts patients' activities of daily living and overall rehabilitation. Non-pharmacological therapies have recently drawn widespread attention for their potential in improving cognitive function. However, the optimal choice of non-pharmacological therapies for post-stroke cognitive impairment (PSCI) is still unclear. Hence, in this study, we compared and ranked 5 non-pharmacological therapies for PSCI with a Bayesian Network Meta-analysis (NMA), to offer a foundation for clinical treatment decision-making.MethodsPubMed, EMBASE, Web of Science, Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials, Chinese Biomedical Medicine, China National Knowledge Infrastructure, Wangfang Database, and China Science and Technology Journal Database were searched from database inception to December 31, 2021, to collect Randomized Controlled Trials for PSCI. All of the studies were assessed (according to Cochrane Handbook for Systematic Reviews) and then data were extracted by two researchers separately. Pairwise meta-analysis for direct comparisons was performed using Revman. NMA of Bayesian hierarchical model was performed by WinBUGS and ADDIS. STATA was used to construct network evidence plots and funnel plots.ResultsA total of 55 trials (53 Two-arm trials and 2 Three-arm trials) with 3,092 individuals were included in this study. In the pair-wise meta-analysis, Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation (TMS), Virtual Reality Exposure Therapy (VR), Computer-assisted cognitive rehabilitation (CA), Transcranial Direct Current Stimulation (tDCS), and Acupuncture were superior to normal cognition training in terms of MoCA, MMSE, and BI outcomes. Bayesian NMA showed that the MoCA outcome ranked Acupuncture (84.7%) as the best therapy and TMS (79.7%) as the second. The MMSE outcome ranked TMS (76.1%) as the best therapy and Acupuncture as the second (72.1%). For BI outcome, TMS (89.1%) ranked the best.ConclusionsTMS and Acupuncture had a better effect on improving cognitive function in post-stroke patients according to our Bayesian NMA. However, this conclusion still needs to be confirmed with large sample size and high-quality randomized controlled trials.Registrationhttps://inplasy.com (No. INPLASY202260036).

Rehabilitation efficacy comparison of virtual reality technology and computer-assisted cognitive rehabilitation in patients with post-stroke cognitive impairment: A network meta-analysis

ObjectiveVirtual reality (VR) and computer-assisted cognitive rehabilitation (CACR) are two emerging rehabilitation therapies for stroke patients. The aim of this study was to compare the rehabilitation efficacy of these two treatments for patients with post-stroke cognitive impairment (PSCI). MethodsA network search of Embase, Web of Science, PubMed, Cochrane Library, VIP, WanFang Data, and CNKI databases was performed from their inception to February 2022 for screening randomized controlled trials related to VR and CACR in the treatment of PSCI. The quality of the included studies was assessed using the Cochrane risk bias assessment tool. The primary outcomes of the included studies contained at least one of the following clinical outcome measures: Mini-mental state examination (MMSE) or Montreal Cognitive Assessment (MoCA). After screening the literature, assessing the quality and extracting the data, a network meta-analysis was performed with STATA software. ResultsA total of 21 randomized controlled trials were included, including 1,047 patients. The results of network meta-analysis showed that under MMSE index, VR group (p = 0.067) and CACR group (p = 0.054) tended to be superior to CT group, but it was not significant. Both the VR (p = 0.024) and CACR (p < 0.001) groups had significantly better outcomes compared to the conventional therapy group in terms of MoCA. The ranking results under both indicators showed that CACR had the best treatment effect, followed by VR. ConclusionIn general, VR and CACR have superior efficacy compared with conventional therapy, in which CACR may be the best treatment option.

The Effectiveness of Computer-Assisted Cognitive Rehabilitation and the Degree of Recovery in Patients with Traumatic Brain Injury and Stroke.

Objectives: To determine the effectiveness of computer-assisted cognitive rehabilitation and compare the patterns of cognitive function recovery occurring in both traumatic brain injury (TBI) and stroke. Methods: A total of 62 patients were finally enrolled, consisting of 30 with TBI and 32 with stroke. The patients received 30 sessions of computer-assisted cognitive rehabilitation (Comcog) five times per week. Each session lasted for 30 min. Before and immediately after cognitive rehabilitation, all patients were evaluated by computerized neuropsychological test (CNT), Mini-Mental State Examination (MMSE), and modified Barthel index (MBI). Results: We analyzed the differences between pre- and post-cognitive rehabilitation in each TBI and stroke group. Significant differences were observed in MMSE, MBI, and some CNT contents, including digit span forward, verbal learning, verbal learning delayed recall, visual span forward, visual span backward, visual learning, trail making test A and B, and intelligence quotient (IQ) in the TBI group (p < 0.05). In the stroke group, in addition to significant differences that appeared in the TBI group, additional significant differences in the digit span backward, visual learning delayed recall, auditory continuous performance test (CPT), visual CPT, and card sorting test. We compared the difference values at pre- and post-cognitive rehabilitation for cognitive recovery between the TBI and stroke groups. All contents, except the digital span forward, visual learning, word-color test, and MMSE, had greater mean values in the stroke group; and thus, statistically significant higher values were observed in the visual span forward and card sorting test (p < 0.05). Conclusion: Most evaluation results showed improvement and the evaluation between the TBI and stroke groups also showed significant differences in cognitive functions in addition to more CNT contents, which significantly change in the stroke group. The stroke group showed a high difference value in most CNT contents. Therefore, those with stroke in the focal brain region tend to have better cognitive function recovery after a computer-assisted cognitive rehabilitation than those with TBI, which could cause diffuse brain damage and post-injury inflammation.

The effects of computer-assisted cognitive rehabilitation on cognitive impairment after stroke: A systematic review and meta-analysis.

To determine the effectiveness of computer-assisted cognitive rehabilitation in improving cognitive function in patients with post-stroke cognitive impairment. In recent years, computer-assisted cognitive rehabilitation has been accepted as a good substitute or supplement for traditional cognitive rehabilitation. Some clinical randomised controlled trials have been carried out, but no relevant systematic evaluations have been performed. Therefore, we conducted a systematic review of studies involving computer-assisted cognitive rehabilitation to provide evidence-based data for its promotion and application. Nine databases (Cochrane Library, PubMed, Web of Science, Embase, OVID, Wanfang Data, CNKI, VIP and SinoMed databases) were systematically searched. Randomised controlled trials that assessed computer-assisted cognitive rehabilitation for patients with post-stroke cognitive impairment were included. Two reviewers appraised the risks of bias through the Cochrane Collaboration's tool and performed the meta-analysis, including the assessment of heterogeneity. We follow the PRISMA 2020guidelines. Thirty-two studies comprising 1837 participants were included. Compared with conventional therapy alone, the addition of computer-assisted cognitive rehabilitation significantly improved the global cognition of patients, evaluated using the Montreal cognitive assessment, mini-mental state examination and Loewenstein occupational therapy cognitive assessment (p<.01 for all tests). The therapy also significantly improved activities of daily living, assessed using the Barthel index, modified Barthel index and functional independence measure (p<.05 for all tests). Computer-assisted cognitive rehabilitation significantly improved the cognitive function and activities of daily living of patients with post-stroke cognitive impairment. Computer-assisted cognitive rehabilitation can be a valuable technique for cognitive rehabilitation after stroke. It is advantageous for improving patient cognition and restoring the overall functional state of patients. Moreover, the research findings can provide suggestions and inspiration for researchers to implement the proposal, which is conducive to the design of more rigorous and high-quality randomised controlled trials.

The effect of computer-assisted Cognitive Rehabilitation (CR) on improving of executive functions of students with attention deficit/hyperactivity disorder

The effect of computer-assisted Cognitive Rehabilitation (CR) on improving of executive functions of students with attention deficit/hyperactivity disorder

Research on Computer Assisted Cognitive Rehabilitation for Cognitive Dysfunction after Traumatic Brain Injury

Traumatic brain injury (hereinafter referred to as TBI) is one of the world’s leading causes of disability and death, which has become the main cause of affecting people’s health all over the world. TBI will cause cognitive impairment (hereinafter referred to as CI), including memory impairment, disorientation, language impairment, impaired visuospatial ability, decreased computational power, decreased ability to judge and solve problems, which requires us to continuously improve the rehabilitation training of patients. With the rapid development of computer technology, computer-aided cognitive function training has been applied to the rehabilitation training of traumatic brain injury, which can train the cognitive ability of patients. Through the combination of computer ability and rehabilitation training methods, we can form a set of rehabilitation training mode. In this paper, the combination of computer-assisted cognitive rehabilitation program can be better.

Computer-assisted cognitive rehabilitation with and without unihemispheric concurrent dual-site a-tDCS and conventional tDCS on improving the response inhibition in patients with stroke

Computer-assisted cognitive rehabilitation with and without unihemispheric concurrent dual-site a-tDCS and conventional tDCS on improving the response inhibition in patients with stroke

A Pilot Study of Group-Based Computer-Assisted Cognitive Rehabilitation for Patients with Cognitive Impairment

A Pilot Study of Group-Based Computer-Assisted Cognitive Rehabilitation for Patients with Cognitive Impairment

Cognitive Assessment and Rehabilitation for Pediatric-Onset Multiple Sclerosis: A Scoping Review

Cognitive impairment is increasingly recognized as an important clinical issue in pediatric multiple sclerosis (MS). However, variations regarding its assessment and remediation are noted in clinical arena. This scoping review aims to collate available evidence concerning cognitive assessment tool and cognitive rehabilitation for pediatric MS. We performed a systematic search of electronic databases (MEDLINE, PubMed, CINAHL Plus, and Web of Science) from inception to February 2020. Reference lists of included articles and trial registers were also searched. We included original studies published in English that addressed cognitive assessment tools or cognitive rehabilitation for pediatric-onset MS. Fourteen studies fulfilled our inclusion criteria. Among them, 11 studies evaluated the psychometric aspects of various cognitive assessment tools in the context of pediatric MS, and different neuro-cognitive domains were emphasized across studies. There were only three pilot studies reporting cognitive rehabilitation for pediatric-onset MS, all of which used home-based computerized programs targeting working memory and attention, respectively. Overall, more systematic research on cognitive assessment tools and rehabilitation for pediatric MS is needed to inform evidence-based practice. Computer-assisted cognitive assessment and rehabilitation appear feasible and deserve further studies.

Cognitive rehabilitation program to improve cognition of cancer patients treated with chemotherapy: A 3-arm randomized trial.

BackgroundThere is no treatment for cancer‐related cognitive impairment, an important adverse effect that negatively impacts quality of life (QOL). We conducted a 3‐arm randomized controlled trial to evaluate the impact of computer‐assisted cognitive rehabilitation (CR) on cognition, QOL, anxiety, and depression among cancer patients treated with chemotherapy.MethodsPatients who reported cognitive complaints during or after completing chemotherapy were randomly assigned to 1 of 3 12‐week CR programs: computer‐assisted CR with a neuropsychologist (experimental group A), home cognitive self‐exercises (active control group B), or phone follow‐up (active control group C). Subjective cognition was assessed by the Functional Assessment of Cancer Therapy–Cognitive Function (FACT‐Cog), objective cognition was assessed by neuropsychological tests, QOL was assessed by the FACT‐General, and depression and anxiety were assessed by psychological tests. The primary endpoint was the proportion of patients with a 7‐point improvement in the FACT‐Cog perceived cognitive impairment (PCI) score.ResultsAmong the 167 enrolled patients (median age, 51 years), group A had the highest proportion of patients with a 7‐point PCI improvement (75%), followed by groups B (59%) and C (57%), but the difference was not statistically significant (P = .13). Compared with groups B and C, the mean difference in PCI score was significantly higher in group A (P = .02), with better perceived cognitive abilities (P < .01) and a significant improvement in working memory (P = .03). Group A reported higher QOL related to cognition (FACT‐Cog QOL) (P = .01) and improvement in depression symptoms (P = .03).ConclusionsThese results suggest a benefit of a computer‐based CR program in the management of cancer‐related cognitive impairment and complaints.

Intensive computer-assisted cognitive rehabilitation in persons with multiple sclerosis – results of a 12-week randomized study

Intensive computer-assisted cognitive rehabilitation in persons with multiple sclerosis – results of a 12-week randomized study

Computer assisted cognitive rehabilitation improves visuospatial and executive functions in Parkinson's disease: Preliminary results.

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. To evaluate the effects of computer-assisted cognitive rehabilitation (CACR) in Parkinson's disease (PD). 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. 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. Our data demonstrate that CACR is more effective than SCT in improving visual-spatial and executive deficits, in patients affected by PD.

Comparing Outcomes of Two Computer-Assisted Cognitive Rehabilitation Programs

To investigate outcomes of a computer-assisted cognitive rehabilitation program with visual exercises to one with audio+ visual exercises.

Do people with multiple sclerosis benefit from PC-based neurorehabilitation? A pilot study

Multiple Sclerosis (MS) is an inflammatory degenerative disease of the central nervous system. Cognitive impairment is a frequent feature of MS at both the earlier and later stages of the disease, and it tends to worsen over time. Cognitive rehabilitation (CR) is becoming a standard component of neurorehabilitation in patients with MS. The aim of this study is to evaluate the effect of computerized CR, by using the Italian software ERICA, on cognitive and daily life performance in MS patients with mild to moderate cognitive impairment. We studied 40 individuals affected by MS, randomized into either traditional CR group (TCRG: n = 20), which performed a conventional cognitive training, or the computer-assisted CR group (CCRG: n = 20), which performed PC-based CR. The cognitive dysfunctions were investigated through a complete neuropsychological battery, administered before (T0) and after (T1) each different training. Both the trainings were well-tolerated and led to improvement in cognitive function. Notably, the CCRG had a significant effect in improving memory, attention, and processing speed, as compared to TCRG. ERICA training could be a valuable tool for the CR in patients affected by MS. Further studied are needed to confirm these promising results and evaluate the long-term effects.

Effects of Computer-Assisted Cognitive Rehabilitation Programs With Breast Cancer Survivors

Effects of Computer-Assisted Cognitive Rehabilitation Programs With Breast Cancer Survivors

Cognitive rehabilitation program to improve cognition of cancer patients treated with chemotherapy: A randomized controlled multicenter trial.

11521 Background: Cognitive impairment induced by cancer chemotherapy (CT) has been identified as an important side-effect with negative impact on quality of life (QoL) without specific treatment. We evaluated the impact of computer-assisted cognitive rehabilitation (CR) on cognitive complaint, objective cognitive dysfunction and QoL among cancer patients treated with CT. Methods: We included cancer patients with cognitive complaint occurring during CT or within 5 years of the end of CT. Patients were randomly assigned in a 1:1:1 ratio to face-to-face CR with a neuropsychologist (group A), home cognitive exercises (group B) or phone follow-up (group C) with 9 sessions over 3 months. Cognition was assessed by the Functional Assessment of Cancer Therapy Cognitive Function (FACT-Cog) completed by a neuropsychological battery of test and QoL assessment by the FACT-General (FACT-G). The primary endpoint was the proportion of patients with 7-point improvement in the perceived cognitive impairments (PCI) of the FACT-Cog between baseline (T0) and the end of the program (T3). Results: 167 patients were enrolled, median age was 50 years [43-59] and 96% were women with mainly breast cancer. Compliance rate with completion of all sessions was 76, 61 and 75% respectively. Proportion of patients with 7-point PCI improvement were 73, 55 and 56% without reaching the statistically significant difference between group A and B (p = 0.07) and group A and C (p = 0.08). The mean difference in PCI score were 17, 10 and 10 (p = 0.03). Patients with CR improved their working memory with significant difference between group A and C (1.4 versus 0.3, p &lt; 0.001) but not between group A and B (1.4 versus 1.1, p = 0.43). There was a significant impact of CR on the FACT-Cog subscale score of QoL (p = 0.01) in favor of the group A, but not on the different dimensions of the FACT-G. Patients in group A presented improvement in depression compared to group B and C: -6.5 versus -1.7 and -2.3 (p = 0.03). Conclusions: CR with a neuropsychologist improves cognitive complaint. Cognitive stimulation showed improvements in working memory. CR was associated with better QoL linked to cognitive disorders and lower levels of depression. Clinical trial information: NCT01788618.