Motor-Free Visual Perception Test 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.

Early musical training benefits to non-musical cognitive ability associated with the Gestalt principles.

Musical training has been evidenced to facilitate music perception, which refers to the consistencies, boundaries, and segmentations in pieces of music that are associated with the Gestalt principles. The current study aims to test whether musical training is beneficial to non-musical cognitive ability with Gestalt principles. Three groups of Chinese participants (with early, late, and no musical training) were compared in terms of their performances on the Motor-Free Visual Perception Test (MVPT). The results show that the participants with early musical training had significantly better performance in the Gestalt-like Visual Closure subtest than those with late and no musical training, but no significances in other Gestalt-unlike subtests was identified (Visual Memory, Visual Discrimination, Spatial Relationship, Figure Ground in MVPT). This study suggests the benefit of early musical training on non-musical cognitive ability with Gestalt principles.

A COMPARISON OF THE VISUAL PERCEPTUAL SKILLS IN TYPICAL AND CEREBRAL PALSY CHILDREN

Objective: The purpose of this study is to evaluate the difference at occupational performance skills related to visual perception among typical developing children and cerebral palsy children by using measuring test of MVPT-R. Design And Sampling Technique: Quantitative cross-sectional study, convenience sampling method. Study Setting And Participants: A total of 400 Cerebral palsy children (all types) and typical children each from different mainstream schools, rehab centers, pediatric occupational therapy departments, and special education centers located in Karachi. Interventions / Data Collection: Test of visual perception that is Motor Free visual perceptual test- Revised MVPT-R. Result: Result shows difference in perceptual ages (PA) between typical and cerebral palsy children. Perceptual age (PA) was greater than the chronological age (CA) in the typical group. Conversely, in the CP group the perceptual age (PA) was lesser than the chronological age (CA). Conclusion: Visual perception skills play a key role in a child’s achievement at school and at home. Children require intact visual perception for the successful performance of their daily living as well as academic tasks like good eye-hand coordination, handwriting, reading, shape perception, play skills, and copying patterns, etc. This study is helpful to identify those children who have visual perception issues and sorting this problem will form the baseline for better evaluating and planning of useful visual perception activities for typical and cerebral palsy children.

Vision Screening for Motor Vehicle Collision Involvement among Older Drivers

To evaluate the epidemiologic association between visual acuity and other measures of visual function and motor vehicle collisions (MVCs) as well as their performance as screening tests for MVCs. Prospective cohort study. A total of 2000 licensed drivers aged 70 years and older who resided in the environs of Jefferson County, Alabama. Visual acuity, contrast sensitivity, useful field of view, Motor-free Visual Perception Test, and visual field sensitivity were measured at a baseline visit. Study participants were followed for up to 4 years for the occurrence of MVC involvement. Area under the curve (AUC), sensitivity, and specificity were calculated to determine the screening performance of each visual function measure with respect to MVC occurrence. Poisson regression was used to estimate rate ratios (RRs) for the association between each visual function measure and MVC occurrence. Police-reported MVCs. For all visual function measures, the AUC values were only slightly higher than 0.50; additionally, none of the measures exhibited adequate values for both sensitivity and specificity (i.e., > 80%). For all visual function measures except visual acuity, there were statistically significant positive RRs for the association between vision impairment and MVC occurrence, although the magnitude of the associations was weak (i.e., < 2.0). The negative impact of involuntary driving cessation on mobility and the associated mental health implications likely outweigh the safety benefit of vision screening. Alternative approaches to improving older driver safety should be considered.

Efficacy of Dual Task Training versus Conventional Therapy on Hand Function and Visual Perception Ability in Children with Cerebral Palsy

This pilot study aimed to assess the effect of dual-task training, compared to conventional therapy on the hand functional ability and visual perception in children with cerebral palsy. It was a pretest-posttest control group design, conducted for 4 weeks with ten children ranged between 5-13 years old. Participants were randomly allocated either to the experimental group (dual-task training) or the control group (conventional treatment). The experimental group received the usual physical therapy session and dual-task training sessions 3 sessions/week for 4 weeks. The control group received only the conventional physical therapy 3 sessions/week for 4 weeks. Fine and gross motor hand function were assessed by the Jebsen-Taylor hand function test and the Motor-free Visual Perception Test 3rd edition was used to assess visual perceptual ability before intervention and at 4 weeks after intervention. Only the experimental group showed an improvement in hand function (p<0.05) and no significant differences were observed between the groups (p>0.05). Statistically significant changes were noticed in three of the five subscales of the visual perception in the experimental group (p<0.05) with the experimental group superior to the control group. These findings suggest that dual-task training conducted with a precise goal to achieve (problem-solving) and including cognitive tasks is beneficial in means of improving hand function and visual perceptional ability of children with hemiplegic cerebral palsy with a short-term effect. However, further studies on children with cerebral palsy with a similar approach are warranted.

The Effect of Task-Oriented Training on Upper-Limb Function, Visual Perception, and Activities of Daily Living in Acute Stroke Patients: A Pilot Study.

This pilot study aimed to investigate the effects of task-oriented training on upper-limb functioning, visual perception, and activities of daily living (ADL) in acute stroke patients. Of 20 participants, 10 were randomly assigned in a 1:1 ratio to experimental and control groups. Task-oriented training and table-top activity training were implemented for 6 weeks. Change in upper-limb functioning was assessed with the Manual Function Test (MFT); visual perceptual skill and ADL performance were evaluated using the Motor-Free Visual Perception Test—Vertical (MVPT-V) and Korean Modified Barthel Index (K-MBI), respectively. There was a significant interaction in the MFT and MBI score between the group and time (p < 0.05), but the group effect was not significant (p > 0.05). The MFT and MBI score significantly increased in both groups after the intervention (p < 0.001), but the effect size was greater in the task-oriented training group than the table-top activity training group. No significant interaction with MVPT-V score was found between the group and time (p > 0.05), and no statistical group difference was found either (p > 0.05). Both groups showed significant improvement in their MVPT-V score after the intervention (p < 0.001). The pilot study findings demonstrate that both task-oriented training and table-top activity training are effective in recovering upper-limb function, visual perception, and ADL in acute stroke patients.

Correlation of Hemispatial Neglect with White Matter Tract Integrity: A DTI Study.

We investigated the diffusion tensor image (DTI) parameters of superior longitudinal fasciculus (SLF) and inferior fronto-occipital fasciculus (IFOF), and their relationships with hemispatial neglect. Thirteen patients with first-ever ischemic stroke who had the right hemispheric lesion were included. Neglect was assessed using the Albert test and figure discrimination test of Motor-free Visual Perception Test 3 (MVPT-3). The SLF and IFOF were separated by diffusion tensor tractography (DTT) and tract volume (TV) was calculated. We measured the fractional anisotropy (FA) and apparent diffusion coefficient (ADC) values in the total area, seed region of interest (ROI), and target ROI, respectively. Among thirteen patients, seven demonstrated signs of hemispatial neglect on neglect test. Tractography reconstruction showed significantly low TV of the right IFOF in patients with hemispatial neglect. FA values of the right SLF and the right IFOF were significantly lower in neglect patients. ADC values were not significantly different in two groups. This study suggests that damage of SLF and IFOF is associated with hemispatial neglect in right hemispheric stroke patients. DTI may be useful for predicting the severities of hemispatial neglect using values such as TV and FA of each tract.

뇌손상을 가진 편측무시 환자에게 전산화 인지재활치료가 시·공간 지각, 시야 및 집중력, 시각기억에 미치는 효과

This study aimed to compare the effects of computerized-assisted cognitive rehabilitation (CACR) and conventional rehabilitation (CR) on visuospatial perception, visual field and attention, and visual memory in patients with unilateral spatial neglect. Forty-eight patients with unilateral spatial neglect were randomly assigned to either the experimental group (n=23) or the control group (n=25). The experimental group received CACR intervention using RehaCom software, including saccadic eye movement, visual field, and visual-motor coordination training, whereas the control group received CR, including hemispheric activation approach, mental imagery training, and vibration therapy. Interventions for the experiemntal and control groups were performed for average 30 minutes, five times per week for four weeks. Outcome measures comprised Motor-free visual perception test (MVPT) and line bisection test (LBT) for visuospatial perception, visual span test (VST) for evaluating visual field and attention, and Visual recognition test (VRT) for evaluating visual memory. Evaluations were performed before and after the intervention. In between- group comparison, improvements on MVPT, VST, and VRT scroes after the intervention were statistically significantly different between the groups (p<.01). In within-group comparison, both groups showed statistically significant improvement in all variables after the intervention (p<.01). These findings suggest that the CACR may be beneficially used to enhance visuospatial perception, visual field and attention, and visual memory for patients with the unilateral spatial neglect caused by brain damage. Further studies will be needed to warrant our results.

Psychometric properties of the Korean Motor-free Visual Perception Test-4 in healthy people.

ObjectiveThis study was conducted to cross-culturally adapt the Motor-free Visual Perception Test 4 (MVPT-4) for use in Korean contexts and examine its psychometric properties.MethodsThe Korean MVPT-4 (K-MVPT-4) was developed via the process of translation, back-translation, and expert committee review. To establish internal consistency, test-retest reliability, concurrent validity and construct validity of the K-MVPT-4, 295 healthy people aged 10 to 79 years participated in this study. Participants completed the measures for the test-retest reliability on two occasions, 2 weeks apart.ResultsAfter three steps of cross-cultural adaptation, the K-MVPT-4 was revised to improve its alignment with Korean cultural norms. Cronbach’s α for internal consistency was .857 and intra-class correlation coefficient for test-retest reliability was .949. The K-MVPT-4 scores were significantly correlated with those of three motor-reduced subscales of the Korean Developmental Test of Visual Perception-Adolescent (K-DTVP-A) (r = .44–.46, p < .01). Participants’ age significantly influenced the K-MVPT-4 scores (p < .001) while their gender did not affect those scores (p = .409). As the age increased, the K-MVPT-4 scores decreased.ConclusionsThe findings indicated that the K-MVPT-4 is a reliable and valid test that Korean rehabilitation service providers can use with confidence to assess clients’ visual perceptual abilities.

Occupational Performance of the Primary Schoolchildren with Special Education Needs in Malaysia: Exploring the Needs of School-based Therapy Service

Children’s occupational performance are activities of daily living, play/ leisure, social participation, education, and work. In developed countries, school-based therapy services are being provided for schoolchildren with special needs. The importance of these services in Malaysia is timely to be explored. This exploratory cross-sectional study identified occupational performance levels of primary schoolchildren with special needs in integrated special education programmes in Malaysia; children with intellectual disability, autism, attention deficit hyperactive disorder, Down syndrome, speech impairment, visual impairment, hearing impairment, and specific learning disorder. Researchers conducted Motor-Free Visual Perceptual Test Third Edition (MVPT-3), Beery-Buktenica Developmental Test of Visual-Motor Integration Fifth Edition (Beery-VMI), Test of Gross Motor Development – 2 (TGMD-2), Test of Hand Writing Skills-Revised (THS-R), and School Function Assessment (SFA) for 121 students. Results showed that 69.5% of the students scored very low to low average in MVPT-3 (median standard score = 70.0, Std. IQR = 37); 69.4% were very low to below average in Beery-VMI (mean standard score = 78.8, Std. deviation = 20.5); 73% were below age level raw score in TGMD-2; 72.8% were below average in THS-R (median standard score = 74.0, Std. IQR = 27.0); and 81% were below the criterion cut-off in school function. The children with below-normal MVPT, VMI, TGMD2, and THS scores, compared to the children with normal scores for these tests had significantly lower scores (p &lt; 0.001). All the students had impairment in occupation performance at least in one area. This study recommends school-based occupational therapy and other rehabilitation services in the school system in Malaysia.

Application of digital practice to improve head movement, visual perception and activities of daily living for subacute stroke patients with unilateral spatial neglect: Preliminary results of a single-blinded, randomized controlled trial.

Background:Virtual reality (VR) based digital practice is an attractive way to provide a patient engagement, motivation and adaptable environment for stroke rehabilitation. However, clinical evidence of efficacy with VR-based digital practice is very limited. In this study, we investigated the effects of VR-based digital practice program on unilateral spatial neglect (USN) rehabilitation in patients with subacute stroke.Methods:Twenty-four subacute stroke patients with USN were enrolled and randomly assigned to digital practice group (n = 12) and control group (n = 12). Patients in digital practice group received training programs with VR-based applications with leap motion environment. Control group received conventional USN specific training programs. All patients were underwent 4 week practice program (3 sessions/week, a half-hour/session). We analyzed training effects before and after training by assessing the line bisection test, Catherine Bergego Scale, modified Barthel index, Motor-Free Visual Perception Test Vertical Version (MVPT-V), and horizontal head movements (rotation degree and velocity during the VR-based applications), and compared the results between the two groups.Results:Compared to control group, digital practice group showed significantly greater improvements in the line bisection test (P = .020), and visual perceptual tasks (MVPT-V, responded more on left visual task, P = .024; correctly respond more on both left and right visual tasks, P = .024 and P = .014, respectively; and faster response time, P = .014). Additionally, horizontal head movement of rotation degree and velocity during the VR based practice in the digital practice group were significantly increased more than control group (P = .007 and P = .001, respectively).Conclusions:VR-based digital practice program might be an affordable approach for visual perception and head movement recovery for subacute stroke patients with USN.

Cerebral visual impairment‐related vision problems in primary school children: a cross‐sectional survey

To estimate how many children in mainstream primary schools have cerebral visual impairment (CVI)-related vision problems and to investigate whether some indicators might be useful as red flags, if they were associated with increased risk for these problems. We conducted a survey of primary school children aged 5 to 11years, using whether they were getting extra educational help and/or teacher- and parent-reported behaviour questionnaires to identify children at risk for CVI. These and a random 5% sample were assessed for CVI-related vision problems. We compared the usefulness of potential red flags using likelihood ratios. We received questionnaires on 2298 mainstream-educated children and examined 248 children (152 [61%] males, 96 females [39%]; mean age 8y 1mo, SD 20mo, range 5y 6mo-11y 8mo). We identified 78 out of 248 children (31.5% of those examined, 3.4% of the total sample), who had at least one CVI-related vision problem. The majority (88%) were identified by one or more red flag but none were strongly predictive. Fewer than one in five children with any CVI-related vision problem had reduced visual acuity. Children with CVI-related vision problems were more prevalent than has been appreciated. Assessment of at-risk children may be useful so that opportunities to improve outcomes for children with CVI-related vision problems are not missed.

The Effects of Cognitive and Visual Functions of Korean Elderly Taxi Drivers on Safe Driving Behavior.

PurposeIn this study, we investigated the effect of visual and cognitive functions of elderly taxi drivers on safe driving behavior. We aimed to identify factors that interfere with safe driving in an aging Korean society in elderly taxi drivers.Participants and MethodsA total of 203 elderly taxi drivers, aged >65, working at 3 companies in a single city were assessed over 4 weeks from December 1 to December 30, 2017, using the Motor-Free Visual Perception Test, Korean Montreal Cognitive Assessment, and Korean Safe Driving Behavior Measure. To examine the effects of cognitive and visual functions on driving behavior, we performed a stepwise multiple linear regression analysis (p<0.05).ResultsAll 4 subdomains of safe driving behaviors were significantly correlated with the cognitive subdomains of attention and abstraction and the visual perception subdomains of visual closure 1 and figure-ground.ConclusionMore systematic assessments of the relationship between driving behavior and cognitive and visual function in elderly individuals are needed.

Relationships between cognitive functioning and power wheelchair performance, confidence and life-space mobility among experienced power wheelchair users: An exploratory study.

ObjectivesTo explore: (i) relationships between power wheelchair performance, confidence, mobility and the severity of user’s cognitive impairment; (ii) relationships between cognitive functioning and power wheelchair performance, confidence and mobility; and (iii) how cognitive scores influence power wheelchair performance, confidence and mobility.DesignCross-sectional exploratory study.SubjectsIndependent power wheelchair users; ≥18 years.Outcome measuresCognitive assessments (Montreal Cognitive Assessment, Motor-Free Visual Perception Test, and Dysexecutive Questionnaire) and power wheelchair driving assessments (Power mobility Indoor Driving Assessment, Wheelchair-Skills-Test-Questionnaire, and Life-Space Assessment). Analyses were completed using multivariate analysis of variance and principal component analysis.ResultsThere were a total of 30 participants (with a mean (SD) age of 58 (15) years, who had a mean (SD) of 3 (6.2) years of experience of power wheelchair use, and a mean (SD) score of 22 (5) on the Montreal Cognitive Assessment. There were statistically significant differences in all power wheelchair driving assessments, depending on the severity of cognitive impairment (moderate, p = 0.009; mild, p = <0.001; none, p = 0.009). The first principal component suggested that cognitive functioning, visual perception, and performance explained 69% of the variability in the first principle componenent. The second and third principal components suggested that confidence and the built and social environments also played significant roles in power wheelchair use.ConclusionThere are correlations between cognitive functioning and power wheelchair use in experienced users, with the severity of cognitive impairment influencing power wheelchair driving outcomes.LAY ABSTRACTClinicians report cognitive impairment as a concern when providing power wheelchairs. This study explored differences in power wheelchair use (performance, confidence and mobility) between users with different levels of cognitive impairment, and determined how cognitive impairment influenced power wheelchair use. A total of 30 power wheelchair users completed power wheelchair, cognitive and perceptual assessments. There were statistically significant differences in all power wheelchair assessments depending on the severity of the subject’s cognitive impairment. Cognitive functioning and visual perception were important for power wheelchair performance. Cognitive functioning also influenced power wheelchair confidence, while the built and social environments played significant roles in power wheelchair use. In clinical practice, Montreal Cognitive Assessment scores may provide information to complement power wheelchair assessments, but when used alone may miss some important information. The Power mobility Indoor Driving Assessment, Wheelchair Skills Test Questionnaire, and Life-Space Assessment represent complementary power wheelchair assessments to understand power wheelchair use in adults.

Fresnel Prism Affects the Balance in Hemiplegic Stroke Patients without Neglect

The purpose of this study was to investigate to effects of temporary visual feedback training using Fresnel prism glasses on balance in hemiplegic stroke patients without neglect. 19 hemiplegic stroke patients were randomly assigned to the experimental group (n=10) and the control group (n=9). Subjects of the control group performed balance and gait training, and subjects of the experimental group performed balance and gait training with a Fresnel prism glasses for 30 minutes each. All subjects performed motor-free visual perception test (MVPT) before intervention to measure visual perception. Functional reaching test (FRT) and gait parameters were performed before and after intervention. As a result, MVPT was no significant difference between the groups (p>0.05). FRT showed significant difference between the groups (p<0.05). In gait parameters, the swing time decreased and the single support time on the affected side increased. In summarizing the results of this study, the application of temporary Fresnel prism glasses had the effect to improve the balance ability in hemiplegic stroke patients without neglect. Therefore, Fresnel prism glasses could be favorably used as an intervention tool for improving balance in hemiplegic stroke patients without neglect.

Functional Magnetic Resonance Imaging during Visual Perception Tasks in Adolescents Born Prematurely.

Impairments in visual perception are among the most common developmental difficulties related to being born prematurely, and they are often accompanied by problems in other developmental domains. Neural activation in participants born prematurely and full-term during tasks that assess several areas of visual perception has not been studied. To better understand the neural substrates of the visual perceptual impairments, we compared behavioral performance and brain activations during visual perception tasks in adolescents born very preterm (birth weight ≤1500 g or gestational age <32 weeks) and full-term. Tasks assessing visual closure, discrimination of a deviating figure, and discrimination of figure and ground from the Motor-Free Visual Perception Test, Third Edition were performed by participants born very preterm (n = 37) and full-term (n = 34) at 12 years of age during functional magnetic resonance imaging. Behavioral performance in the visual perception tasks did not differ between the groups. However, during the visual closure task, brain activation was significantly stronger in the group born very preterm in a number of areas including the frontal, anterior cingulate, temporal, and posterior medial parietal/cingulate cortices, as well as in parts of the cerebellum, thalamus, and caudate nucleus. Differing activations during the visual closure task potentially reflect a compensatory neural process related to premature birth or lesser neural efficiency or may be a result of the use of compensatory behavioral strategies in the study group born very preterm.

Relationship between Visual Perception and Microstructural Change of the Superior Longitudinal Fasciculus in Patients with Brain Injury in the Right Hemisphere: A Preliminary Diffusion Tensor Tractography Study.

Right hemisphere brain damage often results in visual-spatial deficits. Because various microstructural changes of the superior longitudinal fasciculus (SLF) after a stroke in the right hemisphere affect visual perception, including neglect, the present study investigates the relationship between both microstructural change and lateralization of SLF and visual perception, using diffusion tensor imaging (DTI) in patients with lesions in the right hemisphere. Eight patients with strokes (five patients with intracranial hemorrhage, and three patients with infarction; mean age of 52.5 years) and 16 mean-age-matched healthy control subjects were involved in this study. The visual perception of all eight patients was assessed with the motor-free visual perception test (MVPT), and their SLFs were reconstructed using DTI. The results showed that there was a significant difference between the DTI parameters of the patients and the control subjects. Moreover, patients with microstructural damage to the right SLF showed impairment of visual perception. In patients with damage to both the dorsal and ventral pathways of the right SLF, spatial neglect was present. However, although a leftward SLF asymmetry was revealed in our patients, this lateralization did not show a relationship with visual perception. In conclusion, the microstructural changes of the right SLF play an important role in visual perception, and both pathways contribute to spatial neglect, but leftward lateralization of the right SFL activity after a stroke does not contribute to general visual perception.

Essential Medical Information for Stroke Patients Undergoing Interhospital Transfer: A Delphi Study.

For improving the efficiency of transferring medical records for stroke patients undergoing interhospital transfer, we evaluated what is the essential medical information for physicians using the Delphi method. We set up an expert panel of 31 physiatrists, who participated in this study. The 32 preliminary items of the transferred medical information were listed by a physiatrist for the first round of the Delphi method, and degree of necessity for these 32 items was evaluated using a 3-point scale ("very necessary," "necessary," and "not necessary"). We considered "very necessary" and "necessary" as "agreed to its necessity." According to the Delphi method, a satisfactory level of consensus can be achieved with the agreement of significant majority (≥80%) in the expert panel. Based on the experts' feedback, some items were added as the preliminary items. After the second round of the Delphi method, the items confirmed to be necessary information during interhospital transfer were motor and sensory evoked potentials, Barthel Index, Mini-Mental State Examination/Global Deterioration Scale, Motor-Free Visual Perception Test, Manual Function Test, Purdue Pegboard Test, hand grip power, monofilament, 2-point discrimination test, Manual Muscle Test, Nottingham Scale, modified Brunnstrom Classification, functional ambulation category, Glasgow Coma Scale, language function test, imaging study, videofluoroscopic swallowing study, rehabilitation goal, previous medical history, comorbidity, and medication information. If the previously mentioned necessary items are presented together at once during interhospital transfer, physicians who receive new stroke patients can evaluate patients' medical information more easily and completely.

Relationship Between Line Bisection Test Time and Hemispatial Neglect Prognosis in Patients With Stroke: A Prospective Pilot Study.

ObjectiveTo determine the relationship between line bisection test (LBT) performance time and prognosis of hemispatial neglect (HSN) in stroke patients.MethodsData on stroke patients with HSN were prospectively collected. After patient recruitment and eligibility screening, the LBT, Motor-Free Visual Perception Test 3rd edition, and Korean version of Mini-Mental State Examination were performed at the time of admission and 4 weeks thereafter. The LBT performance time was also measured. All patients received conventional rehabilitation for 4 weeks. Based on the improvements in their LBT grades, the patients were divided into improved and non-improved groups. The evaluation results of the two groups were compared using Mann–Whitney U-tests and logistic regression was performed to predict the independence of each outcome.ResultsIn total, 26 stroke patients with HSN were included, with 13 patients in each group. Significant differences were observed in the baseline LBT performance times between the improved and non-improved groups (p<0.05). Logistic regression analysis revealed associations between HSN prognosis, and baseline LBT performance time (odds ratio=0.95; 95% confidence interval, 0.90–1.00; p<0.05) and baseline Motor-Free Visual Perception Test 3rd edition (odds ratio=1.20; 95% confidence interval, 1.01–1.43; p<0.05).ConclusionA significant relationship was observed between the baseline LBT performance time and HSN prognosis.

Exploring the Predictive Ability of the Motor-Free Visual Perception Test (MVPT) and Trail Making Test (TMT) for On-Road Driving Performance.

Resuming driving after a change in functional ability is challenging for patients with a neurological condition. Although a combination of assessment tools has been suggested for use in driving evaluation, resources and availability of tools have been a problem. To examine the predictive ability of two commonly used tools, the Motor-Free Visual Perception Test (MVPT) and the Trail Making Test, Parts A and B (TMTA and TMTB), on on-road driving performance. Retrospective chart review of 82 patient charts between 2015 and 2016. Local rehabilitation hospital. Eighty-two patients with a primary neurological diagnosis (general neurological condition, n = 13; spinal cord injury, n = 11; stroke, n = 58). MVPT, TMTA, and TMTB. Among the patients, 36 passed and 46 failed the on-road evaluation. The TMTA and TMTB scores were significantly different between those who passed or failed the on-road evaluation. Logistic regression analyses revealed that the TMTB completion time was the only significant predictor of on-road driving performance (for the all-patient model, 66% prediction accuracy, -2 log-likelihood [LL] = 93.47, exp β = 0.98; for the stroke-only model, 76% prediction accuracy, -2LL = 59.61, exp β = 0.97). Our findings suggest that the TMTB is a better predictor of on-road driving performance for patients with a neurological condition than the MVPT. The findings shed light on the importance of selecting proper tools when assessing driving performance. Future prospective studies with a wider array of predictive variables are recommended to support the present findings. Occupational therapists should revisit the use of the MVPT in driving assessment and consider multiple assessment tools when evaluating and predicting driving performance.