Treatment of upper limb spasticity with inhibitory repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation: A randomized placebo-controlled trial.

Background: Upper limb dysfunction is a frequent complication after stroke impairing outcome. Inhibitory repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation (rTMS) applied over the contralesional hemisphere is supposed to enhance the positive effects of conventional rehabilitative treatment.

Objective: This double-blind randomized placebo-controlled trial investigated whether inhibitory rTMS as add-on to standard therapy improves upper limb spasticity.

Auditory Stimulation Modulates Resting-State Functional Connectivity in Unresponsive Wakefulness Syndrome Patients.

Passive listening to music is associated with several psychological and physical benefits in both, healthy and diseased populations. In this fMRI study, we examined whether preferred music has effects on the functional connectivity within resting-state networks related to consciousness. Thirteen patients in unresponsive wakefulness syndrome (UWS) and 18 healthy controls (HC) were enrolled.

The influence of the CRS-R score on functional outcome in patients with severe brain injury receiving early rehabilitation.

Background: The aim of the study was to determine the role of the Coma Recovery Scale-Revised (CRS-R) in the prediction of functional status at the end of neurological early rehabilitative treatment.

Methods: Patients consecutively admitted to intensive or intermediate care units of a neurological rehabilitation center were enrolled in the study. Consciousness and functional status were assessed with the Coma Recovery Scale-Revised (CRS-R) and the Early Rehabilitation Barthel Index (ERBI), respectively.

[Results of case evaluations by the medical services of the paying health insurances in neurological early rehabilitation].

Evaluations of cases of a neurological early rehabilitation clinic carried out by the medical services of health insurances (2018) are described and analyzed. More than a quarter of the 1098 cases were evaluated. Examinations focused on hours of ventilation, unnecessary hospitalization, intensity of nursing and features of the definition of early neurological rehabilitation.

Inter-professional communication and interaction in the neurological rehabilitation team: a literature review.

Neurological early rehabilitation aims at regaining cooperativity and acquiring rehabilitation capability with brain-injured patients, most of whom are transferred from Intensive Care Units, most of whom still require intensive care and suffer from disorders of consciousness. In neurological early rehabilitation, therapeutic nursing is an integral part of the therapeutic team. Other than the specialized therapists, nurses are present on the ward 24/7, which gives them a closer perspective on the patient.

Factors influencing weaning from mechanical ventilation in neurological and neurosurgical early rehabilitation patients.

Background: Studies analyzing risk factors of weaning failure in neurological and neurosurgical early rehabilitation (NNER) patients are rare.

Aim: The aim of this study was to identify clinical factors influencing the weaning of NNER patients.

Design: An observational, retrospective data analysis of a German multicenter study was performed.

[In-patient (early) rehabilitation].

It is difficult to develop the financing and hospital provision of interventions for early rehabilitation within the diagnosis-related group (DRG) system. In addition to a range of partially rehabilitative complex interventions, the system recognizes three main forms of early rehabilitative interventions: geriatric, neurological/neurosurgical, and interdisciplinary and others. In this article, the appropriate definitions and cost-effectiveness of these procedures are analyzed and compared.

Endovascular Treatment versus Sonothrombolysis for Acute Ischemic Stroke.

Background: Currently, there are 2 strategies to increase the effect of systemic thrombolysis with alteplase (rtPA) in acute major stroke: endovascular treatment via stent retrieval and ultrasound enhancement (sonothrombolysis). This study compares these 2 approaches in patients with proximal intracranial occlusion of the anterior circulation.

Methods: Consecutive data on the treatment outcome of acute middle cerebral artery (M1) or carotid T occlusion were collected from 2 stroke centers: one center used rtPA plus endovascular stent retrieval as standard treatment and the other rtPA plus ultrasound (sonothrombolysis).

[Integrated stroke care].

The structures and processes of stroke care provision in the acute and chronic phases, during rehabilitation and societal integration, the needs of patients, and the means of meeting those needs are described and analyzed. Deficits mainly involve local multidisciplinary professional aid, focusing on participation under the supervision of a neurologist experienced in rehabilitation. Deficits are mainly caused by a lack of funding from statutory and private health insurance.

The factorial and discriminant validity of the German version of the Post-traumatic Growth Inventory in stroke patients.

Post-traumatic growth (PTG) is the experience of positive changes that can follow a traumatic event. The current study examined the factorial as well as the discriminant validity of the German version of the Post-traumatic Growth Inventory (PTGI-G) in stroke patients. A total of 188 adult stroke patients (63.

Morphological-compound dysgraphia in an aphasic patient: "A wild write through the lexicon".

We describe the case of a dysgraphic aphasic individual--S.G.W.