Impact of Cognitive VR vs. Traditional Training on Emotional Self-Efficacy and Cognitive Function in Patients with Multiple Sclerosis: A Retrospective Study Focusing on Gender Differences.

Background And Aim: While conventional MS rehabilitation primarily addresses physical and cognitive symptoms, recent advances in VR technology offer immersive environments that facilitate both emotional and cognitive skill development. The purpose of this study is to evaluate the impact of VR-based training on emotional self-efficacy in multiple sclerosis (MS) patients and examine its association with cognitive function improvement. Additionally, this study aims to explore potential gender differences in these outcomes, hypothesizing that gender may influence the effectiveness of VR-based rehabilitation, which could inform more tailored approaches for emotional and cognitive rehabilitation in MS.

MetaRehabVerse: The Great Opportunity to Put the Person's Functioning and Participation at the Center of Healthcare.

Background And Objective: The metaverse refers to a digital realm accessible via internet connections using virtual reality and augmented reality glasses for promoting a new era of social rehabilitation. It represents the next-generation mobile computing platform expected to see widespread utilization in the future. In the context of rehabilitation, the metaverse is envisioned as a novel approach to enhance the treatment of human functioning exploiting the "synchronized brains" potential exacerbated by social interactions in virtual scenarios.

The efficiency and use of a reciprocating system aid for standing and walking in children affected by severe cerebral palsy.

Cerebral Palsy (CP) is a leading cause of childhood motor disability, making independent walking a crucial therapeutic goal. Robotic assistive devices offer potential to enhance mobility, promoting community engagement and quality of life. This is an observational report of 22 cases of children with CP in which we evaluated the Moonwalker exoskeleton (a dynamic moving aid system) usability, functional changes, and caregivers' perspectives based on the International Classification of Functioning (ICF).

Advancing public health through technological rehabilitation: insights from a national clinician survey.

Introduction: In the evolving healthcare landscape, technology has emerged as a key component in enhancing system efficiency and offering new avenues for patient rehabilitation. Despite its growing importance, detailed information on technology's specific use, types, and applications in clinical rehabilitation settings, particularly within the Italian framework, remains unclear. This study aimed to explore the use of technology and its needs by Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation medical doctors in Italy.

Neuronutrition and Its Impact on Post-Stroke Neurorehabilitation: Modulating Plasticity Through Diet.

The recovery of neurological deficits after ischemic stroke largely depends on the brain's ability to reorganize its undamaged neuronal circuits and neuronal plasticity phenomena. The consolidated evidence highlights the involvement of the patient's impaired nutritional conditions in post-stroke recovery and unsatisfying rehabilitative outcomes. Standardized nutritional protocols usually applied in hospitalized patients in a rehabilitation setting aim mainly to improve the general health conditions of patients, do not consider the high inter-individual variability in neurorehabilitation outcomes, and are not sufficiently modifiable to provide neuroprotective and restorative dietary patterns that could promote neuronal plasticity and functional recovery during neurorehabilitation.

Breaking the ice through an effective translationality in neurorehabilitation: are we heading to the right direction?

Introduction: Translational medicine has been facing a persistent crisis for decades, and the field of neurorehabilitation is no exception. The challenges and delays that prevent patients, caregivers, and clinicians from promptly benefiting from advancements in bioengineering and new technological discoveries are well-documented.

Areas-covered: This perspective presents some ideas to underline the consolidated problems and highlight new obstacles to overcome in the context of translational neurorehabilitation, also considering the increasingly stringent laws for medical devices that are emerging throughout the world.

A Scoping Review of Technology-Based Approaches for Upper Limb Motor Rehabilitation after Stroke: Are We Really Targeting Severe Impairment?

Technology-based approaches for upper limb (UL) motor rehabilitation after stroke are mostly designed for severely affected patients to increase their recovery chances. However, the available randomized controlled trials (RCTs) focused on the efficacy of technology-based interventions often include patients with a wide range of motor impairment. This scoping review aims at overviewing the actual severity of stroke patients enrolled in RCTs that claim to specifically address UL severe motor impairment.

Sensor-Based Balance Training with Exergaming Feedback in Subjects with Chronic Stroke: A Pilot Randomized Controlled Trial.

Background: As one of the leading causes of disability in the world, stroke can determine a reduction of balance performance with a negative impact on daily activity and social life. In this study, we aimed to evaluate the effects of sensor-based balance training with exergaming feedback on balance skills in chronic stroke patients.

Methods: 21 individuals (11F, 57.

Comparative analysis of upper body kinematics in stroke, Parkinson's disease, and healthy subjects: An observational study using IMU-based targeted box and block test.

Background: The Box and Block Test (BBT) is an essential and widely used test in rehabilitation for the assessment of gross unilateral manual dexterity. Although it is a valid, simple, and ecological instrument, it does not provide a quantitative measure of the upper limb trajectories during the test.

Research Question: The study introduces a new motion-capture-based method (using ecological Inertial Measurement Units - IMUs) to evaluate upper body kinematics while performing a targeted version of BBT (tBBT).

The Minimal assessment Protocol for Cerebral Stroke 2020 (PMIC2020): a multicenter feasibility study in post-stroke inpatient rehabilitation.

Background: In 2008, a Working Group of the Italian Society of Physical and Rehabilitation Medicine (SIMFER) published the first minimum protocol for assessing stroke patients (PMIC) to define functional needs and outcomes. The recent PMIC revision (PMIC2020) introduces a document for all rehabilitation settings, incorporating updated measurement tools.

Aim: The aim of this study was to investigate the PMIC2020 feasibility and administration time (AT) in post-stroke inpatients and to examine the influence of demographic and clinical variables on AT.

Identifying discriminant factors between phantom limb pain, residual limb pain, and both in people with lower limb amputations: a cross-sectional study.

Postamputation pain is a common condition in patients with lower limb amputation (LLA), which compromises amputees' rehabilitation, use of the prosthesis, and quality of life. The aim of our study was to investigate the prevalence of phantom limb pain (PLP), residual limb pain (RLP), or both types of pain among individuals with LLA, and to identify the factors associated with the presence of one type of pain versus the other. Patients who underwent amputation for traumatic or vascular reasons and who reported on RLP or PLP were analyzed and divided into three groups: PLP, RLP, or a group of subjects that presented both pains.

The Role of Immersive Virtual Reality Interventions in Pediatric Cerebral Palsy: A Systematic Review across Motor and Cognitive Domains.

In recent years, new technologies have been applied in cerebral palsy. Among these, immersive virtual reality is one with promising motor and cognitive effects along with the reduced costs of its application. The level of immersion of the subject in the illusional world gives the feeling of being a real part of the virtual environment.

Paired associative stimulation to enhance motor outcome in spinal cord injury: a systematic review of first evidence.

Introduction: Spinal cord injuries (SCI) often result in motor impairment and lifelong disability.

Methods: This systematic review, conducted in agreement with PRISMA guidelines, aimed to evaluate the effects of cortico-spinal paired associative stimulation (PAS) on motor outcomes in individuals with SCI. PubMed, Scopus/EMBASE, Pedro, and Cochrane databases were consulted from inception to 2023/01/12.

Dynamic Stability, Symmetry, and Smoothness of Gait in People with Neurological Health Conditions.

Neurological disorders such as stroke, Parkinson's disease (PD), and severe traumatic brain injury (sTBI) are leading global causes of disability and mortality. This study aimed to assess the ability to walk of patients with sTBI, stroke, and PD, identifying the differences in dynamic postural stability, symmetry, and smoothness during various dynamic motor tasks. Sixty people with neurological disorders and 20 healthy participants were recruited.

Artificial neural network analysis of factors affecting functional independence recovery in patients with lumbar stenosis after neurosurgery treatment: An observational cohort study.

Background And Aim: Lumbar spinal stenosis (LSS) is a leading cause of low back pain and lower limbs pain often associated with functional impairment which entails the loss or the impairment of independence in older adults. Conservative treatment is effective in a small percentage of patients, while a significant percentage undergo surgery, even if often without a complete resolution of clinical symptoms and motor deficits. The aim of the study is to identify clinical and demographic prognostic factors characterising the patients who would benefit most from surgical treatment in relation to the functional independence recovery using an innovative approach based on an artificial neural network.

Immersive Virtual Reality for Treatment of Unilateral Spatial Neglect via Eye-Tracking Biofeedback: RCT Protocol and Usability Testing.

About one-third of stroke survivors present unilateral spatial neglect (USN) that negatively impacts the rehabilitation outcome. We reported the study protocol and usability results of an eye-tracking (ET) biofeedback immersive virtual reality (iVR) protocol. Healthy controls and stroke patients with and without USN underwent a single session of the three iVR tasks.

Effects of shoulder brace usage on postural stability in stroke survivors: A pilot randomized controlled trial.

Background: Despite advances in stroke rehabilitation, challenges in upper limb motor recovery and postural stability persist, negatively affecting overall well-being. Arm slings and shoulder braces have been proposed to address these issues, but their efficacy in promoting postural stability remains unclear.

Objective: This pilot randomized controlled study aimed to evaluate the impact of a new shoulder brace (N1-Neurosling) on trunk postural stability during walking, pain, and upper limb muscle strength in chronic stroke survivors.

Robot- and Technology-Boosting Neuroplasticity-Dependent Motor-Cognitive Functional Recovery: Looking towards the Future of Neurorehabilitation.

The sequelae of neurological disorders are the leading causes of disability in all industrialized countries [...

The Future of Neurorehabilitation: Putting the Brain and Body Together Again.

The neurorehabilitation of cerebrovascular diseases is a challenging scientific topic that has rapidly grown in recent decades [...

Inducing Cough Reflex by Capsaicin Spray Stimulation in Patients with Acquired Brain Injury: A Preliminary Test and Proof of Concept.

Individuals with acquired brain injuries (ABIs) may experience various complications related to poor coughing or impaired cough reflex (including risk of aspiration pneumonia or respiratory infections). For this reason, cough assessment is an important component in the clinical evaluation since patients with ABI are not able to cough voluntarily due to severe motor deficits. When voluntarily coughing is not possible, it is essential for clinical practices to find a quick and minimally invasive way to induce a cough reflex.

Cortico-cortical stimulation and robot-assisted therapy (CCS and RAT) for upper limb recovery after stroke: study protocol for a randomised controlled trial.

Background: Since birth, during the exploration of the environment to interact with objects, we exploit both the motor and sensory components of the upper limb (UL). This ability to integrate sensory and motor information is often compromised following a stroke. However, to date, rehabilitation protocols are focused primarily on recovery of motor function through physical therapies.

Liposarcoma of spermatic cord mimicking an inguinal hernia A case report and review of the literature.

Aim: Liposarcoma of the spermatic cord (LSC) is a tumour often mistaken for common inguinal swelling as hernia and the aim of this work is to present our case with a review of the Literature to define the management of this rare condition.

Material Of Study: A systematic review has been realised, considering English language articles published on Pubmed, between 1956 and 2022, using as key words "Liposarcoma of the spermatic cord".

Results: 160 studies described 420 cases of LSC and in 40 cases the patient had undergone surgery with an initial diagnosis of inguinal hernia.