Distinctive features of bimanual coordination in idiopathic normal pressure hydrocephalus.

Background: Idiopathic normal pressure hydrocephalus (iNPH) is characterized by cerebrospinal fluid circulation disorders, and presents as gait and balance disturbances similar to those observed in other incurable neurological diseases. Although previous studies have reported deficits in bimanual coordination among patients with iNPH, these potential pathological characteristics have not received much attention to date. This study investigated the temporal characteristics of a bimanual finger-tapping task in patients with iNPH, focusing on within- and between-hand coordination.

Factors influencing home discharge of hospitalized oldest-old patients (≥90 years): A retrospective quantitative case-control study.

The purpose of this retrospective study was to identify factors that could predict the discharge destination of oldest-old patients (patients aged ≥90 years). Information on the nutritional status, activities of daily living (ADL), nursing care needs based on nursing need degree (NND), rehabilitation therapy, and discharge destination was obtained from the medical records of 90 oldest-old patients aged ≥90 years admitted to our hospital, excluding orthopedic inpatients and short-term (≤5 days) inpatients. Of these, 64 were discharged home while 4 died during hospitalization.

Predictive Ability of Frontal Assessment Battery for Cognitive Improvement After Shunt Surgery in Individuals With Idiopathic Normal Pressure Hydrocephalus.

Background: The predictive ability of the Frontal Assessment Battery (FAB) for postoperative cognitive improvement in idiopathic normal pressure hydrocephalus (iNPH) is unstudied.

Objective: To compare the predictive ability of the FAB and the Mini-Mental State Examination (MMSE) for postoperative cognitive improvement in individuals with iNPH after shunt surgery.

Method: We retrospectively reviewed the medical records of individuals with iNPH who had shunt surgery between January 2016 and October 2018.

Treatment outcome of local injection of botulinum toxin for claw toe: Differences between cerebral hemorrhage and infarction.

Background: Some patients with post-stroke claw toe respond well to botulinum toxin (BoNT) treatment while others do not. This study was designed to assess the impact of stroke type (cerebral hemorrhage and cerebral infarction) on the outcome of BoNT treatment for claw toe.

Methods: We retrospectively examined the medical records of patients who received local BoNT (onabotulinumtoxin A) injections into the flexor hallucis longus (FHL) and flexor digitorum longus (FDL) muscles.

Effects of Flexor Digitorum Longus Muscle Anatomical Structure on the Response to Botulinum Toxin Treatment in Patients with Post-Stroke Claw Foot Deformity.

(1) Background: The purpose of this retrospective case-control study was to determine the relationship between the control of toe movements by flexor hallucis longus (FHL) and flexor digitorum longus (FDL) muscles and the response to treatment with botulinum toxin (BoNT) in post-stroke patients with claw toe. (2) Methods: Subjects with stroke-related leg paralysis/spasticity and claw toes received multiple injections of BoNT (onabotulinumtoxin A) into the FHL or FDL muscles. We investigated the relationship between the mode of transmission of FHL and FDL muscle tension to each toe (MCT) and treatment outcome using the data of 53 patients who received 124 injections with clinically recorded treatment outcome.

A new screening test for idiopathic normal pressure hydrocephalus using bimanual coordination: A preliminary study.

Background: The clinical spectrum of idiopathic normal pressure hydrocephalus (iNPH) comprises the triad of gait disturbance, cognitive impairment, and urinary incontinence. However, motor abnormalities involving the upper extremities in iNPH patients have few quantitative studies.

Objective: The present study was designed to quantitatively assess bimanual tapping tasks in iNPH patients and to compare with the control groups.

Effects of botulinum toxin A therapy and multidisciplinary rehabilitation on lower limb spasticity classified by spastic muscle echo intensity in post-stroke patients.

Objectives: The purpose of the present study was to investigate retrospectively the relationship between botulinum toxin type A plus multidisciplinary rehabilitation and muscle echo intensity in post-stroke patients with spasticity. The primary aim was to investigate whether the effects of the intervention on the improvement of spasticity depend on muscle echo intensity, and the secondary aim was to investigate whether the motor function of the lower limbs depends on muscle echo intensity.

Methods: A 12-day inpatient protocol was designed for 102 post-stroke patients with spasticity due to lower limb paralysis.

Effects of botulinum toxin A therapy and multidisciplinary rehabilitation on upper and lower limb spasticity in post-stroke patients.

Objectives: The purpose of this study was to examine the effects of combined botulinum toxin type A (BoNT-A) and inpatient multidisciplinary (MD) rehabilitation therapy on the improvement of upper and lower limb function in post-stroke patients.

Methods: In this retrospective study, a 12-day inpatient treatment protocol was implemented on 51 post-stroke patients with spasticity. Assessments were performed on the day of admission, at discharge, and at 3 months following discharge.

Applicability of the two-step thickened water test in patients with poststroke dysphagia: a novel assessment tool for paste food aspiration.

This study evaluated the clinical usefulness of the newly developed Two-Step Thickened Water Test (TTWT) in identifying patients with poststroke dysphagia at risk of aspiration of paste food. The study subjects were 110 poststroke patients (mean age, 73 ± 10 years). The TTWT comprises a bedside pretest (tongue protrusion, vocalization, voluntary cough, and dry swallow) and a direct swallowing test using 4 mL of thickened water.

Application of combined 6-Hz primed low-frequency rTMS and intensive occupational therapy for upper limb hemiparesis after stroke.

Introduction: The purpose of this study was to clarify the safety, feasibility and efficacy of 6-Hz primed low-frequency repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation (rTMS) applied with intensive occupational therapy (OT) for upper limb hemiparesis after stroke.

Subjects And Methods: Eleven patients with history of stroke and upper limb hemiparesis (age at intervention: 61.0 ± 13.

Swallowing analysis for semisolid food texture in poststroke dysphagic patients.

Background: Our objective was to determine the texture of semisolid foods that are appropriate for poststroke dysphagic patients.

Methods: Subjects included 52 poststroke dysphagic patients (72 ± 8 years of age) who were trained with semisolid foods and required the evaluation of swallowing function. Fifty-two homogeneous semisolid foods not requiring mastication were given.

Baseline severity of upper limb hemiparesis influences the outcome of low-frequency rTMS combined with intensive occupational therapy in patients who have had a stroke.

Objective: To clarify whether the efficacy of combined low-frequency repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation (rTMS) and intensive occupational therapy (OT) depends on baseline severity of upper limb hemiparesis after stroke.

Design: Retrospective comparative study.

Setting: Department of Rehabilitation Medicine at a university hospital.

Anti-spastic effect of low-frequency rTMS applied with occupational therapy in post-stroke patients with upper limb hemiparesis.

Objective: To determine the effects of low-frequency repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation (rTMS) combined with occupational therapy (OT) on the spasticity of the hemiparetic upper limb after stroke.

Subjects And Methods: The study subjects were 39 post-stroke patients with spastic upper limb hemiparesis (age: 56.5 ± 16.

Combination treatment of low-frequency rTMS and occupational therapy with levodopa administration: an intensive neurorehabilitative approach for upper limb hemiparesis after stroke.

The combination treatment of low-frequency repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation (rTMS) and intensive occupational therapy was applied with concomitant oral administration of levodopa in five post-stroke patients with upper limb hemiparesis (age at treatment: 56-66 years; interval between onset of stroke and treatment: 18-143 months) as a 15-day inpatient protocol. Daily levodopa administration of 100 mg was initiated 1 week before admission and continued until 4 weeks after discharge. Low-frequency rTMS of 1 Hz was applied to the contralesional hemisphere for 40 min daily (two 20-min sessions) combined with intensive occupational therapy consisting of 60-min one-on-one training and 60-min self-exercise.

Low-frequency rTMS combined with intensive occupational therapy for upper limb hemiparesis after brain tumour resection.

Objective: To assess the safety, feasibility and efficacy of low-frequency repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation (rTMS) combined with occupational therapy (OT) in a hemiparetic patient who had undergone brain tumour resection.

Participant: A 39-year-old right-handed woman underwent brain tumour resection and presented 5 years later with right upper limb hemiparesis. At admission, she was considered to have reached a probable plateau state of motor functional recovery of the affected upper limb in spite of conventional occupational therapy.

Low-frequency repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation and intensive occupational therapy for poststroke patients with upper limb hemiparesis: preliminary study of a 15-day protocol.

The purpose of the study was to determine the safety and feasibility of a 15-day protocol of low-frequency repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation (rTMS) combined with intensive occupational therapy (OT) on motor function and spasticity in hemiparetic upper limbs in poststroke patients.Fifteen poststroke patients (age at study entry 55 ± 17years, time after stroke 57± 55 months) with upper limb hemiparesis categorized as Brunnstrom stages 3–5 forhand–fingers were recruited. They were considered to have reached a plateau state at study entry, based on the lack of any increase in Fugl–Meyer Assessment (FMA) Score inthe last 3 months.

Language-related brain function during word repetition in post-stroke aphasics.

We compared fMRI findings (using SPM99) obtained with repetition task in normal subjects with those of two patients with Broca's and Wernicke's aphasia who received speech therapy and showed complete recovery. Both aphasic patients with left hemisphere damage who showed complete recovery exhibited activation of only the compensatory area in the right hemisphere during the repetition task. Recovery from Broca's aphasia involves reorganization and neuromodulation between the external temporopolar area and the anterior superior temporal area of the superior temporal gyrus, putamen and the inferior frontal gyrus, while that from Wernicke's aphasia involves reorganization and neuromodulation between the superior temporal gyrus of the temporal region, the posterior supramarginal gyrus and inferior parietal lobule of the parietal region.

Current status of rehabilitation medicine in Asia: a report from New Millennium Asian Symposium on Rehabilitation Medicine.

With the aim of promoting rehabilitation medicine in Asian countries, where the number of persons with disability occupies a significant proportion in the world, New Millennium Asian Symposium on Rehabilitation Medicine was held in February 2001 in Tokyo, under the sponsorship of the Japanese Association of Rehabilitation Medicine. Twenty-three guest speakers from 14 Asian countries and regions participated in the 2-day meeting. With a structured questionnaire that was sent to the participants beforehand, demographic data related to rehabilitation practice and information on training and certification in rehabilitation medicine in the participating countries were collected, and presented at the meeting.