Comparative Assessment of Robotic versus Classical Physical Therapy Using Muscle Strength and Ranges of Motion Testing in Neurological Diseases.

The use of robotic systems in physical rehabilitation protocols has become increasingly attractive and has been given more focus in the last decade as a result of the high prevalence of motor deficits in the population, which is linked to an overburdened healthcare system. In accordance with current trends, three robotic devices have been designed, called ParReEx Elbow, ParReEx Wrist, and ASPIRE, which were designed to improve upper-limb medical recovery (shoulder, elbow, forearm, and wrist). The three automated systems were tested in a hospital setting with 23 patients (12 men and 11 women) suffering from motor deficits caused by various neurological diseases such as stroke, Parkinson's disease, and amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS).

The Impact of Robotic Rehabilitation on the Motor System in Neurological Diseases. A Multimodal Neurophysiological Approach.

Motor disability is a key feature of many neurological diseases, influencing the social roles of affected patients and their ability to perform daily life activities. Current rehabilitation capacities are overwhelmed by the age-related increase of motor dysfunctions seen, for example, in stroke, extrapyramidal or neuromuscular diseases. As the patient to rehabilitation personnel ration increases, robotic solutions might establish the possibility to rapidly satisfy the increasing demand for rehabilitation.

[Multiple sclerosis with stroke-like symptoms: a diagnostic challenge. Case report].

Stroke-like presentation of multiple sclerosis is a challenging diagnosis requiring quick and efficient decision in order to provide the best possible therapeutical option. This case presentation focuses on the difficulties of the differential diagnostic process. Even if signs were misleading, the stepwise and structured approach with the use of adequate diagnostic tools revealed the most likely diagnosis and, thus, assured the best clinical care.

Disease activity and disability evolution under glatiramer acetate: a clinical approach.

Introduction: By analyzing literature data regarding glatiramer acetate in the treatment of relapsing-remitting multiple sclerosis one might find controversial data but the majority of authors state that the clinical evolution under the treatment showed a positive course.

Materials And Methods: Our goal was to analyze groups of patients, both non-treated and treated with the drug, for relapse rate, Kurtzke's Expanded Disability Status Scale (EDSS) score, Multiple Sclerosis Functional Composite (MSFC) score - upper limb disability, lower limb disability and cognition, and for cognitive dysfunction, using the Montreal Cognitive Assessment (MoCA) test, in order to objectively quantify the clinical impact of the drug.

Results/conclusions: Our results are in accordance with the literature for most of the investigated measures - relapse rate, EDSS, MSFC -, and furthermore suggest the possibility to use more extensively the MoCA test for evaluation of MS patients from the point of view of cognitive functions, after a much wider comparative assessment.