Are standing balance and walking ability deficits poststroke related to the integrity of the corticospinal and non-corticospinal tracts? A meta-analysis.

Background: The importance of corticospinal tract (CST) integrity in upper limb recovery poststroke is well established, but its association with standing balance and walking remains unclear. This meta-analysis aimed to establish the relationship between CST and non-CST motor tract integrity, and clinical scores of standing balance and walking poststroke.

Methods: In July 2024, five databases were searched for studies, focusing on diffusion MRI metrics and clinical scores of standing balance and/or walking independence poststroke.

Clinical Assessment of Subjective Visual and Haptic Vertical Norms in Healthy Adults.

Background And Objective: Accurate verticality perception is essential for daily life activities, such as correctly estimating object orientation in space. This study established normative data for the subjective visual vertical (SVV) and subjective haptic vertical (SHV) using the portable and self-constructable modified Bucket test and Rotating-Column test. Additionally, the contribution of age, sex, and starting position of the line/ column on SVV and SHV accuracy were evaluated.

Is a portable pressure plate an alternative to force plates for measuring postural stability and interlimb coordination of quiet standing balance control?

Introduction: Center-of-pressure (COP) synchronization and symmetry can inform adaptations in balance control following one-sided sensorimotor impairments (e.g., stroke).

Why am I overwhelmed by bright lights? The behavioural mechanisms of post-stroke visual hypersensitivity.

After stroke, patients can experience visual hypersensitivity, an increase in their sensitivity for visual stimuli as compared to their state prior to the stroke. Candidate behavioural mechanisms for these subjective symptoms are atypical bottom-up sensory processing and impaired selective attention, but empirical evidence is currently lacking. In the current study, we aimed to investigate the relationship between post-stroke visual hypersensitivity and sensory thresholds, sensory processing speed, and selective attention using computational modelling of behavioural data.

Does visuospatial neglect contribute to standing balance within the first 12 weeks post-stroke? A prospective longitudinal cohort study.

Background: Visuospatial neglect (VSN) has been suggested to limit standing balance improvement post-stroke. However, studies investigating this association longitudinally by means of repeated within-subject measurements early post-stroke are lacking. This prospective longitudinal cohort study evaluates the longitudinal association of egocentric and allocentric VSN severity with 1) standing balance independence and 2) postural control and weight-bearing asymmetry (WBA) during quiet standing, in the first 12 weeks post-stroke.

Do we need to consider head-on-body position, starting roll position and presence of visuospatial neglect when assessing perception of verticality after stroke?

Background And Objective: Considering various factors that influence the accuracy of the Subjective Visual Vertical (SVV) and Subjective Postural Vertical (SPV), standardization of assessment methods is needed. This retrospective study examined the contribution of Head-on-Body (HOB) position, starting roll position (SRP) and visuospatial neglect (VSN) to SVV and SPV constant errors (i.e.

The Multi-Modal Evaluation of Sensory Sensitivity (MESSY): Assessing a commonly missed symptom of acquired brain injury.

Sensory hypersensitivity is common after acquired brain injury. Since appropriate diagnostic tools are lacking, these complaints are overlooked by clinicians and available literature is limited to light and noise hypersensitivity after concussion. This study aimed to investigate the prevalence of sensory hypersensitivity in other modalities and after other types of brain injury.

The Neuroanatomy of Poststroke Subjective Sensory Hypersensitivity.

Background: Although subjective sensory hypersensitivity is prevalent after stroke, it is rarely recognized by health care providers, and its neural mechanisms are largely unknown.

Objective: To investigate the neuroanatomy of poststroke subjective sensory hypersensitivity as well as the sensory modalities in which subjective sensory hypersensitivity can occur by conducting both a systematic literature review and a multiple case study of patients with subjective sensory hypersensitivity.

Method: For the systematic review, we searched three databases (Web of Science, PubMed, and Scopus) for empirical articles discussing the neuroanatomy of poststroke subjective sensory hypersensitivity in humans.

Association between spatial neglect and impaired verticality perception after stroke: A systematic review.

Background: Although most research on spatial neglect (SN) has focused on spatial perception deficits with regard to the lateral (left-right) axis, deficits of spatial perception with regard to the vertical (up-down) axis, such as disturbances in the perception of verticality (e.g., judgement of vertical orientations), have also been suggested.

Sensory sensitivity after acquired brain injury: A systematic review.

Patients with acquired brain injury frequently report experiencing sensory stimuli as abnormally under- (sensory hyposensitivity) or overwhelming (sensory hypersensitivity). Although they can negatively impact daily functioning, these symptoms are poorly understood. To provide an overview of the current evidence on atypical sensory sensitivity after acquired brain injury, we conducted a systematic literature review.

Time Course and Mechanisms Underlying Standing Balance Recovery Early After Stroke: Design of a Prospective Cohort Study With Repeated Measurements.

Introduction: Although most stroke survivors show some spontaneous neurological recovery from motor impairments of the most-affected leg, the contribution of this leg to standing balance control remains often poor. Consequently, it is unclear how spontaneous processes of neurological recovery contributes to early improvements in standing balance.

Objective: We aim to investigate (1) the time course of recovery of quiet stance balance control in the first 12 weeks poststroke and (2) how clinically observed improvements of lower limb motor impairments longitudinally relate to this limb's relative contribution to balance control.

Lateropulsion with active pushing in stroke patients: its link with lesion location and the perception of verticality. A systematic review.

Background: Lateropulsion with active Pushing (LwP) is characterized by impairments in postural control. Previous research suggests an association between LwP, lesion location and verticality misperception. This first-ever systematic review evaluates the association between LwP, lesion location and the perception of verticality (PROSPERO: CRD42020159248).

Decline in gait propulsion in older adults over age decades.

Background: Despite strong evidence that walking speed and forward propulsion decline with increasing age, their relationship is still poorly understood. While changes in the ankle and hip mechanics have been described, few studies have reported the effect of ageing on the whole leg's contribution to propulsion.

Research Question: The aim of this study was to investigate age-related changes in the work performed by the leg on the center of mass (COM) push-off power during walking in adults aged 20-86 years.

An exploratory investigation on spatiotemporal parameters, margins of stability, and their interaction in bilateral vestibulopathy.

Integration of accurate vestibular, visual, and proprioceptive information is crucial in managing the centre of mass in relation to the base of support during gait. Therefore, bilateral loss of peripheral vestibular function can be highly debilitating when performing activities of daily life. To further investigate the influence of an impaired peripheral vestibular system on gait stability, spatiotemporal parameters, step-to-step variability, and mechanical stability parameters were examined in 20 patients with bilateral vestibulopathy and 20 matched healthy controls during preferred overground walking.

Paving the Way Toward Distinguishing Fallers From Non-fallers in Bilateral Vestibulopathy: A Wide Pilot Observation.

Patients with bilateral vestibulopathy (BVP) present with unsteadiness during standing and walking, limiting their activities of daily life and, more importantly, resulting in an increased risk of falling. In BVP patients, falls are considered as one of the major complications, with patients having a 31-fold increased risk of falling compared to healthy subjects. Thus, highlighting objective measures that can easily and accurately assess the risk of falling in BVP patients is an important step in reducing the incidence of falls and the accompanying burdens.

Sensorimotor vs. Motor Upper Limb Therapy for Patients With Motor and Somatosensory Deficits: A Randomized Controlled Trial in the Early Rehabilitation Phase After Stroke.

Somatosensory function plays an important role in motor learning. More than half of the stroke patients have somatosensory impairments in the upper limb, which could hamper recovery. Is sensorimotor upper limb (UL) therapy of more benefit for motor and somatosensory outcome than motor therapy? Randomized assessor- blinded multicenter controlled trial with block randomization stratified for neglect, severity of motor impairment, and type of stroke.

SWEAT2 study: effectiveness of trunk training on muscle activity after stroke. A randomized controlled trial.

Background: Trunk training after stroke is an effective method for improving trunk control, standing balance and mobility. The SWEAT study attempts to discover the underlying mechanisms leading to the observed mobility carry-over effects after trunk training.

Aim: A secondary analysis investigating the effect of trunk training on muscle activation patterns, muscle synergies and motor unit recruitment of trunk and lower limbs muscles, aimed to provide new insights in gait recovery after stroke.

The association between visuospatial neglect and balance and mobility post-stroke onset: A systematic review.

Background: Although previous narrative reviews have highlighted a potential association between visuospatial neglect (VSN) and balance disorders, to what extent different areas of balance and mobility could be affected is still unclear.

Objectives: This systematic review updates previous literature findings and systematically reviews sitting balance, standing balance and mobility outcomes.

Methods: PubMed, Web of Science, ScienceDirect, Naric-Rehabdata, PEDro and the Cochrane Trials Library were systematically searched.

SWEAT2 Study: Effectiveness of Trunk Training on Gait and Trunk Kinematics After Stroke: A Randomized Controlled Trial.

Objective: Trunk training after stroke is an effective method for improving mobility, yet underlying associations leading to the observed mobility carryover effects are unknown. The purposes of this study were to investigate the effectiveness of trunk training for gait and trunk kinematics and to find explanatory variables for the mobility carryover effects.

Methods: This study was an assessor-masked, randomized controlled trial.

A Systematic Review on Balance Performance in Patients With Bilateral Vestibulopathy.

Objective: Patients with bilateral vestibulopathy (BVP) have severe balance deficits, but it is unclear which balance measures are best suited to quantify their deficits and approximate the diversity of their self-reports. The purpose of this study was to explore measures of balance control for quantifying the performance of patients with BVP related to different balance domains, allowing targeted assessment of response to intervention.

Methods: MEDLINE, Web of Science, and Embase were systematically searched on October 9, 2019.

Trunk biomechanics during walking after sub-acute stroke and its relation to lower limb impairments.

Background: Trunk function and lower limb strength seem to be the primary predictors for functional independence in acute stroke patients. Gaining a better understanding of their relationship during walking aids in the identification of intrinsic trunk control deficits and underlying lower limb deficits resulting in compensatory trunk movements.

Methods: Fifty-seven subjects with stroke and 57 age- and gender-matched subjects without disability were included.

Flemish Normative Data for the Buschke Selective Reminding Test.

The purpose of this study was to provide normative data for a Flemish version of the Buschke Selective Reminding Test (SRT). The SRT allows for the simultaneous analysis of several components of verbal memory, such as short and long term retrieval. The Flemish SRT was administered to 3257 neurologically healthy adults (1627 men and 1630 women, age range = 18-94 years).

Lower limb muscle synergies during walking after stroke: a systematic review.

The aim of this systematic review was to determine the number of muscle synergies and the distribution of muscle weightings in stroke patients during gait. This review is registered on PROSPERO (number: CRD42018088701) and is written following the PRISMA guidelines. A systematic search was conducted using following databases: PubMed, Web of Science, Naric, Cochrane and PEDro.