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Brain Sciences
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Insight in the Application of Rehabilitation Devices in Neurological Disease
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Insight in the Application of Rehabilitation Devices in Neurological Disease

A special issue of Brain Sciences (ISSN 2076-3425). This special issue belongs to the section "Neurotechnology and Neuroimaging".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: 25 October 2024 | Viewed by 4673

Special Issue Editor

Dr. Maria Cristina De Cola

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Behavioral and Robotic Neurorehab Unit, IRCCS Centro Neurolesi “Bonino Pulejo”, 98123 Messina, Italy
Interests: neurorehabilitation; neuroscience; telemedicine; healthcare science

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

It is my pleasure to introduce a Special Issue of Brain Science dedicated to advances about the use of technological devices in neurorehabilitation.

Neurological diseases causing motor/cognitive impairments are among the most common causes of adult-onset disability. More than one billion of people are affected worldwide, and this number is expected to increase in upcoming years, because of the rapidly aging population.

Recent technological advances provide new tools for the development of novel and promising applications for neurological rehabilitation. To date, rehabilitation therapy can be aided by the technological support of robotic-based therapy, non-invasive brain stimulation, virtual reality, and telemedicine, to name a few. The ability to provide individualized treatment by designing tasks suited to the individual's cognitive and physical abilities increases the validity of interventions and supports adherence to therapy.

The purpose of this Special Issue is to bring together new literature to identify the contribution of technology-mediated neurorehabilitation, clarifying prospective research directions in the development of more autonomous rehabilitation processes. Both studies focusing on the process of neurorehabilitation through the use of technological devices (both clinical research and basic neuroscience) and studies discussing the challenges and opportunities for achieving more autonomous rehabilitation processes are included. Papers that explain the set of technical requirements that should be considered when designing and implementing autonomous robotic systems for rehabilitation are also welcome.

Research articles, short communications, letter to the editor, and review articles (narrative review, systematic review, and meta-analysis) are invited.

Dr. Maria Cristina De Cola
Guest Editor

Manuscript Submission Information

Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 100 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for announcement on this website.

Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Brain Sciences is an international peer-reviewed open access monthly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 2200 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.

Keywords

  • neurorehabilitation
  • virtual reality
  • brain-computer interface
  • robotic rehabilitation
  • technological devices design
  • neurological disorder
  • digital therapeutics
  • tele-neurorehabilitation
  • robot
  • brain stimulation

Published Papers (4 papers)

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Research

11 pages, 2196 KiB  
Article
Effectiveness of the Use of Virtual Reality Rehabilitation in Children with Dyslexia: Follow-Up after One Year
by Giuseppa Maresca, Francesco Corallo, Maria Cristina De Cola, Caterina Formica, Silvia Giliberto, Giuseppe Rao, Maria Felicita Crupi, Angelo Quartarone and Alessandra Pidalà
Brain Sci. 2024, 14(7), 655; https://doi.org/10.3390/brainsci14070655 - 27 Jun 2024
Viewed by 471
Abstract
Dyslexia is a common learning disorder that hinders reading fluency and comprehension. Traditional treatments can be tedious for children, limiting their effectiveness. This study investigated the one-year effects of rehabilitation treatment with a virtual reality rehabilitation system (VRRS) on children with dyslexia. Twenty-four [...] Read more.
Dyslexia is a common learning disorder that hinders reading fluency and comprehension. Traditional treatments can be tedious for children, limiting their effectiveness. This study investigated the one-year effects of rehabilitation treatment with a virtual reality rehabilitation system (VRRS) on children with dyslexia. Twenty-four children were divided into control (CG) and experimental (EG) groups. The CG underwent conventional neuropsychological treatment (CNT), while the EG underwent VR neurorehabilitation training (VRNT) using the VRRS. Neuropsychological evaluation was conducted before treatment, after six months, and again after one year for both groups. Compared to the control group, children who received VR training showed significant improvement in reading skills, especially in non-word reading and reading speed, even after one year without further VR intervention. VRRS can improve treatment adherence and minimize symptoms by offering engaging activities for children. These findings suggest VRRS may be a valuable tool for dyslexia rehabilitation with long-lasting effects. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Insight in the Application of Rehabilitation Devices in Neurological Disease)
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13 pages, 1239 KiB  
Article
Motor Intentions Decoded from fMRI Signals
by Sergio Ruiz, Sangkyun Lee, Josue Luiz Dalboni da Rocha, Ander Ramos-Murguialday, Emanuele Pasqualotto, Ernesto Soares, Eliana García, Eberhard Fetz, Niels Birbaumer and Ranganatha Sitaram
Brain Sci. 2024, 14(7), 643; https://doi.org/10.3390/brainsci14070643 - 26 Jun 2024
Viewed by 847
Abstract
Motor intention is a high-level brain function related to planning for movement. Although studies have shown that motor intentions can be decoded from brain signals before movement execution, it is unclear whether intentions relating to mental imagery of movement can be decoded. Here, [...] Read more.
Motor intention is a high-level brain function related to planning for movement. Although studies have shown that motor intentions can be decoded from brain signals before movement execution, it is unclear whether intentions relating to mental imagery of movement can be decoded. Here, we investigated whether differences in spatial and temporal patterns of brain activation were elicited by intentions to perform different types of motor imagery and whether the patterns could be used by a multivariate pattern classifier to detect such differential intentions. The results showed that it is possible to decode intentions before the onset of different types of motor imagery from functional MR signals obtained from fronto-parietal brain regions, such as the premotor cortex and posterior parietal cortex, while controlling for eye movements and for muscular activity of the hands. These results highlight the critical role played by the aforementioned brain regions in covert motor intentions. Moreover, they have substantial implications for rehabilitating patients with motor disabilities. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Insight in the Application of Rehabilitation Devices in Neurological Disease)
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15 pages, 2106 KiB  
Article
Reliability and Construct Validity of a Mobile Application for the Finger Tapping Test Evaluation in People with Multiple Sclerosis
by Víctor Navarro-López, Roberto Cano-de-la-Cuerda, Pilar Fernández-González, Selena Marcos-Antón, Aitor Blázquez-Fernández, María Fernández-Cañas and Diego Fernández-Vázquez
Brain Sci. 2024, 14(4), 407; https://doi.org/10.3390/brainsci14040407 - 21 Apr 2024
Viewed by 996
Abstract
The finger tapping test (FTT) is a tool to evaluate the motor performance of the hand and fingers and eye-hand coordination with applicability in people with multiple sclerosis (pwMS). The aim of this study was to evaluate the intra- and inter-rater reliability of [...] Read more.
The finger tapping test (FTT) is a tool to evaluate the motor performance of the hand and fingers and eye-hand coordination with applicability in people with multiple sclerosis (pwMS). The aim of this study was to evaluate the intra- and inter-rater reliability of the TappingPro® mobile app and the construct validity between this app and validated clinical scales for motor performance in healthy subjects and pwMS. 42 healthy subjects (mean age 25.05) and 13 pwMS (mean age 51.69, EDSS between 3 and 7.5E) participated. FTT was performed with the TappingPro® mobile app. All participants were examined twice, with a one-week interval between the two appointments. For the analysis of construct validity, the Jamar® hydraulic hand dynamometer, Box and Blocks Test (BBT), and Nine Hole Peg Test (NHPT) were used. The intra-rater reliability showed a good correlation (Intraclass Correlation Coefficient, ICC > 0.787) for both upper limbs and both times of FTT for healthy subjects, and an excellent correlation (ICC > 0.956) for upper limbs and both times of FTT for pwMS. The ICC for the inter-rater reliability was good (ICC = 0.869) for the non-dominant upper limb in the FTT 10 s of the healthy subjects, and excellent (ICC > 0.904) for all the other measurements of the healthy subjects and pwMS. However, the Bland–Altman plots showed disagreement between observers and measurements that should be considered in the interpretation of clinical evaluations. The correlation analysis for healthy subjects showed poor associations between all variables, except for the association between hand grip strength and the FTT 60 s in the non-dominant upper limb, which had a moderate coefficient. For pwMS, there were moderate to excellent associations between BBT and the NHPT and FTT for both upper limbs. The correlations between hand grip strength and FFT were poor. This mobile app could be a useful and low-cost assessment tool in pwMS, allowing a simple evaluation and follow-up that has excellent correlation with clinical scales validated in this pathology. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Insight in the Application of Rehabilitation Devices in Neurological Disease)
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12 pages, 729 KiB  
Article
Assessing the Impact of Electrosuit Therapy on Cerebral Palsy: A Study on the Users’ Satisfaction and Potential Efficacy
by David Perpetuini, Emanuele Francesco Russo, Daniela Cardone, Roberta Palmieri, Andrea De Giacomo, Domenico Intiso, Federica Pellicano, Raffaello Pellegrino, Arcangelo Merla, Rocco Salvatore Calabrò and Serena Filoni
Brain Sci. 2023, 13(10), 1491; https://doi.org/10.3390/brainsci13101491 - 22 Oct 2023
Cited by 1 | Viewed by 1812
Abstract
The aim of this study is to evaluate the effectiveness of electrosuit therapy in the clinical treatment of children with Cerebral Palsy, focusing on the effect of the therapy on spasticity and trunk control. Moreover, the compliance of caregivers with respect to the [...] Read more.
The aim of this study is to evaluate the effectiveness of electrosuit therapy in the clinical treatment of children with Cerebral Palsy, focusing on the effect of the therapy on spasticity and trunk control. Moreover, the compliance of caregivers with respect to the use of the tool was investigated. During the period ranging from 2019 to 2022, a total of 26 children (18 M and 8 F), clinically stable and affected by CP and attending the Neurorehabilitation Unit of the “Padre Pio Foundation and Rehabilitation Centers”, were enrolled in this study. A subset of 12 patients bought or rented the device; thus, they received the administration of the EMS-based therapy for one month, whereas the others received only one-hour training to evaluate the feasibility (by the caregivers) and short-term effects. The Gross Motor Function Classification System was utilized to evaluate gross motor functions and to classify the study sample, while the MAS and the LSS were employed to assess the outcomes of the EMS-based therapy. Moreover, between 80% and 90% of the study sample were satisfied with the safety, ease of use, comfort, adjustment, and after-sales service. Following a single session of electrical stimulation with EMS, patients exhibited a statistically significant enhancement in trunk control. For those who continued this study, the subscale of the QUEST with the best score was adaptability (0.74 ± 0.85), followed by competence (0.67 ± 0.70) and self-esteem (0.59 ± 0.60). This study investigates the impact of the employment of the EMS on CP children’s ability to maintain trunk control. Specifically, after undergoing a single EMS session, LSS showed a discernible improvement in children’s trunk control. In addition, the QUEST and the PIADS questionnaires demonstrated a good acceptability and satisfaction of the garment by the patients and the caregivers. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Insight in the Application of Rehabilitation Devices in Neurological Disease)
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