title: Haptic-based neurorehabilitation in poststroke patients: a feasibility prospective multicentre trial for robotics hand rehabilitation.
abstract: Background. Haptic robots allow the exploitation of known motor learning mechanisms, representing a valuable option for motor treatment after stroke. The aim of this feasibility multicentre study was to test the clinical efficacy of a haptic prototype, for the recovery of hand function after stroke. Methods. A prospective pilot clinical trial was planned on 15 consecutive patients enrolled in 3 rehabilitation centre in Italy. All the framework features of the haptic robot (e.g., control loop, external communication, and graphic rendering for virtual reality) were implemented into a real-time MATLAB/Simulink environment, controlling a five-bar linkage able to provide forces up to 20 [N] at the end effector, used for finger and hand rehabilitation therapies. Clinical (i.e., Fugl-Meyer upper extremity scale; nine hold pegboard test) and kinematics (i.e., time; velocity; jerk metric; normalized jerk of standard movements) outcomes were assessed before and after treatment to detect changes in patients' motor performance. Reorganization of cortical activation was detected in one patient by fMRI. Results and Conclusions. All patients showed significant improvements in both clinical and kinematic outcomes. Additionally, fMRI results suggest that the proposed approach may promote a better cortical activation in the brain.
authors: Laboratory of Kinematics and Robotics, Fondazione IRCCS, Ospedale San Camillo, Via Alberoni, Venezia Lido, 30126 Venice, Italy ; Department of Neuroscience, University of Sheffield and Sheffield Teaching Hospital NHS Foundation Trust, Beech Hill Road, S10 2RX, Sheffield, UK.
authors: Andrea
authors: A
authors: Turolla
authors: Omar A
authors: OA
authors: Daud Albasini
authors: Roberto
authors: R
authors: Oboe
authors: Michela
authors: M
authors: Agostini
authors: Paolo
authors: P
authors: Tonin
authors: Stefano
authors: S
authors: Paolucci
authors: Giorgio
authors: G
authors: Sandrini
authors: Annalena
authors: A
authors: Venneri
authors: Lamberto
authors: L
authors: Piron
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D001696:Biomechanical Phenomena; D004867:Equipment Design; D005240:Feasibility Studies; D005260:Female; D006225:Hand / Q000503:physiopathology; D006801:Humans; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009044:Motor Cortex / Q000503:physiopathology; D009048:Motor Skills; D011446:Prospective Studies; D012371:Robotics; D012984:Software; D020521:Stroke / Q000503:physiopathology; D000071939:Stroke Rehabilitation; D014584:User-Computer Interface