title: [Technological advances in neurorehabilitation].
abstract: Neurological rehabilitation arose as formal method in the 60's, for the therapeutic treatment of patients with stroke or spinal cord injury, which develop severe sequelae that affect their motor and sensory abilities. Although the Central Nervous System has plasticity mechanisms for spontaneous recovery, a high percentage of patients should receive specialized therapies to regain motor function, such as Constraint Induced Movement Therapy or Upright physical Therapy. The neurorehabilitation has undergone drastic changes over the last two decades due to the incorporation of computer and robotic electronic devices, designed to produce positive changes in cortical excitability of the cerebral hemisphere damaged and so to improve neuroplasticity. Among equipment, we can mention those for electrotherapy devices, apparatus for transcranial magnetic stimulation, the robotic lower limb orthoses, robot for upper limb training, systems for functional electrical stimulation, neuroprosthesis and brain computer interfaces. These devices have caused controversy because of its application and benefits reported in the literature. The aim of Neurorehabilitation technologies is to take advantage of the functional neuromuscular structures preserved, and they compensate or re-learn the functions that previously made the damaged areas. The purpose of this article is to mention some clinical applications and benefits that these technologies offer to patients with neuronal injury.
authors.affiliation: Subdirección de Investigación Tecnológica. Instituto Nacional de Rehabilitación.
authors.forename: Josefina
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Gutiérrez-Martínez
authors.forename: Marco Antonio
authors.initials: MA
authors.lastname: Núñez-Gaona
authors.forename: Paul
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Carrillo-Mora
mesh_terms: D004599:Electric Stimulation Therapy / Q000379:methods; D006801:Humans; D009473:Neuronal Plasticity / Q000502:physiology; D026741:Physical Therapy Modalities / Q000639:trends*; D020127:Recovery of Function; D012371:Robotics / Q000639:trends; D013119:Spinal Cord Injuries / Q000534:rehabilitation*; D000071939:Stroke Rehabilitation; D013813:Therapy, Computer-Assisted / Q000639:trends