title: Lokomat training in vascular dementia: motor improvement and beyond!
abstract: Vascular dementia (VaD) is a general term describing problems with reasoning, planning, judgment, memory, and other thought processes caused by brain damage from impaired blood flow to the brain. Cognitive rehabilitation and physical therapy are the mainstays of dementia treatment, although often ineffective because of the scarce collaboration of the patients. However, emerging data suggest that physical activity may reduce the risk of cognitive impairment, mainly VaD, in older people living independently. Herein, we describe a 72-year-old male affected by VaD, in which traditional cognitive training in addition to intensive gait robotic rehabilitation (by using Lokomat device) led to a significant improvement in the motor and cognitive function. This promising finding may be related either to the intensive and repetitive aerobic exercises or to the task-oriented training with computerized visual feedback, which can be considered as a relevant tool to increase patients' motor output, involvement, and motivation during robotic training.
authors.affiliation: IRCCS Centro Neurolesi "Bonino-Pulejo", S.S. 113, Contrada Casazza, 98124, Messina, Italy. salbro77@tiscali.it.
authors.forename: Rocco Salvatore
authors.initials: RS
authors.lastname: Calabrò
authors.affiliation: IRCCS Centro Neurolesi "Bonino-Pulejo", S.S. 113, Contrada Casazza, 98124, Messina, Italy.
authors.forename: Rosaria
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: De Luca
authors.affiliation: IRCCS Centro Neurolesi "Bonino-Pulejo", S.S. 113, Contrada Casazza, 98124, Messina, Italy.
authors.forename: Antonino
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Leo
authors.affiliation: IRCCS Centro Neurolesi "Bonino-Pulejo", S.S. 113, Contrada Casazza, 98124, Messina, Italy.
authors.forename: Tina
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Balletta
authors.affiliation: IRCCS Centro Neurolesi "Bonino-Pulejo", S.S. 113, Contrada Casazza, 98124, Messina, Italy.
authors.forename: Angela
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Marra
authors.affiliation: IRCCS Centro Neurolesi "Bonino-Pulejo", S.S. 113, Contrada Casazza, 98124, Messina, Italy.
authors.forename: Placido
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Bramanti
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D003071:Cognition / Q000502:physiology*; D003072:Cognition Disorders / Q000209:etiology / Q000534:rehabilitation; D015140:Dementia, Vascular / Q000150:complications / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000534:rehabilitation; D015444:Exercise / Q000523:psychology*; D005684:Gait; D006801:Humans; D007361:Intelligence Tests; D008297:Male; D026741:Physical Therapy Modalities / Q000295:instrumentation*; D004856:Postural Balance; D012371:Robotics / Q000379:methods*; D016896:Treatment Outcome
keywords: Functional recovery; Lokomat; Robotic-assisted rehabilitation; VaD