Effects of robot training and noninvasive brain stimulation on the motor and cognitive functions of stroke patients

2019 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 15H05359
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Young Scientists (A)
• Allocation Type: Single-year Grants
• Research Field: Rehabilitation science/Welfare engineering
• Research Institution: Fujita Health University
• Principal Investigator: Takeda Kotaro 藤田医科大学, 保健学研究科, 准教授 (50618733)
• Project Period (FY): 2015-04-01 – 2019-03-31
• Keywords: ロボット / リハビリテーション

Outline of Final Research Achievements

We constructed evidence about robot rehabilitation and brain stimulation in stroke rehabilitation. (1) Neuromuscular electrical stimulation during robotic training might facilitate the activation of paretic muscles, resulting in paralysis improvement. (2) Sensory impairment was one of the factors that reduced the effect of robot rehabilitation. (3) Anodal transcranial direct current stimulation over the left temporoparietal area improved audioverbal memory performance after stroke. (4) In addition, retrospective studies showed that damage to the posterior limb of the internal capsule and cognitive function evaluation using the Raven's Colored Progressive Matrices test might be useful for predicting the outcome of motor paralysis and activities of daily living in patients with putaminal hemorrhage.

Free Research Field

Rehabilitation Engineering

Academic Significance and Societal Importance of the Research Achievements

脳卒中後には運動機能や認知機能などさまざまな障害が残り，これらの障害を改善することがリハビリテーションの目的のひとつである．近年，ロボット訓練や非侵襲電気刺激といった新しいリハビリ法が数多く提案されているが，エビデンスが不足しているのが問題のひとつであった．そこで本研究では，電気刺激と上肢訓練ロボットの併用効果や，麻痺改善を阻害し得る感覚障害がロボット訓練効果へ与える影響を明らかにすることで，より臨床場面に即した状況における応用に関するエビデンスを提供するに至った．