Gleason Beier (paintisrael45)
To analyse the effect of virtual reality (VR) ther-apy combined with conventional physiotherapy on balance, gait and motor functional disturbances, and to determine whether there is an influence on motor recovery in the subacute (< 6 months) or chronic (> 6 months) phases after stroke. A total of 59 stroke inpatients (mean age 60.3 years (standard deviation (SD) 14.8); 14.0 months (SD 25.7) post-stroke) were stratified into 2 groups subacute (n = 31) and chronic (n = 28). Clinical scales (Fugl-Meyer lower extremity (FM LE); Functional Independence Measure (FIM); Berg Balance Scale (BBS); Functional Ambulation Category (FAC); modified Ashworth scale (MAS); 10-metre walk test (10MWT); and kinematic parameters during specific motor tasks in sitting and standing position (speed; time; jerk; spatial error; length) were applied before and after treatment. The VR treatment lasted for 15 sessions, 5 days/week, 1 h/day. The subacute group underwent significant change in all variables, except MAS and length. The chronic group underwent significant improvement in clinical scales, except MAS and kinematics. Motor impairment improved in the severe ≤ 19 FM LE points, moderate 20-28 FM LE points, mild ≥ 29 FM LE points. Neither time since stroke onset nor affected hemisphere differed significantly between groups. The correlations were investigated between the clinical scales and the kinematic parameters of the whole sample. Moreover, FM LE, BBS, MAS, and speed showed high correlations (R2> 0.70) with independent variables. VR therapy combined with conventional physiotherapy can contribute to func-tional improvement in the subacute and chronic phases after stroke. VR therapy combined with conventional physiotherapy can contribute to func-tional improvement in the subacute and chronic phases after stroke. To evaluate the prevalence of cognitive and emotional impairments one year after first-ever mild stroke in younger patients Design Prospective, observational, cohort study. A consecutive sample of 117 previously cognitively healthy patients aged 18-70 years with mild stroke (National Institutes of Health Stroke Scale score ≤ 3) were included in 2 hospitals in Norway during a 2-year period. At 12-month follow-up, patients were assessed using validated instruments for essential cognitive domains, fatigue, depression, anxiety, apathy and pathological laughter and crying. In total, 78 patients (67%) had difficulty with one or a combination of the cognitive domains psychomotor speed, attention, executive and visuospatial function, and memory. Furthermore, 50 patients (43%) had impairment in either one or a combination of the emotional measures for anxiety, depressive symptoms, fatigue, apathy or emotional lability. A total of 32 patients (28%) had both cognitive and emotional impairments. Only 21 patients (18%) scored within the reference range in all the cognitive and emotional tools. Hidden impairments are common after first-ever mild stroke in younger patients. Stroke physicians should screen for hidden impairments using appropriate tools. Hidden impairments are common after first-ever mild stroke in younger patients. Stroke physicians should screen for hidden impairments using appropriate tools.is missing (Editorial). Patients with schizophrenia are often found incapable to consent to psychiatric treatment. We evaluated clinical outcomes for incapable and capable patients with schizophrenia treated with electroconvulsive therapy (ECT). We conducted a chart review of all inpatients treated with an acute course of ECT between 2010 and 2018 at the Centre for Addiction and Mental Health, Toronto, Canada. Short-term outcomes included treatment response and cognitive impairment. We assessed whether incapable patients regained the capacity to consent to treatment. Long-term outcomes included readmissions and subsequent