Telemedicine as a strategic intervention for cognitive rehabilitation in MS patients during COVID-19.

The recent COVID-19 pandemic has taken the lives of nearly 5.2 million up to now. With no definite treatment and considering close contact as the primary mode of transmission, telemedicine has emerged as an essential medical care platform. Virtual medical communications have offered clinicians the opportunity to visit and follow up on patients more efficiently during the lockdown. Not only has telemedicine improved multiple sclerosis (MS) patients' health and quality of life during the pandemic, but it could also be used as a cost-effective platform for physical and cognitive MS rehabilitation programs. Cognitive impairment is a common problem among MS patients even at the initial phases of the disease. Rehabilitation training programs such as RehaCom, BrainHQ, Speed of Processing Training (PST), and COGNI-TRAcK have made great strides in improving a wide range of cognitive functions that MS patients are challenged with. Regarding the impact of COVID-19 on the cognitive aspects of MS patients, efforts to implement rehabilitation training applications have been increased. Web-based mobile applications, virtual visits, and telephone follow-ups are examples of such efforts. Having said that, limitations such as privacy, socioeconomic disparities, e-health literacy, study settings, and challenges of neurologic examinationss have been raised. Since most MS patients are young, all the beneficiaries are encouraged to embrace the research in the field to pave the road for more feasible and efficient ways of cognitive enhancement in MS patients.

Information and communication technologies for the improvement of cognitive function in healthy older adults: a systematic review protocol.

INTRODUCTION: Mild cognitive impairment is one of the consequences of ageing, causing functional disability, a poor quality of life and an increased socioeconomic expenditure. Evidence shows that patients go through a long preclinical stage in which cognitive deficits appear subtly until they reach the threshold of dementia. Non-pharmacological interventions have been gaining ground as prevention of modifiable factors of cognitive decline such as obesity, diabetes, physical inactivity or social isolation. Along these lines, Information and Communication Technologies (ICTs) can be a tool for cognitive stimulation, cognitive training and cognitive rehabilitation. The main objective of the systematic review will be to review and analyse the use of ICTs for the improvement of cognitive functions in healthy older adult population aged 50 and over, for the prevention of cognitive impairment METHODS: A systematic review will be conducted including randomised clinical trials in adults without diseases or accidents associated with cognitive impairment, and whom have used ICTs for the improvement of cognitive functions between 2010 and 2020 in English or Spanish. The articles that report data on cognitive function by domain, for example, memory or executive functions, or by test will be included. The databases Medline (PubMed), CinahlPlus, Scopus, ISI WoS, CENTRAL and IEEE Xplore will be searched. Studies that meet the inclusion criteria will be analysed according to the Cochrane RoB2 tool for risk of bias assessment. ETHICS AND DISSEMINATION: Ethical approval is not necessary as this is a systematic review. The results will be published in scientific journals, as well as in specialised congresses on the subject of study.

What's going on following acute covid-19? Clinical characteristics of patients in an out-patient rehabilitation program.

BACKGROUND: Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) patients present long-lasting physical and neuropsychological impairment, which may require rehabilitation. OBJECTIVES: The current cross-sectional study characterizes post COVID-19 sequelae and persistent symptoms in patients in an outpatient rehabilitation program. METHODS: Thirty patients [16 post-ICU and 14 non-ICU; median age = 54(43.8-62) years; 19 men] presenting sequelae and/or persistent symptoms (>3 months after acute COVID-19) were selected of 41 patients referred for neurorehabilitation. Patients underwent physical, neuropsychological and respiratory evaluation and assessment of impact of fatigue and quality of life. RESULTS: The main reasons for referral to rehabilitation were: fatigue (86.6%), dyspnea (66.7%), subjective cognitive impairment (46.7%) and neurological sequelae (33.3%). Post-ICU patient presented sequelae of critical illness myopathy and polyneuropathy, stroke and encephalopathy and lower forced vital capacity compared to non-ICU patients. Cognitive impairment was found in 63.3% of patients, with a similar profile in both sub-groups. Increased physical fatigue, anxiety and depression and low quality of life were prevalent irrespective of acute COVID-19 severity. CONCLUSIONS: The variability of post COVID-19 physical and neuropsychological impairment requires a complex screening process both in ICU and non-ICU patients. The high impact of persistent symptoms on daily life activities and quality of life, regardless of acute infection severity, indicate need for rehabilitation.

Balance rehabilitation with a virtual reality protocol for patients with hereditary spastic paraplegia: Protocol for a clinical trial.

BACKGROUND: Neurodegenerative diseases are sporadic hereditary conditions characterized by progressive dysfunction of the nervous system. Among the symptoms, vestibulopathy is one of the causes of discomfort and a decrease in quality of life. Hereditary spastic paraplegia is a heterogeneous group of hereditary degenerative diseases involving the disorder of a single gene and is characterized by the progressive retrograde degeneration of fibers in the spinal cord. OBJECTIVE: To determine the benefits of vestibular rehabilitation involving virtual reality by comparing pre intervention and post intervention assessments in individuals with hereditary spastic paraplegia. METHODS: In this randomized controlled clinical trial from the Rebec platform RBR-3jmx67 in which allocation concealment was performed and the evaluators be blinded will be included. The participants will include 40 patients diagnosed with hereditary spastic paraplegia. The interventions will include vestibular rehabilitation with virtual reality using the Wii® console, Wii-Remote and Wii Balance Board (Nintendo), and the studies will include pre- and post intervention assessments. Group I will include twenty volunteers who performed balance games. Group II will include twenty volunteers who performed balance games and muscle strength games. The games lasted from 30 minutes to an hour, and the sessions were performed twice a week for 10 weeks (total: 20 sessions). RESULTS: This study provides a definitive assessment of the effectiveness of a virtual reality vestibular rehabilitation program in halting the progression of hereditary spastic paraplegia, and this treatment can be personalized and affordable. CONCLUSION: The study will determine whether a vestibular rehabilitation program with the Nintendo Wii® involving virtual reality can reduce the progressive effect of hereditary spastic paraplegia and serve as an alternative treatment option that is accessible and inexpensive. Rebec platform trial: RBR-3JMX67.

Possible affective cognitive cerebellar syndrome in a young patient with COVID-19 CNS vasculopathy and stroke.

Early case series suggest that about one-third of patients with COVID-19 present with neurological manifestations, including cerebrovascular disease, reported in 2%-6% of hospitalised patients. These are generally older patients with severe infection and comorbidities. Here we discuss the case of a previously fit and well 39-year-old man who presented with fever and respiratory symptoms, evolving in pneumonia with hypoxia but only requiring continuous positive airway pressure. After resolution of the respiratory disease, the patient developed focal neurology and was found to have bilateral occipital, thalamic and cerebellar infarcts. A diagnosis of COVID-19 central nervous system vasculopathy was made. He developed a florid neuropsychiatric syndrome, including paranoia, irritability, aggression and disinhibition, requiring treatment with antipsychotics and transfer to neurorehabilitation. Neuropsychometry revealed a wide range of cognitive deficits. The rapid evolution of the illness was matched by fast resolution of the neuropsychiatric picture with mild residual cognitive impairment.

Potential for Cognitive Communication Impairment in COVID-19 Survivors: A Call to Action for Speech-Language Pathologists.

Purpose Severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 is the virus resulting in COVID-19 infections in nearly 4.3 million Americans with COVID-19 in the United States as of July 29, 2020, with nearly 150,000 deaths and hundreds of thousands of survivors (https://www.coronavirus.jhu.edu/map.html). This tutorial reviews (a) what has been reported about neurological insults in cases of COVID-19 infection, (b) what is known from similar conditions in other disorders, and (c) how that combined information can inform clinical decision making. Method PubMed and the Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials were searched for COVID-19 or other coronavirus infections, cognitive impairment observed following critical care, and disorders for which intermittent or chronic hypoxia is characteristic. These were combined with searches relating to cognition, brain, and communication. All searches were conducted between April 8 and May 23, 2020. Meta-analyses and randomized clinical trials addressing other critical illnesses were also included to extend findings to potential cognitive communication outcomes following COVID-19. Results COVID-19 infection results in a combination of (a) respiratory infection with mechanical ventilation secondary to inadequate oxygenation, (b) inflammatory system reactivity, and (c) increased blood clotting factors. These affect central nervous system function incurring long-term cognitive communication impairment in a proportion of survivors. Diagnostic and intervention approaches for such impairments are discussed. Conclusions The existing literature on cognitive sequela of COVID-19 infection is small to date, but much can be learned from similar viral infections and disorders. Although COVID-19 is novel, the speech-language pathology approaches to evaluation and intervention of other populations of critical care patients are applicable. However, speech-language pathologists have not routinely been involved in these patients' acute care. As such, this is a call to action to speech-language pathologists to address the unprecedented numbers of patients who will need their services early in the disease process and throughout recovery.

Home and Community-Based Physical Therapist Management of Adults With Post-Intensive Care Syndrome.

More than 4 million adults survive a stay in the intensive care unit each year, with many experiencing new or worsening physical disability, mental health problems, and/or cognitive impairments, known as post-intensive care syndrome (PICS). Given the prevalence and magnitude of physical impairments after critical illness, many survivors, including those recovering from COVID-19, could benefit from physical therapist services after hospital discharge. However, due to the relatively recent recognition and characterization of PICS, there may be limited awareness and understanding of PICS among physical therapists practicing in home health care and community-based settings. This lack of awareness may lead to inappropriate and/or inadequate rehabilitation service provision. While this perspective article provides information relevant to all physical therapists, it is aimed toward those providing rehabilitation services outside of the acute and postacute inpatient settings. This article reports the prevalence and clinical presentation of PICS and provides recommendations for physical examination and outcomes measures, plan of care, and intervention strategies. The importance of providing patient and family education, coordinating community resources including referring to other health care team members, and community-based rehabilitation service options is emphasized. Finally, this perspective article discusses current challenges for optimizing outcomes for people with PICS and suggests future directions for research and practice.