The role of cognitive reserve in the choice of upper limb rehabilitation treatment after stroke. Robotic or conventional? A multicenter study of the Don Carlo Gnocchi Foundation

Abstract

Rehabilitation is essential after stroke and, besides conventional rehabilitation, technological one has had big growth in clinical practice. There is a growing interest in cognitive reserve (CR) that summarizes pre-morbid life of each patient and has a key role in a sudden change of individual lifestyle (for example, after a stroke). Our preliminary data suggested that CR impacts on motor rehabilitation outcome. We hypothesized that CR may help in the complex choice between technological or conventional rehabilitation. The aim of this study is to evaluate whether the CR influences the motor outcome in patients after stroke treated with conventional or robotic therapy and if CR may address towards one treatment rather than another.