Effects of Virtual Rehabilitation and Constraint Induced Movement Therapy on Brain Derived Neurotrophic Factor Mediated Motor Improvement in Stroke Patients

Abstract:

Objectives: To carry out a comparison between serum BDNF levels as well as enhancement in upper limb motor function in terms of gross movement, pinch, grip, primary grasp, pre and post intervention in the study and control groups. Study design And Setting: It was a Randomized Control Study conducted from March 2015 to March 2016 at Holy Family Hospital Rawalpindi in collaboration with the Multidisciplinary research laboratory at Islamic International Medical College, Rawalpindi. Methodology: In this study; forty stroke patients were randomly designated to either the study group or the control group. Upper limb activity capability which was quantified by Action Research Arm Test (ARAT) and serum Brain Derived Neurotrophic Factor (BDNF) was measured in both control and study group. The control group underwent traditional upper limb physiotherapy for 16 sessions. The study group underwent Constraint Induced Movement Therapy for the upper limb in combination with the use of motion capture video gaming technology for 16 sessions each of twenty minutes duration. Before and after completion of intervention sessions; ARAT and serum BDNF were measured and compared in both control and study groups. Results: Serum BDNF levels was significantly improved in study group as compare to control group (p<0.001). ARAT showed significant improvement in study group participants as compare to control groups (p<0.001). Conclusion: Virtual rehabilitation was an efficacious method for Neuroplastic enhancement in stroke patients.

research from:

• Foundation University Medical College

Year:

2020

Type of Publication:

Article

Journal:

JBUMDC

Volume:

10

Number:

1

Pages:

22-25

Month:

1-3