Relationship between cognitive deficit and gait recovery in neurological patients in the rehabilitation process

Abstract

In the last few decades, there has been a lot of talk about the problem of cognitive deficit in neurological patients, as well as the connection with motor impairments, with an emphasis on gait function. Multiple cognitive effects on walking, movement control and certain behaviors during walking have been observed. Preservation of cognitive functions is of special importance for the rehabilitation of neurological patients. Purpose: The main goal of the research is based on the comparison of motor function and gait parameters with cognitive impairment in the examined patients after stroke. Methods: The study included 50 examined neurological patients after stroke, with diagnosed hemiparesis and completed early rehabilitation. The following were used to assess cognitive functioning: Mini Mental State Examination - MMSE; WCST - Wisconsin card sorting test and Trail Making Test - TMT A / B. The Functional Ambulation Category - FAC test was used to assess movement function. Results: The results show that the examined patients after stroke with cognitive impairment have lower walking speed, lower walking frequency and shorter stride length than the examined patients after stroke without cognitive impairment, the difference is statistically significant. The results support the claim that there are specific cognitive deficits in patients after stroke, which may have an impact on the motor difficulties of these patients. Conclusion: One of the important goals of the rehabilitation process is to help the patient achieve the highest possible level of functional independence, within which walking is a basic component of independent functioning. The practical significance of the research can be fully confirmed, if the established connection is significant for the application of cognitive rehabilitation within medical rehabilitation and enable the achievement of a high degree of functional independence of neurological patients.