Introduction: Approximately 90% of stroke patients are left with some type of functional limitation. A number of auxiliary techniques have emerged in the rehabilitation field, such as priming, which is an unconscious process associated with learning, in which the previous exposure to a stimulus alters the response to a subsequent stimulus. When used in conjunction with another therapeutic intervention, priming may result in a change in behaviour that appears to coincide with changes in neural networks. Objectives: To review and analyse randomised controlled trials (RCT) that evaluate the effects of priming on motor limitations and cortical excitability in stroke patients. Material and Methods: A bibliographic search was made in 3 databases (Pubmed, PEDro and CENTRAL), using the research methodology - Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA). Studies conducted in patients who suffered a stroke, whose intervention explicitly used priming therapy, were included. Results: Fourteen studies were included. Four used transcranial magnetic stimulation, 3 used transcranial direct current stimulation, 2 used imagery and action observation, and 5 used movement-based priming. Due to the clinical and methodological heterogeneity of the studies, meta-analysis was not possible. Of the included studies, 10 showed that priming associated with rehabilitation had significant improvements and 4 showed that there were no significant improvements between groups. Conclusions: Priming therapies, when used in conjunction with another therapeutic intervention, seem to enhance the rehabilitation of motor functions after a stroke. In the future, experimental studies with larger samples should be conducted and the way each priming technique is applied should be standardised.
Introduction: Stroke is the leading cause of long-term disability in the global population. The structural and functional changes resulting from the condition contribute to the reduction of functional mobility (FM), making it essential to evaluate it with appropriate and grounded measurement instruments (MI), enabling a more objective and rigorous clinical practice. Objectives: To investigate which measurement instrument(s) is/are the most comprehensive, from the point of view of the International Classification of Functioning (ICF) categories covered, that, according to the literature, assess(es) FM in the adult individual with sequelae of stroke, and to review in the literature the psychometric properties of this/these instrument(s). Material and Methods: Two literature searches were conducted on the PubMed, EBSCO, CENTRAL, PEDro, Web of Science, Science Direct, and Wiley Online Library databases. The study was divided into two main parts, namely the elaboration of a Scoping Review of MI that assess FM and a Systematic Review of the psychometric properties of MI with more correspondences with the ICF. Results: In the Scoping Review, 120 studies were included, and the Rivermead Mobility Index (RMI) was the MI that presented the most correspondences with the ICF categories included in the definition of FM. In the Systematic Review, of the 11 studies found, good results were found in the validity, reliability, and sensitivity of the RMI. Conclusions: The RMI appears to be the most comprehensive MI in correspondence with the ICF categories included in the definition of FM. The use of RMI is recommended as an FM MI in stroke patients, due to its good psychometric properties.
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