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Atypical sensory processing is frequently reported in persons with autism spectrum disorders (ASD), and it is one of the described diagnostic criteria for ASD. There is also mounting literature supporting the presence of motor impairments in individuals with ASD. Among these motor signs, tip-toe behavior (TTB) is a possible clinical finding, but its etiology is not clearly understood. It is suggested that TTB in ASD could be a sign of a sensory modulation impairment, but evidence is lacking and controversial. The main aim of this pilot study is to explore sensory features in a sample (4 females; 28 males) of children and adolescents with ASD (age range: 7-18). All participants also presented Intellectual Disability. Participants were divided in two groups, matched for age and gender, on the basis of the presence or absence of TTB (16 ASD TTB group vs. 16 ASD NO-TTB group) and then evaluated by using the Short Sensory Profile. We found that both ASD groups tend to significantly present sensory-related behavioral symptoms, but ASD TTB individuals more frequently showed the specific pattern of "under responsive/seeks sensation" than ASD NO-TTB individuals. These preliminary findings support that sensory-motor features might be taken into consideration when rehabilitation for TTB in children and adolescents with ASD is necessary.

Objective. To evaluate the refusal of the prosthesis in order to highlight elements in determining the acceptance/rejection of the prosthetic devices, and its role on rehabilitation program. Methods. A literature review through a search of the database Medline for studies published between October 2007 and May 2020 using the key words "prosthesis", "limb", and "accept"*. Results. Nine studies were included. Women appear to be more concerned about discomfort in using body-powered devices and about prosthesis cosmetic appearance. Level of limb amputation was considered relevant for prosthesis rejection only for the upper limb. Children fitted with prosthesis before two years old were less likely to abandon the prosthesis, preschool children have a lower drop-out prevalence compared to adults and school-age children. Conclusions. Understating the factors for rejections is crucial for more favorable health outcomes; multiple psychological factors should be considered during the rehabilitation process of individuals with limb amputation. Rehabilitation should consider psychosocial assistance for acceptance and perception of body representation and its discrepancy with the real body.

Background: Around 253 million people worldwide suffer from irreversible visual damage. Numerous studies have been carried out in order to unveil the effects of electrical stimulation (ES) as a useful tool for rehabilitation for different visual conditions and pathologies. Objective: This systematic review aimed to 1) examine the current evidence of ES efficacy for the treatment of visual pathologies and 2) define the corresponding degree of the recommendation of different ES techniques. Methods: A systematic review was conducted in MEDLINE and Cochrane Library database to collect documents published between 2000 and 2018. For each study, Level of Evidence of Effectiveness of ES as well as the Class of Quality for the treatment of different visual pathologies were determined. Results: Thirty-eight articles were included. Studies were grouped according to the pathology treated and the type of stimulation administered. The first group included studies treating pre-chiasmatic pathologies (age-related macular degeneration, macular dystrophy, retinal artery occlusion, retinitis pigmentosa, glaucoma, optic nerve damage, and optic neuropathy) using pre-chiasmatic stimulation; the second group included studies treating both pre-chiasmatic pathologies (amblyopia, myopia) and post-chiasmatic pathologies or brain conditions (hemianopsia, brain trauma) by means of post-chiasmatic stimulation. In the first group, repetitive transorbital alternating current stimulation (rtACS) reached level A recommendation, and transcorneal electrical stimulation (tcES) reached level B. In the second group, both high-frequency random noise stimulation (hf-RNS) and transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS) reached level C recommendation. Conclusions: Study's findings suggest conclusive evidence for rtACS treatment. For other protocols results are promising but not conclusive since the examined studies assessed different stimulation parameters and endpoints. A comparison of the effects of dif

Background: Successful rehabilitation is associated with physical, psychological, environmental, social, and personal factors based on the International Classification of Functioning, Disability and Health (ICF) framework. The influence of age has been suggested as crucial personal factors that may affect rehabilitation needs in post-stroke survivors. The aim of this study was to investigate the qualifiers of the ICF core set for stroke to detect differences in rehabilitation needs and goals between older (O, >65 years old) and younger (Y, ≤65 years old,) post-stroke individuals. Materials and methods: In this observational study, the comprehensive core set for stroke was filled during the rehabilitation period. Patient information was obtained using disability scales was translated into certain ICF categories using linking rules. Frequency, similarity, and linear regression analyses were performed for ICF qualifier profiles among Y and O patients. Results: Forty-eight ICF variables were significantly different between Y (n = 35, 46.17 ± 11.27 years old) and O (n = 35, 76.43 ± 6.77 years old) patients. Frequency analysis showed that activity of daily living and basic needs were more prevalent in O patients, whereas regaining of social role and social life were more prevalent in Y patients. The average Jaccard Index result (similarity analysis) was more homogeneous in O than in Y patients. Conclusions: ICF qualifiers are useful to design patient-centered care. Y patients have more heterogeneous needs and require more personalized program than O patients.

Aim: Chronic low back pain represents a major problem throughout the world which is increasing largely because of the aging world population. Clinical practice Guidelines can be powerful tools for promoting evidence-based practice, as they integrate research findings in order to support decision making. This study aimed to review recommendations for the management of Chronic low Back Pain in primary care based on high-quality recent and recently updated Clinical practice Guidelines. Methods: CINHAL, PubMed, EMBASE, PEDro, Google Scholar, Government websites, Scientific Association websites were searched until April 2019. The retrieved documents underwent several consecutive selection steps: semi-automated duplicate screening, documents selection based on title and abstract screening. Finally, three independent investigators screened the documents for the selected inclusion criteria and reviewed the retrieved documents by means of the AGREE II instrument. Results: A total of 3055 records were retrieved, of which 10 Clinical practice Guidelines met the inclusion criteria. The overall quality of these Clinical practice Guidelines was moderately variable. The recommendations of four Clinical practice Guidelines deemed as “excellent” were extracted and summarized. Although we tried to implement the most comprehensive research strategies, some Clinical practice Guidelines may be missing due to publication bias or incomplete indexing. Conclusions: This study showed a partial progress in respect of the methodological quality of the Clinical practice Guidelines. Several AGREE II domains demonstrated low scores, particularly the “applicability” and “monitoring and auditing criteria” are the domains most susceptible to amendments in future.Implications for rehabilitation Clinicians should be aware that among recently published/updated clinical practice guidelines for the management of chronic low back pain in primary care only few were deemed to have high quality. Increasing e

Il lavoro è compost da tre fasi: 1. La prima fase, attraverso un lavoro di revisione bibliografica, mirava a scoprire lo stato dell'arte nella riabilitazione dell'emianopsia. Dopo aver ottenuto una panoramica di tutte le possibilità di trattamento, si è considerato quale fosse l'approccio più appropriato. Sono stati analizzati 56 articoli che descrivono l'uso di varie tecniche utilizzate per promuovere il recupero del campo visivo. La riabilitazione dell’emianopsia di basa principalmente su due tecniche: "border training" e "blindsight training". Sebbene non sia stata possibile una meta-analisi, i risultati di una valutazione semiquantitativa hanno suggerito che il miglioramento delle abilità visive ottenute è correlato al tipo di riabilitazione utilizzata: la riabilitazione di tipo “border” sembra migliorare la rilevazione degli stimoli visivi, mentre la riabilitazione di tipo “blindsight” sembra migliorare la loro elaborazione. Infine, l'aggiunta della stimolazione elettrica transcranica a corrente continua sembra migliorare gli effetti della riabilitazione del campo visivo. 2. La seconda fase aveva lo scopo di testare in due pazienti emianopici il metodo riabilitativo “blindsight” associandolo all’uso della stimolazione elettrica transcranica a corrente diretta. Il primo paziente è stato sottoposto ad un ciclo di trattamento “blindsight” associato a tDCS seguito da un ciclo di solo trattamento “blindsight”. Il secondo paziente ha subito i due cicli di riabilitazione in ordine inverso. I pazienti hanno mostrato punteggi migliori nelle valutazioni clinico-strumentali, funzionali ed ecologiche quando alla riabilitazione era stata associata la stimolazione elettrica. In questi due casi, la stimolazione elettrica parieto-occipitale ha modulato gli effetti indotti dal trattamento. 3. La terza fase è stata finalizzata a testare il trattamento di stimolazione elettrica su emianopsia utilizzando un disegno di studio appropriato e un campione più ampio. In questa, The work was divided into three phases: 1. The first phase was aimed to discover the state-of-art in the rehabilitation of hemianopia. The review work results in an overview of all the chances for treat hemianopia and evaluates which one would be the most appropriate approach. We analysed 56 articles describing the use of various techniques used to promote visual field recovery, but concentrating on two approaches: “border training”, and “blindsight training”. Although no formal meta-analysis was possible, the results of a semi-quantitative evaluation suggested that the improvement in visual skills obtained is related to the type of training used: border rehabilitation seems to improve the detection of visual stimuli, whereas blindsight rehabilitation seems to improve their processing. Finally, the addition of transcranial direct current stimulation seems to enhance the effects of visual field rehabilitation. 2. The second phase was aimed to test in two hemianopic patients the rehabilitation method that looks us more suitable in order to treat hemianopia. The first patient underwent blindsight treatment which was combined with tDCS followed by blindsight training alone. The second patient underwent the two training rounds in reverse order. The patients showed better scores in clinical-instrumental, functional, and ecological assessments after tDCS combined with blindsight rehabilitation rather than rehabilitation alone. In this two-case report parietal-occipital tDCS modulate the effects induced by blindsight treatment on hemianopia. 3. The third phase was aimed to test the most promising treatment using an appropriate study design and a large sample of people. In this phase, we collaborate with the Institute for Medical Psychology at Otto-von-Guericke University. The study results in some consideration about the effectiveness of the current stimulation on hemianopia. The project was aimed at investigating the effects of stimulation with electrical current on hemian

The differential diagnosis between cognitive impairment and functional cognitive impairment (depression) is complex and difficult, especially in the early stages of the disease. The aim of our study was to test linguistic analysis as a diagnostic tool to support clinical, and test-based diagnoses for this differential diagnosis. We enrolled 13 patients, requesting a diagnostic consultation in a Alzheimer Evaluation Unit. A provisional diagnosis through a neuropsychological evaluation (interview and neuropsychological tests) was made at baseline, while a definitive diagnosis was provided after six months, or, if not possible, after 12 months. The linguistic analysis was performed at T0 in blind by a linguist. Patients' language was studied at linguistic (morphological, syntactical, lexical literal and textual) and conversational (verbiage and humor) level. The correspondence rate between the linguistic analysis at T0 and the definitive diagnosis was 76.9%, compared to 58.4% between the neuropsychological équipe analyses at T0 and definitive diagnosis. There is no single patognomonic phenomenon for cognitive impairment or depression, but rather a linguistic cluster can lead to a diagnosis with a fairly good reliability

[Purpose] Homonymous hemianopia is one of the most common symptoms following neurologic damage leading to impairments of functional abilities and activities of daily living. There are two main types of restorative rehabilitation in hemianopia: “border training” which involves exercising vision at the edge of the damaged visual field, and “blindsight training,” which is based on exercising the unconscious perceptual functions deep inside the blind hemifield. Only border effects have been shown to be facilitated by transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS). This pilot study represents the first attempt to associate the modulatory effects of tDCS over the parieto-occipital cortex to blindsight treatment in the rehabilitation of the homonymous hemianopia. [Subjects and Methods] Patients TA and MR both had chronic hemianopia. TA underwent blindsight treatment which was combined with tDCS followed by blindsight training alone. MR underwent the two training rounds in reverse order. [Results] The patients showed better scores in clinical-instrumental, functional, and ecological assessments aftertDCS combined with blindsight rehabilitation rather than rehabilitation alone. [Conclusion] In this two-case report parietal-occipital tDCS modulate the effects induced by blindsight treatment on hemianopia

Introduction Tracheostomy weaning in patients who suffered a severe acquired brain injury is often a challenge and decannulation failures are not uncommon. Objective Our study objective is to describe the decannulation failure rate in patients undergoing rehabilitation following a severe acquired brain injury (sABI); to describe the factors associated with a successful tube weaning. Methods We conduct a retrospective analysis of charts, consecutively retrieved considering a 3-year window. Variables analyzed were: Age, sex, body mass index (BMI), Glasgow Coma Scale (GCS), cause of hospitalization (stroke, trauma, cardiac arrest), date of the pathological event, gap between the index event and the first day of hospitalization, duration of Neurorehabilitation Ward hospitalization, comorbidities, chest morphological alteration, kind of tracheostomy tube used (overall dimension, cap, fenestration), SpO2, presentation and quantification of pulmonary secretion, maximal inspiratory pressure (MIP) and maximal expiratory pressure (MEP), respiratory frequency and pattern, cardiac frequency, presence of spontaneous cough, cough strength, and blood gas analysis. Results We analyzed 45 tracheostomised sABI patients following stroke, trauma, or cardiac arrest. The weaning success percentage was higher in Head Trauma patients and in patients presenting positive spontaneous cough. Failures seem to be associated with presence of secretions and anoxic brain damage. GCS seemed not related to the decannulation outcome. Conclusions Parameters that could be used as positive predictors of weaning are: mean expiratory pressure, presence of spontaneous cough, and cough strength. Provoked cough and GCS were not predictive of weaning success.

[Purpose] The aim of this study was to estimate the prevalence of abnormal shoulder ultrasonographic findings in a sample of asymptomatic women. [Subjects and Methods] A secondary analysis of a cross-sectional study was performed. We recruited 305 women (aged 18–56 years). All the subjects had a structured interview screening for self-reported symptoms and underwent a shoulder ultrasonographic examination, in which both shoulders were examined. The radiologist was blinded to the clinical history of the participants. All detectable shoulder abnormalities were collected. [Results] Of the subjects, 228 (74.75%) were asymptomatic at both shoulders, and 456 asymptomatic shoulders were analyzed. Lack of uniformity (supraspinatus, infraspinatus, subscapularis, and biceps brachii long head) was found in 28 shoulders (6.14%), 19 (4.17%) on the dominant side and 9 (1.97%) on the non-dominant side. Tendinosis (supraspinatus, infraspinatus, subscapularis, and biceps brachii long head) was found in 19 shoulders (5.32%), 12 (2.63%) on the dominant side and 7 (1.53%) on the non-dominant side. Calcification and other abnormal findings were reported. [Conclusion] The most common abnormalities were calcifications within the rotator-cuff tendons and humeral head geodes; other degenerative findings were less common

Background and objective: Several studies suggest that general exercise (GE) and physical therapy programmes (PT) improve the outcomes of Parkinson's disease (PD) patients; however, the available data do not allow a determination of which treatment is more effective. Our study aims to compare the effects of physiotherapy and general exercise in Parkinson's disease. Methods: Design and setting: Randomized controlled trial general hospital outpatient clinic. The participants were patients with Hoehn Yahr stage II PD. Two randomized groups: one receiving PT and one receiving GE. The outcome measures were the FIM, Hamilton Rating Scale, TUG test, and UPDRS. Results: FIM median scores improved by 3 points in the PT group after treatment, and the improvements were maintained at follow-up. The GE FIM median scores were unchanged after treatment and were reduced by 1 point at follow-up (p < 0.05). The TUG test time was reduced in the PT group but increased in the GE group with a 3-second difference between groups at follow-up, suggesting improved functional mobility after specific physiotherapy (p < 0.05). The UPDRS median score change from baseline was significantly different between the two groups at the end of treatment (6.5 points) and at follow-up (11 points), with a benefit for the physiotherapy group. Conclusions: Physiotherapy seems to be more effective than a generic exercise programme in patients with Hoehn Yahr stage II PD