Motor programming predicts the functional recovery gain in patients with right hemispheric frontal stroke

11.01.2020 01.07.2020

ACTA: NEUROPSYCHOLOGICA

Executive functioning significantly affects the functional re- habilitation progress in stroke patients. The current study are aimed to examine the impact of executive functions on func- tional recovery gain in a sample of right hemispheric (RH) frontal stroke patients.

A total of 50 inpatients admitted to the Theseus Rehabilitation Center and diagnosed with RH frontal stroke were included in this study. The initial assessment of executive functioning was conducted using the Frontal Assessment Battery (FAB). Functional recovery of basic activities of daily living (ADLs) was computed by the difference between follow-up and baseline Barthel Index (BI) scores.

Pearson’s analysis revealed that the FAB global scores sig- nificantly correlated with the BI gain scores. Additionally, mul- tiple regression analysis showed a significant contribution of only motor programming to the basic ADLs recovery gain. The global status of executive function was found to be sig- nificantly associated with functional recovery gain, and motor programming was the strongest predictor in RH frontal stroke patients. These findings are discussed for the treatment re- habilitation prognosis.

Key words: executive functions, basic activities of daily living, right hemispheric frontal stroke, Frontal Assessment Battery, Barthel Index

Constantinos Kormas
Department of Neuropsychology and Cognitive Rehabilitation, Theseus Rehabilitation Center, Athens, Greece

Evangelos Lymperopoulos
Department of Occupational Therapy, Theseus Rehabilitation Center, Athens, Greece