Stroke Research Today is a free monthly online journal that collates and summarizes the latest research about Stroke, including details on treatment, recovery, rehabilitation, signs, symptoms.

Rehabilitation of limb apraxia improves daily life activities in patients with stroke.

Smania N, Aglioti SM, Girardi F, Tinazzi M, Fiaschi A, Cosentino A, Corato E

Neuropsychological Rehabilitation Unit, G.B. Rossi University Hospital, Verona, Italy. nicola.smania@univr.it

We randomly assigned 33 patients with left hemisphere stroke, limb apraxia, and aphasia to an apraxia or a control (aphasia) treatment group. Before and after each treatment, patients underwent a comprehensive neuropsychological testing battery and a caregiver evaluation of patient's activities of daily life (ADL) independence. Apraxia severity was related with ADL independence. Control (aphasia) treatment improved patients' language and intelligence performance. Apraxia treatment specifically improved praxic function and ADL.

Published 12 December 2006 in Neurology, 67(11): 2050-2.
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