AUTHOR=Sun Ruifeng , Li Xiaoling , Zhu Ziman , Li Tiancong , Zhao Man , Mo Linhong , Li Wenshan , Xi Xiaoshuang , Huang Peiling , Gong Weijun 

TITLE=Effects of dual-task training in patients with post-stroke cognitive impairment: A randomized controlled trial

JOURNAL=Frontiers in Neurology

VOLUME=Volume 13 - 2022

YEAR=2022

URL=https://www.frontiersin.org/journals/neurology/articles/10.3389/fneur.2022.1027104

DOI=10.3389/fneur.2022.1027104

ISSN=1664-2295

ABSTRACT=Background: Evidence for the efficacy of cognitive–motor dual task training (CMDT) in patients with post-stroke cognitive impairment (PSCI) and no dementia is still lacking.
Methods: A randomized, single-blind active control design was implemented using adaptive CMDT for 40 minutes a day, 5 days a week, for 4 weeks. Assessments included global cognitive function (primary outcomes) and regional brain functional activity (secondary outcomes).
Results: Thirty-three patients were randomized across Beijing Rehabilitation Hospital Capital Medical University in Beijing. At the end of the intervention, the CMDT group showed significant improvement in the Mini-Mental State Examination (MMSE) and Montreal Cognitive Assessment (MoCA) relative to the cognitive training (CT) group. The results of event-related potential and functional near-infrared spectroscopy showed that CMDT can shorten the reaction time of central neurons and significantly accelerate the nerve conduction velocity (P＜0.05).
Conclusion: CMDT in patients with PSCI improved global cognitive function, which was supported by the improved neural efficiency of associated brain areas.