Neurological impairments commonly refer to any disease of the Central Nervous System. The brain, autonomic nervous system, cranial nerves, peripherical nerves, neuromuscular junctions, nerve roots, spinal cord, and muscles are usually included. Individuals with neurological disorders caused by either a congenital or an acquired brain injury may experience different levels of communication difficulties, intellectual disabilities, sensorial disorders, motor delays, and lack of speech. Both neurodevelopmental disorders, and neurodegenerative diseases, post-coma patients either in a vegetative state, or in a minimally conscious state, or emerging from it, and patients with stroke are usually embedded. A common feature of the aforementioned categories of patients are their multiple disabilities which may vary between mild-moderate and severe to profound depending on their level of residual functioning. Accordingly, persons with neurological diseases frequently rely on caregivers, families, practitioners, and professionals’ daily assistance. Either a chronic or an acute clinical condition may occur which may be deleterious for their social image and status. That is, it may meaningfully hamper their quality of life. In fact, their clinical conditions may have negative outcomes on caregivers, professionals, and families’ burden. Recently, Covid-19 pandemic drastically exacerbated their adverse conditions. To overcome this issue, one may envisage technology-aided programs (TAP).
Beside assistive technology-based interventions (AT), which include any piece, device, equipment or tool capable of enabling individuals affected by neurological impairments with independence and self-determination, aided-alternative and augmentative communication strategies may be helpful to enhance communication skills and social interactions. Currently, new technologies have relevantly been developed. Virtual reality enables ecological validity, behavioral tracking, experimental control, and immersive environments similar to those of real life. Mobile technologies are transportable devices with internet access. Wearable technologies include basic technological solutions in the healthcare industry and have the potential to support and provide safety and assistance to both healthcare professionals and users. Serious Games promoted positive interactions and active participation. Telerehabilitation, as part of telemedicine, offers the evaluation, the recovery, and supervision of patients remotely either in a synchronous or asynchronous way. Robots-assisted interventions may be implemented in clinical and medical settings to recovery patients with stroke.
Both assessment and rehabilitative purposes as well as motor and cognitive functions may be positively pursued. Professionals and clinicians may greatly benefit from the implementation of the technology in clinical settings because its use may help to improve the effectiveness of the healthcare system and the care provided to patients and/or users. Thus, the use of the technology may be considered crucial to collect and retrieve critical patient data. Additionally, the technology continues to advance as it relates to patient data collection devices. That is, the wireless technology may be profitably used for the compilation and the retrieval of patient research data. The current Research Topic deals with any use of the technology to support professionals, researchers, and clinicians who work with neurological populations in clinical settings. Next to opinion and perspective papers, literature reviews, mini-reviews and meta-analysis are sought. Evidence-based contributions on the use of the technology for assessment or recovery goals are encouraged.
Neurological impairments commonly refer to any disease of the Central Nervous System. The brain, autonomic nervous system, cranial nerves, peripherical nerves, neuromuscular junctions, nerve roots, spinal cord, and muscles are usually included. Individuals with neurological disorders caused by either a congenital or an acquired brain injury may experience different levels of communication difficulties, intellectual disabilities, sensorial disorders, motor delays, and lack of speech. Both neurodevelopmental disorders, and neurodegenerative diseases, post-coma patients either in a vegetative state, or in a minimally conscious state, or emerging from it, and patients with stroke are usually embedded. A common feature of the aforementioned categories of patients are their multiple disabilities which may vary between mild-moderate and severe to profound depending on their level of residual functioning. Accordingly, persons with neurological diseases frequently rely on caregivers, families, practitioners, and professionals’ daily assistance. Either a chronic or an acute clinical condition may occur which may be deleterious for their social image and status. That is, it may meaningfully hamper their quality of life. In fact, their clinical conditions may have negative outcomes on caregivers, professionals, and families’ burden. Recently, Covid-19 pandemic drastically exacerbated their adverse conditions. To overcome this issue, one may envisage technology-aided programs (TAP).
Beside assistive technology-based interventions (AT), which include any piece, device, equipment or tool capable of enabling individuals affected by neurological impairments with independence and self-determination, aided-alternative and augmentative communication strategies may be helpful to enhance communication skills and social interactions. Currently, new technologies have relevantly been developed. Virtual reality enables ecological validity, behavioral tracking, experimental control, and immersive environments similar to those of real life. Mobile technologies are transportable devices with internet access. Wearable technologies include basic technological solutions in the healthcare industry and have the potential to support and provide safety and assistance to both healthcare professionals and users. Serious Games promoted positive interactions and active participation. Telerehabilitation, as part of telemedicine, offers the evaluation, the recovery, and supervision of patients remotely either in a synchronous or asynchronous way. Robots-assisted interventions may be implemented in clinical and medical settings to recovery patients with stroke.
Both assessment and rehabilitative purposes as well as motor and cognitive functions may be positively pursued. Professionals and clinicians may greatly benefit from the implementation of the technology in clinical settings because its use may help to improve the effectiveness of the healthcare system and the care provided to patients and/or users. Thus, the use of the technology may be considered crucial to collect and retrieve critical patient data. Additionally, the technology continues to advance as it relates to patient data collection devices. That is, the wireless technology may be profitably used for the compilation and the retrieval of patient research data. The current Research Topic deals with any use of the technology to support professionals, researchers, and clinicians who work with neurological populations in clinical settings. Next to opinion and perspective papers, literature reviews, mini-reviews and meta-analysis are sought. Evidence-based contributions on the use of the technology for assessment or recovery goals are encouraged.
