CAREN “highly effective for motor rehabilitation” in Parkinson’s Disease

A paper entitled “The effect of Computer Assisted Rehabilitation Environment (CAREN) in cognitive impairment and coping strategies in Parkinson’s disease: a preliminary study” has recently been published.

Developed by Motek, the CAREN is a versatile, multi-sensory system used for clinical analysis, rehabilitation, and the evaluation and training of human movement, balance and gait.

Abstract

Parkinson’s disease is a neurodegenerative disorder characterised by different motor, vegetative, behavioral, and cognitive impairments, with worsening quality of life.

Virtual reality devices have given promising results in neurorehabilitation as they can provide multisensory stimulation in a realistic environment. This study aims to test the efficacy of virtual reality training by using Computer Assisted Rehabilitation Environment in cognitive impairment in a sample of Parkinson’s Disease.

31 patients affected by PD were enrolled. All PD patients underwent 24 sessions of Computer Assisted Rehabilitation Environment training. The participants were assessed at baseline (T0) and after two months (T1).

The results suggested that Computer Assisted Rehabilitation Environment training may be effective in the cognitive and emotional domains, particularly by improving executive function, anxiety, and depressive symptoms. These changes have helped to improve self-efficacy and coping strategies. These results indicate greater cognitive and physical effort to overcome stressors.

The results show that Computer Assisted Rehabilitation Environment training was beneficial in improving cognitive functions. Longer duration training may be especially beneficial for patients with mild cognitive impairment. Our findings open the door to tailored personalized treatments based on the patient’s motor and cognitive profiles.

Click here to read the full paper.

About the Computer Assisted Rehabilitation Environment (CAREN)

The CAREN combines a motion platform with six degrees of freedom, an instrumented force plate dual belt treadmill, motion capture, high speed video, D-Flow software, virtual reality (VR) and surround sound, and uses game elements and immersive interactions to engage the subject within a real time feedback loop.

The CAREN is used in the UK by top facilities including the Defence and National Rehabilitation Centre (DNRC) / Defence Medical Rehabilitation Centre (DMRC), the Brain and Spinal Injury Centre (BASIC), and universities such as Liverpool John Moores University, the University of Strathclyde, and Loughborough University.

To find out more about incorporating state-of-the-art technology into your practice or research, please contact us via email at info@summitmedsci.co.uk or call 01372 3459863.