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Can cognitive rehabilitation improve attention deficits following stroke? - A Cochrane Review summary with commentary
1Nursing, Midwifery and Allied Health Professions Research Unit, Glasgow Caledonian University, UK.
Background:
Disorders of attention are common following stroke, reducing quality of life and limiting rehabilitation.
Objective:
To determine if cognitive rehabilitation can improve attention and functional outcomes in stroke survivors with attentional disorders.
Methods:
A summary of the Cochrane Review update by Loetscher et al. 2019, with comments.
Results:
Six studies with 223 participants were included: this was the same as the previous review (in 2013). Evidence quality was very low to moderate, and results suggest a beneficial impact on divided attention immediately after training, but no effect on any other outcome either immediately or at follow up timepoints.
Conclusions:
The low methodological quality and small number of studies means current evidence provides limited clinical guidance. Clearly more research is needed to inform care: researchers must improve the methodological quality of studies, plus fully consider and report the aspects of attention and function addressed in their work.
