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Updated: Oct 19, 2025
Author Spotlight: Rehabilitation of Stroke Patients With a Digital Occupational Training System
Published on: December 29, 2023
Is mental practice effective for treating upper extremity deficits in individuals with hemiparesis after stroke? A
1Department of Mental and Physical Health and Preventive Medicine, University of Campania "Luigi Vanvitelli", Via de Crecchio, 4, Naples, Italy Tel.: +39 349 3185769;
Background:
Mental practice, which is proposed for the rehabilitation of people post-stroke, is a training method based on the repetition of the internal representation of a movement or a task with the aim of improving the performance.
Objective:
The aim of this commentary is to discuss Cochrane evidence on the efficacy of mental practice in improving upper extremity functioning in people with hemiparesis after stroke.
Methods:
To summarize and discuss from a rehabilitation perspective the published Cochrane Review "Mental practice for treating upper extremity deficits in individuals with hemiparesis after stroke" by Barclay et al.RESULTS:This Cochrane Review included 25 studies involving 676 people with hemiparesis after stroke. The authors analysed the following two comparisons: mental practice versus conventional therapy and mental practice in addition to other treatment versus other treatment (±placebo).
Conclusions:
Mental practice in addition to other treatment, compared with other treatment, probably improves upper extremity activity and function in people with hemiparesis after stroke.
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