Effects of NeuroReAlign therapy on cognition in patients with stroke: A randomized controlled trial

Cognitive impairments are among the most common consequences of stroke. NeuroreAlign Therapy (NRT) integrates motor, sensory, motivational, and cognitive training. This study aims to investigate the effect of the NRT on cognitive impairment post-stroke. Thirty individuals were randomly assigned to the NRT group or the conventional cognitive training (CCT) group. Both groups received treatments for 60 minutes, 3 times a week for 4 weeks. Outcome measures were the Montreal Cognitive Assessment, the Mini-Mental State Examination, the Trail Making Test, the Stroop Test, the Digit Span Test, and the Verbal Fluency Test. Except for the Trail Making Test-A (p = 0.065) for the CCT group, there were significant improvements for the NRT and CCT groups for the measures (p ≤ 0.004) and (p = 0.038-0.052), respectively, post-intervention. However, on between-group comparison, it was ascertained that NRT is more effective than CCT in improving cognitive functions post-stroke (p < 0.02). NRT was associated with greater immediate improvements in cognitive function compared with CCT in individuals with chronic stroke. However, these findings should be interpreted with caution due to the limited sample size. Further studies with larger samples and longer follow-ups are needed to identify optimal treatment protocols and confirm the long-term effects.