Effects of Rehabilitation Robot Training on Cognitive Function in Stroke Patients: A Meta-Analysis

Cognitive dysfunction is the most common complication of stroke, hindering the recovery of physical function and seriously affecting quality of life. With the rapid development of information technology, rehabilitation robots have been widely used in upper and lower limb movements, and gait training after stroke. They are gradually expanding into the field of cognitive function rehabilitation. However, the effect of rehabilitation robots on cognitive function rehabilitation is still controversial. This study aimed to evaluate the effect of rehabilitation robot training on cognitive function in patients with strokes and to provide an evidence-based basis for the clinical application of rehabilitation robot training.

This is a meta-analysis, which has been registered on PROSPERO (CRD42023454943).

The population diagnosed with stroke according to the diagnostic criteria of the World Health Organization in 1978 and confirmed by cranial computed tomography or magnetic resonance imaging and other auxiliary examinations.

We searched PubMed, Web of Science, Embase, Cochrane Library, ScienceDirect, CNKI, and Wanfang databases for randomized controlled trials on rehabilitation robotics training to improve cognitive function in patients with strokes, with a time frame from the establishment of the database to November 2025. Two investigators ideally screened the literature to extract information quality assessment, and statistical analyses were performed using RevMan 5.4 software. The outcome indicators were Montreal Cognitive Assessment (MoCA), Mini-Mental State Examination (MMSE), Trail Making Test A/B (TMT-A/B), Functional Independence Measure-cognitive (FIM-cognitive), Modified Barthel Index (MBI), and Functional Independence Measure (FIM).

A total of 20 studies were included, involving 1255 patients. MMSE [mean difference (MD), 2.99; 95% CI, 2.65-3.33; P < .001]; MoCA (MD, 2.30; 95% CI, 2.20-2.58; P < .001); TMT-A (MD, -18.16; 95% CI, -22.26 to -14.06; P < .001); TMT-B (MD, -88.87; 95% CI, -100.53 to -77.21; P < .001); FIM-cognitive (MD, 0.94; 95% CI, -1.50 to 3.39; P = .45); MBI (MD, 11.55; 95% CI, 9.20-13.90; P < .001); FIM (MD, 5.53; 95% CI, 2.78-8.28; P < .001).

Rehabilitation robot training can improve general cognitive and executive function in patients with strokes. The effect on improving attention and activities of daily living needs to be tested further.