Related Experiment Video
Updated: Aug 6, 2026
Cognitive Function and Upper Limb Rehabilitation Training Post-Stroke Using a Digital Occupational Training System
Published on: December 29, 2023
Association of Combined Physical and Cognitive Rehabilitation With Poststroke Dementia: A US Multicenter
Yu-Chien Hung1, Chun-Tse Hung2, Chen-Yen An3
1School of Medicine, College of Medicine, National Yang Ming Chiao Tung University, Taipei, Taiwan.
Objective:
To compare the effectiveness of combined physical rehabilitation (PR) and cognitive rehabilitation (CR) versus PR alone in reducing the risk of developing poststroke dementia.
Design:
Retrospective cohort study.
Setting:
US TriNetX Collaborative Network, a multicenter federated electronic health record database.
Participants:
Adults aged ≥55 years (N=130,538) diagnosed with stroke between January 1, 2010, and December 31, 2020, who developed mild cognitive impairment (MCI) within 6 months after stroke. Patients were classified according to receipt of combined PR and CR or PR alone within six months after stroke. After 1:1 propensity score matching, 479 patients were included in each group.
Interventions:
Not applicable.
Main Outcome Measures:
Incident poststroke dementia occurring ≥6 months after index stroke.
Results:
Compared with the PR-only group, the combined PR and CR group had a lower risk of poststroke dementia (hazard ratio, 0.58; 95% CI, 0.40-0.84). The association remained consistent across sensitivity analyses. Subgroup analyses showed similar associations among men and patients without intensive care unit stay during the index stroke hospitalization.
Conclusions:
Among older adults with poststroke MCI, combined PR and CR was associated with a lower risk of incident poststroke dementia compared with PR alone. These findings support the potential role of combined rehabilitation strategies in preserving long-term cognitive health after stroke.
