Effects of Virtual Reality-Based Training in Cerebellar Ataxia
| Autor: | Fang-Yi Huang, 黃方沂 |
|---|---|
| Rok vydání: | 2015 |
| Druh dokumentu: | 學位論文 ; thesis |
| Popis: | 103 Background and purpose: Virtual reality (VR) provides benefits in motor learning due to repetitive practice, feedback on knowledge of results/performance, and increasing motivation. Studies showed that VR training can result in better motor performance in subjects with stroke and Parkinson's disease as compared with conventional physiotherapy. Cerebellar disease is one of the neurological diseases that can cause the movement disorder. Individuals with cerebellar ataxia demonstrate poor coordination, motor control, and functional performance. However, effective training programs have not yet been established in subjects with cerebellar ataxia. The applications of VR for possible training effect also need to be determined in subjects with cerebellar ataxia. Therefore, the purpose of this study was to investigate the effects of virtual reality-base training for cerebellar ataxia. Methods: This was a single blinded, randomized controlled trial with pre- and post-measurements. Twelve individuals with cerebellar ataxia were recruited and were randomized to conventional physiotherapy group or virtual reality group (VR group) (n=6 for each group). Participants in the conventional physiotherapy group received conventional coordination exercise training. Participants in VR group received coordination training under the VR environment. The training was 40 minutes per session, 3 sessions per week for a total of 4 weeks in each group. The severity of ataxia was measured as the primary outcome by the scale for the assessment and rating of ataxia (SARA) and by coordination test for upper and lower extremity. The secondary outcomes included upper limb function, balance performance, gait performance, and quality of life measured by nine-hole peg test (9-HPT), SMART Balance Master®, GAITRite®, and SF-36 Taiwan version respectively. Statistic analysis: The Mann-Whitney U test and chi-square test were used for basic data analysis. The change scores between post- and pre-measurements were analyzed by Mann-Whitney U test for between group comparisons. The within group differences were analyzed by Wilcoxon signed-rank test. The statistical significance was set at p < .05. Results: After four weeks of training, participants in the VR group demonstrated significant improvements in SARA-total score (p=0.027), upper limb (p=0.034) and stance subscales (p=0.038), and also in 9-HPT on the more affected side (p=0.046). Participants in the conventional physiotherapy group also showed significant improvement in SARA-total score (p=0.027), upper limb (p=0.034) and lower limb (p=0.039) subscales after 4 weeks of training. However, there was no significant difference between the VR and conventional physiotherapy groups. Conclusion: According to our results, both the VR-based and conventional coordination training program can exert beneficial effects on cerebellar ataxia. However, only the VR-based training can improve the upper extremity function in subjects with cerebellar ataxia. |
| Databáze: | Networked Digital Library of Theses & Dissertations |
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