Broeren Jurgen, Claesson Lisbeth, Goude Daniel, Rydmark Martin, Sunnerhagen Katharina S
Rehabilitation Medicine, Institute of Neuroscience and Physiology, Sahlgrenska Academy at Göteborg University, Göteborg, Sweden.
Cerebrovasc Dis. 2008;26(3):289-96. doi: 10.1159/000149576. Epub 2008 Jul 31.
The main purpose of this study was to place a virtual reality (VR) system, designed to assess and to promote motor performance in the affected upper extremity in subjects after stroke, in a nonhospital environment. We also wanted to investigate if playing computer games resulted in improved motor function in persons with prior stroke.
The intervention involved 11 patients after stroke who received extra rehabilitation by training on a computer 3 times a week during a 4-week period. The control group involved 11 patients after stroke who continued their previous rehabilitation (no extra computer training) during this period. The mean age of all was 68 years (range = 47-85) and the average time after stroke 66 months (range = 15-140). The VR training consisted of challenging games, which provided a range of difficulty levels that allow practice to be fun and motivating. An additional group of 11 right-handed aged matched individuals without history of neurological or psychiatric illnesses served as reference subjects.
All the participants reported that they were novel computer game players. After an initial introduction they learned to use the VR system quickly. The treatment group demonstrated improvements in motor outcome for the trained upper extremity, but this was not detected in real-life activities.
The results of this research suggest the usefulness of computer games in training motor performance. VR can be used beneficially not only by younger participants but also by older persons to enhance their motor performance after stroke.
本研究的主要目的是将一个旨在评估和促进中风后受试者患侧上肢运动表现的虚拟现实（VR）系统放置在非医院环境中。我们还想调查玩电脑游戏是否能改善既往中风患者的运动功能。
干预组包括11名中风后患者，他们在4周内每周接受3次电脑训练以获得额外康复治疗。对照组包括11名中风后患者，在此期间继续他们之前的康复治疗（无额外电脑训练）。所有人的平均年龄为68岁（范围 = 47 - 85岁），中风后的平均时间为66个月（范围 = 15 - 140个月）。VR训练包括具有挑战性的游戏，这些游戏提供了一系列难度级别，使练习既有趣又有激励性。另外一组11名无神经或精神疾病史的右利手年龄匹配个体作为参考对象。
所有参与者均表示他们是电脑游戏新手。经过初步介绍后，他们很快学会了使用VR系统。治疗组在训练的上肢运动结果方面有改善，但在现实生活活动中未检测到。
本研究结果表明电脑游戏在训练运动表现方面有用。VR不仅可以被年轻参与者有益地使用，也可以被老年人用来增强他们中风后的运动表现。
