Digital transformation of neurological therapies at the UEN thanks to NeuronUP

Coral Nova, neuropsychologist at the Unit of Neurological Stimulation (UEN), shares the benefits observed since the incorporation of NeuronUP and examples of sessions for patients with brain injury.

Introduction

Neurorehabilitation is a constantly evolving field. As new knowledge about brain plasticity and the possibilities for functional recovery after neurological injury become established, new tools are also developed that allow us to adapt therapies to the individual needs of each patient. In this context, specialized digital platforms have gained prominence as an effective therapeutic complement, and among them NeuronUP stands out for its versatility and scientific foundation. 

At the Unit of Neurological Stimulation (UEN), we have been committed to digital transformation in our interventions and cognitive rehabilitation processes for years, integrating NeuronUP as another tool in our approach. In this article we want to share our experience, from who we are and why we decided to incorporate this platform, to the concrete benefits observed in our patients and the success stories that have marked our path. 

Presentation of the Unit of Neurological Stimulation (UEN)

The Unit of Neurological Stimulation (UEN) is an organization with more than 25 years of experience in comprehensive neurorehabilitation, with centers in Barcelona, Tarragona and Girona. Initially founded in 1996, the UEN has established itself as a reference in the treatment and intervention of all neurological conditions. 

Context of intervention at the UEN

At the UEN we specialize in the field of neurorehabilitation, with structured programs that adapt to the needs of each person, whether in the acute, subacute or chronic phase. The units are located in large residential and socio-health centers, allowing us to offer comprehensive care to the person throughout the rehabilitation process. The center offers individual and personalized interventions and promotes the participation of the family environment as part of the therapeutic process. 

Profile of users of the Unit of Neurological Stimulation (UEN)

The users served are mainly adults with acquired brain injury, caused by stroke, traumatic brain injury, anoxia or brain tumors, as well as people with spinal cord injuries or neurodegenerative diseases. 

In our facilities we treat patients who are in different phases of the rehabilitation process, from acute stages to chronic phases, always adapting the intervention to the evolutionary stage the person is in. Our team is trained and qualified to address cases with different levels of severity, from mild sequelae to complex impairments that require intensive and highly specialized intervention.

Specialty and working philosophy of the UEN

The UEN is characterized by an interdisciplinary approach that combines the joint work of professionals in rehabilitation medicine, neuropsychology, physiotherapy, speech therapy and occupational therapy, with continuous and rigorous coordination between specialties. 

The working philosophy is based on person-centered care, always prioritizing functional goals, personal interests and the improvement of the user’s quality of life. A humanistic, ethical and evidence-based model is promoted, in which the person is seen as an active agent of their own recovery process. 

Therapeutic approach of the Unit of Neurological Stimulation (UEN)

The therapeutic approach of the Unit of Neurological Stimulation is based on a personalized, functional and global intervention, centered on each person’s actual abilities, and aimed at improving their autonomy, social participation and quality of life. 

It starts from a thorough and interdisciplinary assessment of the user’s cognitive, physical-emotional and functional state, in order to design an individualized therapeutic plan, with concrete, measurable goals adapted to the real needs of each case. 

The center has specialized infrastructure, equipped spaces, as well as simulated environments that allow the development of interventions in adapted therapeutic settings and working on activities of daily living in a controlled and safe way. 

Transformation of UEN interventions with NeuronUP

Problems identified before implementing NeuronUP

Before implementing NeuronUP, from the neuropsychology area we identified several needs in the field of intervention: 

• Difficulty adapting exercises quickly to the patient’s changing cognitive profile. 
• Limitations in the objective and automated collection of performance data. 
• Growing demand for remote sessions, especially after the COVID-19 pandemic, and lack of objective follow-up at home. 
• Lack of interactive and playful tools that would motivate patients with low adherence to treatment. 

Reasons that led us to choose NeuronUP

After evaluating different platform options and digital proposals, we chose NeuronUP for the following reasons: 

• Its approach based on the cognitive neuropsychology.
• Its wide repertoire of thousands of activities classified by cognitive processes. 
• The ability to design individualized sessions and complete intervention programs. 
• The performance monitoring system and the NeuronUP Score functionality, which allows us to objectively measure the patient’s progress. 
• The telerehabilitation tool, called NeuronUP2GO, which has allowed us to extend our therapies outside the center with quality and control. 

Changes observed after the implementation of NeuronUP

Since we integrated NeuronUP into our therapies, we have observed a significant transformation in different aspects: 

1. Our working methodology: Currently we structure cognitive sessions by combining digital activities with physical materials, and designing individualized therapeutic programs according to the neuropsychological profile. The work with NeuronUP allows us to adapt the difficulty of exercises in real time and set intervention goals in the short and medium term that are clearer and more measurable. Likewise, the therapist can analyze and intervene in a more qualitative way, improving therapeutic efficacy and precision. 
2. The quality of monitoring: The ability to assign tasks to different users makes it possible to carry out a more precise monitoring of performance and improvement in each of the activities, and with NeuronUP Score we can also quantitatively assess their evolution in a systematic way. 
3. The possibility of remote intervention: NeuronUP has been a key tool to maintain therapeutic continuity in users who cannot attend with optimal frequency. Our telerehabilitation intervention has been established as an effective therapeutic alternative.

Acceptance of NeuronUP by users and families

One of our most positive surprises has been the warm reception of NeuronUP by our users and their families. Although some older users initially had certain reservations about using the computer or tablet, after the first sessions with therapeutic support, the majority adapted without difficulty. 

The intuitive design, clarity of instructions and playful component have promoted a high motivation and treatment adherence. In addition, being able to visualize their progress in the NeuronUP Score generates positive reinforcement. 

For their part, families particularly value the possibility of working from home with dynamic and interactive material and appreciate feeling like an active part of the rehabilitation process. 

Benefits observed of NeuronUP in the users’ interventions 

Among the benefits we have observed in our clinical practice in the field of neuropsychology in our users we can highlight: 

• Improvement in performance in specific cognitive functions (memory, attention, executive functions). 
• Possibility to generalize aspects worked on in some activities. 
• Increase in the level of motivation and therapeutic adherence. 
• Facilitates interdisciplinary work by sharing results and progress. 
• Improvement in patient autonomy to carry out cognitive tasks outside the therapeutic environment. 

Success cases at the UEN thanks to the work with NeuronUP

Success case in a patient with brain injury after ischemic stroke

One of the success cases with NeuronUP is that of a 55-year-old man who, after an ischemic stroke, presented moderate language impairment (comprehension and expression), apraxia and alterations in attention and executive functions. These difficulties directly impacted his daily autonomy.

From the start of the intervention at the UEN, the primary objective was to recover functional autonomy in tasks such as, for example, cooking: understanding a recipe, going to the supermarket, handling money and following the steps for Making Lunch. To achieve this, as part of his intervention program, language, attention, money management, planning and sequencing skills were worked on in an integrated way, through digital activities with NeuronUP. 

Success case in a patient with brain injury after cerebrovascular accident

Another success case in the intervention with NeuronUP at the UEN is that of a 43-year-old man who, after a cerebrovascular accident, presents sequelae in the form of attentional deficits, left hemineglect and short-term memory impairments. These difficulties have a direct impact on his autonomy and on his ability to enjoy activities that are meaningful to him, such as reading and writing. 

From the beginning of his rehabilitation process, one of the main objectives was that he could return to reading fluently, without visual omissions, and that he could maintain focus and reading continuity when facing novels, newspapers or other lengthy texts. 

For this purpose, the intervention combined compensatory and restorative techniques, with a special focus on stimulating sustained attention, visual scanning and improving immediate recall, using digital tools through the NeuronUP platform. 

Example of an individual session for this patient with brain injury

Below is a detailed example of an individual session performed by the patient on a tablet with specific activities for these objectives: 

General objective of the session

To stimulate sustained attention, compensatory visual scanning for left hemineglect and immediate memory, in order to facilitate the recovery of functional reading ability. 

Part 1: Attentional activation and visual scanning (10–15 min)

Conclusion and reflections 

At the Unit of Neurological Stimulation (UEN) we work from a comprehensive approach that seeks to optimize the rehabilitation process of each person, adapting resources to their real needs, their preserved abilities and the functional goals that guide the intervention. 

On this path, from the neuropsychology area, we continue to commit to incorporating tools that not only stimulate cognitive functions specifically, but also promote the transfer of those advances to the patient’s daily life. 

NeuronUP, as a digital platform, has been integrated into our practice as a versatile and useful resource that facilitates the planning of more personalized, dynamic and motivating sessions. It allows us to intervene more precisely in specific areas such as attention, memory or executive functions, always keeping the focus on functionality and the real impact on the person’s autonomy. 

We believe that true progress in neurorehabilitation arises from the combination of continuous updating in evidence-based techniques, the integration of useful technological tools and human support centered on each case. 

In this regard, the incorporation of NeuronUP has allowed us to design more structured interventions, adjusted to the cognitive profile of each user and with greater control over the progression and difficulty of the exercises. This tool has contributed to improving the effectiveness of our sessions by enabling more intensive, precise and motivating training, thus optimizing the use of therapeutic time and reinforcing specific cognitive areas more deeply.

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“This article has been translated. Link to the original article in Spanish:”
Transformación digital de terapias neurológicas en la UEN gracias a NeuronUP