Effects of cognitive training on balance and motor symptoms in Parkinson’s disease: an exploratory randomized controlled trial.

In this article, MD and PhD Juan Pablo Moreno Muñoz presents the study “Effects of Cognitive Training on Balance and Motor Symptoms in Parkinson’s Disease: An Exploratory Randomized Controlled Trial”, in which our neurorehabilitation platform, NeuronUP, participated.

Relevance of the Study

This study is relevant because it explores the impact of cognitive training on improving motor symptoms and balance in patients with Parkinson’s disease (PD).

Through a specific intervention focused on information processing speed and sustained attention, the potential of cognitive rehabilitation as a complementary tool for managing motor symptoms was evaluated.

The results suggest that this approach could help reduce the severity of motor symptoms, opening new possibilities for treatment and rehabilitation in PD.

Relevance of the Study for a Non-specialist Audience

Imagine that a simple mental training you can do at home could help people with Parkinson’s move better and feel more stable. That’s exactly what this study investigated: how exercising the mind can have a positive impact on balance and movement control in people with Parkinson’s. The results could change the way we approach rehabilitation in Parkinson’s disease (PD).

Study Methodology

The study was designed as a randomized controlled trial with 39 participants diagnosed with mild to moderate PD (Hoehn and Yahr ≤ III).

They were divided into two groups: an experimental group, which completed self-administered cognitive training through the NeuronUP platform, and a control group with no cognitive intervention. For four weeks, the experimental group completed 30-minute sessions three times a week, focused on sustained attention and processing speed tasks. The effectiveness of the intervention was evaluated using motor (UPDRS-III, Berg Balance Scale, TUG, %LOS) and neuropsychological (TMT-A, TMT-B, Stroop, Symbol Search, among others) measures.

Study Methodology for a Non-specialist Audience

The researchers divided the participants into two groups: one performed mental training exercises at home and the other did not. For one month, the experimental group carried out activities designed to improve focus and mental speed. Then, the results of both groups were compared to see if this type of training helped improve movement and balance.

NeuronUP’s Contribution to the Study

NeuronUP was a key element in the study by providing the cognitive training platform used by the experimental group participants. This platform allowed the researchers to design a rehabilitation protocol focused on processing speed and sustained attention, ensuring a structured and adaptable intervention for each user.

Additionally, NeuronUP enabled the monitoring of participants’ performance throughout the study, offering measurable data for analyzing the effects of cognitive training on motor symptoms and balance.

NeuronUP’s Contribution to the Study for a Non-specialist Audience

NeuronUP provided the cognitive exercises used in the study, allowing participants to train their cognitive functions from home. Thanks to this tool, researchers were able to assess whether improving focus and mental speed could also help reduce some Parkinson’s symptoms.

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