Trial results for a study investigating cognitive priming for stroke tele-rehabilitation in Stroke patients were posted on ClinicalTrials.gov on 2026-05-14, showing a mean improvement of 1.74 points in global cognition and 2.84 points in functional task performance.
Background
Stroke is a leading cause of long-term disability, often resulting in significant cognitive and motor impairments that impact daily functioning and quality of life. Rehabilitation plays a crucial role in recovery, but access to consistent, specialized therapy can be challenging for many survivors. Tele-rehabilitation programs offer a promising solution by delivering therapy remotely, enhancing accessibility and convenience. This pilot study aimed to explore whether integrating cognitive rehabilitation into an existing occupational therapy tele-rehabilitation program could further improve outcomes for stroke survivors.
Trial design
This completed pilot study, identified as Phase NA, enrolled 20 participants with Stroke. The trial investigated an 8-week stroke tele-rehabilitation program comprising both cognitive rehabilitation and occupational therapy for arm/hand function. The study aimed to assess improvements in cognition, participation, upper extremity use in real-world activities, and mood/quality of life following the intervention.
Key results
The pilot study evaluated changes from baseline across several domains after the 8-week tele-rehabilitation program:
- Global Cognition (Montreal Cognitive Assessment - MoCA): Participants showed a mean change from baseline of 1.74 total score (Standard Deviation: 2.73). A t-test analysis indicated a mean difference of 1.73 (95% Confidence Interval: 0.42 to 3.05) with a p-value of 0.012.
- Functional Task Performance and Activity Participation (Patient Specific Functional Scale - PSFS): The mean change from baseline was 2.84 score on scale (Standard Deviation: 2.05). A t-test analysis showed a mean difference of 2.8 (95% Confidence Interval: 1.9 to 3.8) with a p-value of 0.
- Functional Task Performance and Activity Participation (Performance Quality Rating Scale - PQRS): The mean change from baseline was 0.53 score on scale (Standard Deviation: 0.70). A t-test analysis reported a mean difference of 0.53 (95% Confidence Interval: 0.19 to 0.86) with a p-value of 0.004.
- Psychosocial Function (Depression, Patient Health Questionnaire - PHQ-9): The mean change from baseline was -0.26 score on scale (Standard Deviation: 5.61). A t-test analysis indicated a mean difference of -0.26 (95% Confidence Interval: -2.9 to 2.4) with a p-value of 0.84.
- Subjective Cognition (NeuroQoL-Cognitive Function): The mean change from baseline was 0.78 t-score (Standard Deviation: 8.59). A t-test analysis showed a mean difference of 0.78 (95% Confidence Interval: -3.4 to 4.9) with a p-value of 0.697.
- Functional Task Performance and Activity Participation (Stroke Self Efficacy Questionnaire - SSEQ): The mean change from baseline was 6.79 score on scale (Standard Deviation: 18.20). A t-test analysis reported a mean difference of 6.79 (95% Confidence Interval: -1.98 to 15.6) with a p-value of 0.121.
- Psychosocial Function (Global, Inventory of Psychosocial Functioning - IPF): The mean change from baseline was -1.32 score on scale (Standard Deviation: 10.92).
- Psychosocial Function (Sleep, PROMIS Sleep Disturbance): The mean change from baseline was -2.58 t-score (Standard Deviation: 11.98).
What this means
The results from this pilot study suggest that an 8-week tele-rehabilitation program combining cognitive rehabilitation with occupational therapy may offer benefits for stroke survivors. Statistically significant improvements were observed in objective measures of global cognition, as measured by the MoCA, and functional task performance, as measured by the PSFS and PQRS. While these findings are promising, it is important to note that the study involved a small cohort of 20 participants, and further research with larger populations is needed to confirm these effects. Measures of psychosocial function, subjective cognition, and self-efficacy did not show statistically significant changes in this pilot.
Source
The information regarding these trial results was obtained from ClinicalTrials.gov, a public database of clinical studies. The results for the study NCT06555302, titled "Cognitive Priming for Stroke Tele-rehabilitation", were posted on 2026-05-14 on clinicaltrials.gov.