Manual Dexterity Training and Cognitive Function in Adults with Stroke: A Scoping Review

TL;DR

This review explores how training manual dexterity can improve cognitive function and daily activities in adults who have had a stroke.

Contribution

The study identifies the most common intervention techniques and assessment tools used in manual dexterity training for stroke patients.

Findings

Robotics and virtual reality are the most frequently used interventions for manual dexterity training.

Training manual dexterity and upper-limb motor skills improves attention, memory, and executive functions.

Occupational therapists or physiotherapists often lead these interventions for better rehabilitation outcomes.

Abstract

Background: Acquired brain injury (ABI) affects manual dexterity (MD) and cognitive functions, limiting daily activity performance. Occupational therapy aims to improve functionality and quality of life. Objective: To examine and describe the available evidence on the impact of MD training on cognitive processes and functional performance in adults with stroke, as well as to identify the most commonly used assessment tools and intervention techniques. Methods: Scoping review. A systematic literature search was conducted in PubMed and Scopus to identify experimental studies from the last 10 years involving adults with ABI who participated in interventions targeting upper-limb, MD, and cognitive function. A three-phase screening was carried out by two authors with duplicates removed using Zotero version 7.0. Results: Ten articles published between 2016 and 2023 were included. The most frequent interventions involved robotics and virtual reality. Eight studies were conducted by occupational therapists or included occupational therapy involvement, while two were conducted by physiotherapists. Training MD and upper-limb motor skills led to improvements in attention, memory, and executive functions. Conclusions: Findings support combined motor–cognitive interventions carried out by occupational therapists or physiotherapists to optimize rehabilitation outcomes, although further research is needed to strengthen the evidence.

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