Brain Sciences, Vol. 15, Pages 644: Exploring the Impact of Robotic Hand Rehabilitation on Functional Recovery in Parkinson’s Disease: A Randomized Controlled Trial

Brain Sciences doi: 10.3390/brainsci15060644

Authors:
Loredana Raciti
Desiree Latella
Gianfranco Raciti
Chiara Sorbera
Mirjam Bonanno
Laura Ciatto
Giuseppe Andronaco
Angelo Quartarone
Giuseppe Di Lorenzo
Rocco Salvatore Calabrò

Background/Objective: Parkinson’s disease (PD) is characterized by motor and cognitive impairments that significantly affect quality of life. Robotic-assisted therapies, such as the AMADEO® system, have shown potential in rehabilitating upper limb function but are underexplored in PD. This study aimed to assess the effects of Robotic-Assisted Therapy (RAT) compared to Conventional Physical Therapy (CPT) on cognitive, motor, and functional outcomes in PD patients. Methods: A single-blind, randomized controlled trial was conducted with PD patients allocated to RAT or CPT. Participants were assessed at baseline (T0) and post-intervention (T1) using measures including MoCA, FAB, UPDRS-III, 9-Hole Peg Test, FMA-UE, FIM, and PDQ-39. Statistical analyses included ANCOVA and regression models. Results: RAT led to significant improvements in global cognition (MoCA, p < 0.001) and executive functioning (FAB, p = 0.0002) compared to CPT. Motor function improved, particularly in wrist and hand control (FMA-UE), whereas changes in fine motor dexterity (9-Hole Peg Test) were less consistent and did not reach robust significance. No significant improvements were observed in broader quality of life domains, depressive symptoms, or memory-related cognitive measures. However, quality of life improved significantly in the stigma subdomain of the PDQ-39 (p = 0.0075). Regression analyses showed that baseline motor impairment predicted cognitive outcomes. Conclusions: RAT demonstrated superior cognitive and motor benefits in PD patients compared to CPT. These results support the integration of robotic rehabilitation into PD management. Further studies with larger sample sizes and long-term follow-up are needed to validate these findings and assess their sustainability.

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