Table 1.
Summary of studies on digital therapeutics as cognitive rehabilitation in stroke patients
| Study | Study design | Sample size (n) | Intervention | Study description | Stroke stage | Frequency of intervention | Follow-up | Outcome measures | Results |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Akerlund et al. (2013) [23] | RCT | IG: 20 | Online platform Cogmed QM | IG: standard rehabilitation with Cogmed training | Sub-acute | 30–45 min for 5 day/wk | 5 wk intervention | WAIS-III | Both IG and CG improved after their training in working memory, BNIS and digit span; however, a greater improvement in was seen in IG compared to CG. |
| CG: 18 | Digit span | ||||||||
| CG: standard cognitive rehabilitation | 6, 18 wk post-intervention | Spatial span | |||||||
| Working Memory sub-scale | |||||||||
| BNIS | |||||||||
| DEX | |||||||||
| Westerberg et al. (2007) [20] | Randomised pilot study | IG: 9 | Online platform Cogmed QM | IG: Cogmed | Chronic | 40 min, 5 day/wk | 5 wk intervention | CFQ | A significant improvement seen in working memory and attention, and decrease in cognitive symptoms |
| CG: 9 | CG: no training | Digit span | |||||||
| Span board | |||||||||
| PASAT | |||||||||
| Raven’s progressive matrices | |||||||||
| Claeson-Dahl test | |||||||||
| Richter et al. (2015) [24] | RCT | IG: 18 | Online platform WOME | IG: WOME training | Chronic | 1 hr/session, 9 sessions | 4 mo post-intervention | CFQ | Significant improvement in working memory in IG |
| CG: 18 | CG: standard rehabilitation | Digit span | |||||||
| Lundqvist et al. (2010) [21] | A controlled experimental study with a cross-over design | Group 1: 10 | Online platform Cogmed QM | Both groups received training program but at different times | Chronic | 45–60 min, 5 day/wk | 5 wk intervention | PASAT | A significant improvement in the working memory tasks after training and at follow-up |
| Group 2: 11 | 4, 20 wk post-intervention | CWIT | |||||||
| WAIS-III | |||||||||
| Listening Span Task | |||||||||
| The Picture Span | |||||||||
| Johansson et al. (2012) [22] | Prospective cohort study | 18 | Online platform Cogmed QM | Cognitive assessment at baseline, after training, and at follow-up was compared | Chronic | 30–45 min, 3 day/wk | 8 wk intervention | CFQ | A significant improvement in working memory tasks post-training, effect was maintained at follow-up |
| 6 mo post-intervention | COPM | ||||||||
| Des Roches et al. (2015) [25] | Clinical controlled study | IG: 42 | iPad based program | Both groups received 1 hr clinic session with a clinician | Chronic | 1 hr, once/wk | 10 wk intervention | WAB-R-CQ | Both groups showed an improvement over time, IG showed a greater positive change in accuracy and latency on the tasks than CG. |
| CG: 9 | Constant Therapy | IG also received Constant Therapy at home | CLQT | ||||||
| PAPT | |||||||||
| De Luca et al. (2018) [27] | RCT | IG: 6 | VR training with BTs-Nirvana using I-SIP | IG: VR training with BTs-Nirvana | Chronic | 45 min, 3 day/wk | 8 wk intervention | MoCA | Immediately after treatment, IG presented a greater improvement in TCR, MoCA, attention assessment, the verbal memory, and the visuo-spatial abilities compared to CG. Improvement persisted at follow-up only in IG. |
| CG: 6 | FIM | ||||||||
| CG: standard cognitive treatment presented by using a paper-and-pencil modality | 1 mo post-intervention | FAB | |||||||
| AM | |||||||||
| TCT MI |
RCT, randomized controlled trial; IG, intervention group; CG, control group; WAIS-III, Wechsler Adult Intelligence Scale-Third Edition; BNIS, Barrow Neurological Institute Screen for Higher Cerebral Functions; DEX,dysexecutive index; CFQ, Cognitive Failures Questionnaire; PASAT, Paced Auditory Serial Attention Test; WOME, Working Memory; CWIT, Color Word Interference Test; COPM, Canadian Occupational Performance Measure; WAB-R-CQ, Revised Western Aphasia Battery CQ; CLQT, Cognitive Linguistic Quick Test; PAPT, Pyramids and Palm Trees; VR, virtual reality; I-SIP, interactive-semi-immersive program; MoCA, Montreal Cognitive Assessment; FIM, Functional Independence Measure; FAB, Frontal Assessment Battery; AM, attentive matrices; TCT, Trunk Control Test; MI, Motricity Index scale.