Abstract:
Objectives: To carry out a comparison between serum BDNF levels as well as enhancement in upper limb motor function
in terms of gross movement, pinch, grip, primary grasp, pre and post intervention in the study and control groups.
Study design And Setting: It was a Randomized Control Study conducted from March 2015 to March 2016 at Holy Family
Hospital Rawalpindi in collaboration with the Multidisciplinary research laboratory at Islamic International Medical College,
Rawalpindi.
Methodology: In this study; forty stroke patients were randomly designated to either the study group or the control group.
Upper limb activity capability which was quantified by Action Research Arm Test (ARAT) and serum Brain Derived
Neurotrophic Factor (BDNF) was measured in both control and study group. The control group underwent traditional upper
limb physiotherapy for 16 sessions. The study group underwent Constraint Induced Movement Therapy for the upper limb
in combination with the use of motion capture video gaming technology for 16 sessions each of twenty minutes duration.
Before and after completion of intervention sessions; ARAT and serum BDNF were measured and compared in both control
and study groups.
Results: Serum BDNF levels was significantly improved in study group as compare to control group (p<0.001). ARAT
showed significant improvement in study group participants as compare to control groups (p<0.001).
Conclusion: Virtual rehabilitation was an efficacious method for Neuroplastic enhancement in stroke patients.
