Stroke, also called stroke, is the third leading cause of premature death in men and women worldwide according to statistics published by the WHO. And among the survivors there are often both physical and cognitive sequelae that pose a challenge for the functional rehabilitation of those affected. Although it can happen at an early age, stroke is more common after 55 years , which means that many of these people are in full working age and with a life to enjoy at all levels.
This is one of the reasons that leads to the search for new forms of cognitive and physical rehabilitation for these patients. In this context we find a new study, still in press, in the journal International Psychogeriatrics (2015) that has been carried out by researchers from the University of Regensburg in Germany.
The researchers, Tobias Schachten and Petra Jansen, had the collaboration of 24 participants between the ages of 23 and 72, who were divided into two subgroups according to the rehabilitation program: one who would undergo golf training and the other who would carry out social communication meetings . As is customary in this type of study, all participants carried out evaluations before and after the intervention. Specifically, attention, visuospatial memory, the ability to make mental rotations, a balance test and an emotional well-being test were evaluated.
The results showed that, after 10 weeks and two weekly sessions, both groups improved in attention, visual-spatial memory and the balance test. However, only the group that trained to golf showed improvement in the capacity for mental rotation , with which the authors conclude that it could be a way to improve the ability of visual imagery in patients who have suffered a stroke.
It is not the only thing that can be done. Walking, taking care of your diet, training your memory or listening to music can be other resources not only to recover after a stroke, but also to stimulate a healthy brain.
Marisa Fernández, Senior Neuropsychologist , Unobrain
