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Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease COPD causes exercise intolerance and difficulty performing daily activities due to symptoms like breathlessness and fatigue. This research evaluates whether adding upper limb endurance training to the usual lower limb rehabilitation improves patients ability to perform daily tasks, compared to the standard lower limb training alone. The study is a randomized controlled trial aiming to improve exercise tolerance and quality of life in COPD patients. Participants will be assigned to one of two rehabilitation programs lasting 14 daily sessions of 90 minutes each. One group will perform lower limb training on a stationary bike plus strengthening exercises. The other group will combine lower limb cycling, arm ergometer training, and strengthening exercises for both upper and lower limbs. All sessions will be supervised by physiotherapists, and education about disease management will be provided. Throughout the study, participants will undergo clinical evaluations including lung function tests, blood gas analysis, and quality of life questionnaires. The main measurement is the time taken to complete the GLITTRE test, assessing daily living activities, evaluated from randomization to the end of the program up to 16 days. Secondary outcomes include changes in effort tolerance for upper and lower limbs and energy cost of walking. Safety and progress will be monitored during the rehabilitation period.

Researchers are investigating how adding a therapeutic dose of oxygen during exercise affects people with chronic respiratory failure or exertional hypoxemia due to chronic obstructive pulmonary disease COPD or interstitial lung disease. This multicenter crossover trial aims to evaluate exercise performance, gas exchange, heart rate, symptom perception, and ease of performing exercise in patients hospitalized in pulmonary rehabilitation centers. The study will compare walking ability during two conditions using the 6-minute walk test to understand the benefits of different oxygen levels during exertion. Participants will perform two 6-minute walk tests in random order within 24 hours. One test uses their usual oxygen flow prescribed at rest or room air for those with exertional hypoxemia, while the other uses double the prescribed oxygen flow or 2 liters per minute for patients with exertional hypoxemia. Oxygen is delivered through nasal cannulas with a stroller carrying the oxygen supply. Tests are separated by at least 3 hours. The study groups include patients with COPD with exertional hypoxemia, COPD with chronic respiratory failure on long-term oxygen therapy, and interstitial lung disease with chronic respiratory failure on long-term oxygen therapy. Participants will be assessed for walking distance, oxygen saturation, heart rate, blood pressure, and symptoms such as breathlessness and fatigue before, during, and after the tests. A questionnaire will capture how easy participants found the test. Researchers will analyze the difference in walking distance between conditions as the primary outcome. The study will also examine how clinical and anthropometric factors influence responses to oxygen therapy. The total planned enrollment is 114 patients, and the trial will provide insights for better oxygen therapy prescriptions during exercise.

Researchers are evaluating the effects of trans-auricular vagus nerve stimulation tVNS on neuromotor recovery in patients who have had a stroke within the past six months and are in the subacute phase. This randomized pilot clinical study aims to see if combining tVNS with traditional or robotic upper limb rehabilitation can enhance motor recovery. The study is sponsored by Istituti Clinici Scientifici Maugeri SpA and focuses on improving upper limb function after stroke using non-invasive nerve stimulation. Participants will be randomly assigned to one of four groups receiving either traditional rehabilitation or robotic-assisted rehabilitation with the Khymeia device. Each group will also receive either active tVNS or sham tVNS using the Parasym4 device. Active tVNS involves non-invasive stimulation of the auricular branch of the vagus nerve at the left ear for 60 minutes a day, five days a week, over four weeks. Sham tVNS uses the same schedule but stimulates a non-vagal area on the left earlobe. During the study, participants will undergo assessments including the Fugl-Meyer Assessment for upper limb motor function at baseline and after four weeks of treatment. Secondary measures include tests of functional independence, cognitive abilities, mood, anxiety, and neurophysiological parameters. Researchers will monitor participants for adverse effects, expected to be minimal, and track recovery progress over the treatment period. The total study duration for each participant is four weeks of intervention with evaluations before and after treatment.

Researchers are evaluating whether a high-tech rehabilitation circuit is more effective than traditional rehabilitation methods for improving function, especially balance control, in patients with acute neuromuscular diseases NMDs. The study focuses on conditions such as Guillain-Barre9 Syndrome GBS, Critical Illness Myopathy CIM, and Critical Illness Polyneuropathy CIP, aiming to improve motor function, fatigue, muscle loss, cognitive engagement, and overall quality of life. The study compares two groups one receiving high-tech rehabilitation using robotic verticalization systems, virtual reality devices, stabilometric platforms, and robotic treadmills, and a control group receiving standard rehabilitation care. The high-tech group is further divided into three phases based on balance ability measured by the Berg Balance Scale, with treatments tailored accordingly. The intervention lasts up to 60 days. Participants will undergo assessments of balance, motor function, walking ability, muscle strength, fatigue, and quality of life at multiple time points during the 60-day treatment period. Researchers will measure changes in balance using the Berg Balance Scale as the primary outcome. Secondary outcomes include functional independence, trunk control, walking tests, and patient perception of the rehabilitation technology. Safety and adherence will also be monitored throughout the study.

This research aims to evaluate whether a rehabilitation program that uses advanced technologies like robotic systems, virtual reality, and stabilometric platforms is not worse than traditional rehabilitation in reducing fatigue and improving balance, motor skills, and quality of life in adults with chronic neuromuscular diseases such as ALS, CIDP, and Charcot-Marie-Tooth disease. The study is designed as an interventional, randomized, double-blind trial to compare these two rehabilitation approaches. Participants will be assigned to one of two groups the robotic treatment group or the control group. The robotic group will engage in motor and cognitive exercises using devices such as VRRS EVO for virtual reality, GEA MASTER or PROKIN Technobody platforms for balance training, and Walkerview Technobody robotic treadmills for aerobic exercises, combined with usual physiotherapy. The control group will receive traditional rehabilitation treatments as per standard clinical practice. Treatment effects will be measured over a 60-day period. During the study, participants will undergo various assessments including fatigue severity, walking and mobility tests, quality of life surveys, patient perception questionnaires, and disease-specific functional rating scales at multiple time points from baseline to day 60. Researchers will monitor changes in these measures to determine the impact of the high-tech rehabilitation compared to traditional methods. The total participation time includes multiple visits and evaluations during the study timeline ending in March 2026.

Subjective cognitive decline SCD is a condition where individuals experience cognitive difficulties without these issues being detected through standard diagnostic or neuropsychological tests. This condition can affect a persons frailty and quality of life and may be an early sign of more severe cognitive problems like mild cognitive impairment or dementia. Researchers aim to evaluate a new screening tool called MASCoD Multidimensional Assessment of Subjective Cognitive Decline to detect and monitor SCD and to predict the risk of developing severe cognitive decline over time. The study involves outpatients who will undergo a detailed evaluation including neuropsychological testing and brain imaging with 18F-FDG-PET. Participants will then be randomly assigned to one of two groups an experimental group receiving cognitive training using technological devices Neurotablet supervised by a neuropsychologist, or a wait list control group that will not receive training initially but will be offered the same cognitive stimulation after the study period. The cognitive training consists of about 30 minutes of offline exercises five days a week for eight weeks and a weekly one-hour face-to-face session. Participants will be assessed at baseline and again after six months to one year using the MASCoD tool and neuropsychological evaluations. The researchers will measure the validity of MASCoD by comparing its scores to brain imaging and neuropsychological results and will also evaluate its usefulness in monitoring patients over time and identifying those who may benefit most from cognitive training. The study includes safety monitoring and follow-up assessments, with participation lasting up to one year.

Researchers are studying cognitive impairment and dementia caused by vascular diseases or multiple causes in older adults. The study aims to evaluate the effectiveness of three different rehabilitation programs combining cognitive and motor training to improve cognitive functions. This research is important because physical exercise has shown benefits for health and cognition, but the role of cognitive rehabilitation is not yet clear, especially when combined with new technologies. The trial compares three groups one receiving only motor rehabilitation, one receiving motor rehabilitation plus paper-based cognitive exercises, and one receiving motor rehabilitation plus digital cognitive exercises using a tablet. Each intervention includes sessions focused on walking, balance, strength, and cognitive tasks covering attention, memory, and executive functions. Treatments last for 8 weeks. Participants will be evaluated before and after the 8-week intervention and again after 3 months. Researchers will assess cognitive performance, attention, motor skills, mood, daily living activities, quality of life, treatment adherence, communication, caregiver burden, and usability of digital tools when applicable. The total study participation spans approximately 3 months, including follow-up assessments to monitor changes and safety.

Researchers are examining how different types of pain and autonomic symptoms affect people diagnosed with Parkinsons disease PD and multiple system atrophy MSA receiving care at Maugeri Clinical Scientific Institutes. The study aims to evaluate the prevalence and characteristics of pain and autonomic dysfunction, assess how rehabilitation impacts these symptoms, and understand their effect on quality of life for both inpatients and outpatients. All participants will receive a neurological exam and participate in a rehabilitation program designed to improve strength, coordination, balance, endurance, and daily living skills. Clinical scales will be used to assess disease stage, severity, motor and non-motor symptoms, cognitive function, depression, autonomic dysfunction, pain, and quality of life. The study compares patients with PD and MSA and measures outcomes before and after an average 30-day rehabilitation period. Participants will undergo evaluations at recruitment and after completing rehabilitation, including assessments of pain and autonomic symptoms. Researchers will monitor changes in clinical scores and quality of life throughout the study. This observational study will provide insights to help clinicians better manage disability and tailor rehabilitation strategies to improve patients well-being over the course of their care.

Researchers are studying the effects of adding music to rehabilitation training for patients with Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease COPD and chronic respiratory failure CRF. This trial compares usual rehabilitation training to training supported by music, aiming to see if music can improve exercise capacity, endurance, and reduce fatigue and breathlessness. Previous studies suggest music may help reduce symptoms like anxiety and dyspnea and improve quality of life for COPD patients during exercise. Participants will be randomly assigned to one of two groups a music-supported training group or a usual training group without music. The music group listens to selected music styles with a constant rhythm designed to synchronize with cycling exercise sessions lasting about 30 minutes. Both groups perform supervised training on a cycle ergometer, with the only difference being the presence or absence of music. Training occurs 5 to 6 times per week over 12 to 14 sessions. Throughout the study, participants will undergo various assessments including lung function tests, 6-minute walk tests, muscle strength measurements, blood gas analysis, and exercise endurance tests. Heart rate, oxygen saturation, and breathlessness levels will be monitored before and after each session. The primary outcome is the change in walking test performance after up to three weeks of training, with additional evaluations of breathlessness, fatigue, and disease impact on daily activities. Safety, adherence, and reasons for withdrawal will also be tracked by the study team.

Researchers are evaluating rehabilitation methods for patients who have had a stroke within the past six months. The study aims to compare rehabilitation using Robot and Allied Digital Technologies RADTs with traditional rehabilitation, focusing on the recovery of daily living activities. This multicenter randomized controlled trial seeks to determine if rehabilitation with RADTs is not worse than traditional methods, while also exploring potential benefits, usability, and economic sustainability. Participants will be randomly assigned to one of two groups. The experimental group receives rehabilitation with RADTs, involving devices for upper and lower limb motor skills, gait, balance, and cognitive abilities, supervised by two physical therapists managing 4 to 6 patients. The control group undergoes traditional one-on-one rehabilitation targeting the same domains without robotic devices. Both groups complete 25 sessions of 45 minutes each, with inpatient treatments held five times a week for five weeks and outpatient treatments three times a week for about eight weeks. Throughout the study, participants will have various assessments including the modified Barthel Index to measure daily living activities, motor and sensory function tests, balance scales, cognitive tests, pain scales, and neurophysiological and biomarker evaluations. Follow-up evaluations will continue monthly for six months after treatment. Data are collected uniformly across centers to assess effectiveness, patient and caregiver acceptance, and economic impact of the rehabilitation methods.