Investigation of the effect of sensory-motor integration training on cognitive functions, balance and gait in patients with idiopathic parkinson's disease

The study aimed to investigate the effects of sensory-motor integration training on cognitive functions, balance and gait in patients with Parkinson's disease. Forty patients with Parkinson's disease aged between 45-75 years were included in the study and randomized into two groups. Patients in the control group were asked to continue their routine lives and no intervention was made. Patients in the study group were given sensory-motor integration training for 60 minutes, 3 days a week, for 8 weeks. Both groups were evaluated at the study's beginning, 8th week and 12th week. In the study, the Limits of Stability Test (LOS), Modified Sensory Integration and Clinical Assessment of Balance Test (mCTSIB), Walk Across Test (WA), Sit-to-Stand Tests (STS) in static posturography, as well as the Modified Dynamic Gait Index (MDGI) and Functional Reach Test (FRT) were used to evaluate balance and gait. For the evaluation of cognitive functions, Symbol Digit Modalities Test (SRMT), Quick Mild Cognitive Impairment Screening (QMCI), Stroop Test and Clock Drawing Test (CDT) were used. At the beginning of the study, it was observed that the groups were similar regarding all evaluations (p>0.05). In the 8th and 12th week evaluations, a statistically significant difference was observed in favor of the treatment group in all LOS test subparameters except reaction time, WA, STS, mCTSIB tests, mDGI, FUT, CDT, QMCI and Stroop Test scores between the groups (p<0.05). In SRMT, significant improvement was observed only in the treatment group, while no difference was observed between the groups (p>0.05). The study results showed that sensory-motor integration training improved balance, gait and cognitive functions in patients with Parkinson's Disease and that these improvements were maintained for 1 month after treatment. These results suggest that sensory-motor integration training should be added to physiotherapy programs in PD clinics.