The effect of mental rotation training of hands for upper extremity motor function and cognition in people post-stroke: A randomized controlled trial

Why clinicians should know about it

• Picked for Rehabilitation (top studies of the week, 6 September 2026): RCT of mental rotation training post‑stroke

Abstract

Stroke sequelae impose heavy socioeconomic burdens. The hand mental rotation task (HMRT), imagined hand rotation training, may boost upper-limb motor and cognitive recovery yet lacks sufficient stroke rehabilitation evidence. Neuroimaging and transcranial magnetic stimulation research have verified its neural mechanisms. This study explored HMRT's effects on post-stroke motor and cognitive function. Thirty stroke survivors (18 ischemic, 12 hemorrhagic) with moderate-severe upper limb dysfunction were randomized to an intervention group (IG) or a control group (CG), with a mean Fugl-Meyer Assessment of Upper Extremity (FMA-UE) score of 29.13 and Brunnstrom stages II-V. The CG received 60-minute daily conventional rehabilitation treatment (CRT), 6 days weekly for 3 weeks; the IG received CRT combined with an extra 30 min of daily HMRT. Assessments including the FMA-UE, wrist range of motion (ROM) on pronation and supination, Modified Barthel Index (MBI), and Montreal Cognitive Assessment (MoCA) were implemented before and after the intervention. The IG displayed significant improvements in FMA-UE, MBI, and MoCA compared to the CG, providing a basis for HMRT as a potentially effective supplementary therapy for improving upper limb and cognitive function post-stroke.

Abstract as published, via PubMed.