Effect of visual training on cognitive function in stroke patients

Objective To observe the effect of visual training on cognitive function in stoke patients. Methods Eighty stroke patients with cognitive dysfunction were divided into two groups ( n = 40 in each group). The control group received conventional rehabilitation therapies. The experimental group received visual training in addition to the conventional therapies. This training was administered for 30 min once a day, five times a week, for four weeks. All patients were screened with the Montreal Cognitive Assessment (MoCA) both before and after the four weeks of intervention. Results After the four-week intervention, patients in the experimental group increased their scores for attention and concentration, executive function, memory, visual skills, abstract thinking, calculation, and directional force, as well as their total standard score ( p < 0.01). The patients in the control group also increased their scores in the executive function, visual skills and abstract thinking, as well as their total standard score ( p < 0.05). However, the experimental group scored higher than the control group for both the individual and total standard scores ( p < 0.05). Conclusion Visual training could improve cognitive function of patients with stroke.