Table 1 Descriptive checklist of eight clinical research studies plus one clinically relevant research study on Functional Neurology approach included in a critical review
1st Author Year Journal | Topic covered | Study subjects:-Type -Age (range) -Origin -Number (males/females) | -Intervention -Control (other than sham) -Sham | -Outcome -How was it assessed? | When was it assessed? | Ethics approval? (with a clear mention of its origin) | Conflict of interest (reported or supposed) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Malkowicz 2006 [20] Intern J Neuroscience | Cortical visual impairment | Intervention group -Pediatric patients diagnosed with cortical visual impairment −13-120 months -Selected from a clinical database −21 (?/?) Control group -Patients diagnosed with cortical visual impairment -? -Unclear − 67 (?/?) | -Individualized at-home intensive visual program, during 4–15 months -Retrospective control sample from a previous published study, probably on the natural course -None | -Visual level -Developmental profile (an evaluation tool, proper to the clinic from where the patients were recruited, which included a visual scale) | -Before -Follow-ups at least every 6 months if treatment lasted that long (only for intervention group, no exact time of follow-up(s) was given for the external control group) | Unclear | No mention about any potential conflict of interest |
Daubeny 2010 [21] Int J Disabil Hum Dev | Brain function | Intervention group -Healthy adults -(?-?) -? − 31 (?/?) Control group -Healthy adults -(?-?) -? − 31 (?/?) | −10 upper extremity manipulations -None -Upper extremity sham manipulations with unloaded activator instrument | -Blind-spot size -Blind-spot measurement | -Before -Immediately after | Unclear | Authors reported to have no competing interests However, at least 2 authors are known to have business interest in relation to the topic. |
Leisman 2010a [22] Int J Disabil Hum Dev | Attention-deficit hyperactivity disorders | Intervention group 1 -Children with ADHD − 6-11 years -Several clinics − 36 (36/0) Intervention group 2 -“Normal” children -Age-matched with the ADHD group -? − 15 (15/0) Control group 1 -Children with ADHD − 6-11 years -Several clinics − 42 (42/0) Control group 2 -“Normal” children -Age-matched with the ADHD group -? − 16 (16/0) | -Motor sequencing training, 3-month course -No motor sequencing training -None | -Signal detection performance -Signal detection task | -Before -After | No information was found | No mention about any potential conflict of interest However, at least 1 author is known to have a business interest in relation to the topic. |
Leisman 2010b [23] Int J Adolesc Med Health | Attention deficit-disorders/Attention-deficit hyperactivity disorders | -Child patients with ADD/ADHD −6-12 years -Clinics (said to be associated with one of the authors) −122 (94/28) | −12-weeks individualized hemispheric specific remediation program, 3 times/week, 1 h each (i.e. 36 sessions) -None -None | 1- Sensory and motor function 2- Academic performance 3- Behaviors 1- Functional assessments of sensory and motor function 2- Wechsler Individual Achievement Tests 3- Brown Attention Deficit Disorders Scales | -Before -After | No information was found | Yes, 1 is reported: Patients came from clinics where 3 of the authors have financial interest in the topic. In addition, the project was funded by an institution with known financial interest in the area. |
Carrick 2011 [16] Funct Neurol Rehabil Ergon | Balance | -Adults −24-52 years -? −25 (16/9) | -Whole body rotation over 40 s -None -None | -Stability and sway -Dynamic computerized posturography system (CAPS™ Professional System) | -Before -After | Unclear | Yes, 1 is reported: Two authors “are currently employed and are part owners of the Vestibular Technologies, LLC” In addition, the project was funded by an institution with known financial interest in this area. |
Castellanos 2012 [24] Funct Neurol Rehabil Ergon | Stated in title: traumatic brain injury but according to Methods: stroke | Intervention group -Adult patients with traumatic brain injury − 18-51 years -? − 15 (?/?) Control group -Healthy volunteers age and gender-matched -Age-matched with the intervention group -? − 14 (?/?) | -Individualized neuropsychological rehabilitation, 3–4 times/week for 1 h/session, during 7–12 months +/− associated with physiotherapy, speech therapy, and/or occupational therapy -“Control group” at baseline only (healthy subjects were not subjected to any intervention) -None | -Complexity and entropy of brain activity -Magneto-encephalography | -Before -After (only for intervention group, control group was assessed only at baseline) | Unclear | No mention about any potential conflict of interest |
Carrick 2013 [17] Funct Neurol Rehabil Ergon | Balance | Study 1: -Healthy adult volunteers −20-60 years -Recruited from advertisements −52 (31/21) Study sample was randomly allocated to 4 groups, details regarding age (range) and gender were not given for each of them. Study 2: -Healthy adult volunteers − 20-61 years -Recruited from advertisements − 56 (33/23) Study sample was randomly allocated to 4 groups, details regarding age (range) and gender were not given for each of them. | Both studies: -Whole body rotation over 40 s for all groups -Each group (4 per study) differed in terms of pitch and yaw planes during whole body rotation -None | Study 1: -Eight posturographic measures Study 2: -Six poturographic measures Both studies: -Dynamic computerized posturography system (CAPS™Professional System) | Both studies: -Before -Immediately after − 1 day after −1 week after | Unclear | No mention about any potential conflict of interest However, at least 1 author is known to have a business interest in relation to the topic. Another 2 have/had a financial interest in the posturography equipment [16]. |
Sullivan 2013 [18] Funct Neurol Rehabil Ergon | Migraine | Intervention group -Female adult patients or volunteers, all in midst of a migraine attack − 15-53 years -Referred from local medical clinics or recruited from advertisements − 13 (0/13) Control group -Female adult patients or volunteers, all in midst of a migraine attack − 25-38 years -Referred from local medical clinics or recruited from advertisements − 3 (0/3) | -Pneumatic ear insufflation, provided in roughly 30s intervals with a minimum of 3 insufflations -None -Otoscope with insufflation speculum with no pneumatic pressure applied | -Pain -Visual analog scale | -Before -During (after each insufflation) -30 min after -4 h after -24 h after | Unclear | No mention about any potential conflict of interest |
Bousquet 2015 [19] Funct Neurol Rehabil Ergon | Attention-deficit hyperactivity disorders /Autism-spectrum disorders | -Student volunteers with ADHD or ADS (identified with a “right-hemisphere weaknesses”) -Hemisphere integration therapy tutoring center − 7-16 years − 12 (10/2) | -Individualized hemisphere integration therapy, 36 individual/group sessions, 3 times/week, 1 h each, combined with nutritional training and home exercises -None -None | 1-Self-perception of academic, sensory, and motor abilities 2-Behavior 3-Cognitive skills 4-Senrory and motor skills 1-Semi-structured interviews 2-Brown Attention Deficit Scales / Gilliam Autism Rating Scales / Gilliam Asperger’s Syndrome Scales 3-Wechsler Individual Achievement Test III 4-Perdue Pegboard performance / Dichotic Word Listening Test / Aerobic, core and balance exercises | -Before -After | No information was found | No mention about any potential conflict of interest |