Parkinson’s disease is a common neurodegenerative disorder, resulting in both motor and non-motor symptoms that significantly reduce quality of life. Treatment consists of both pharmaceutical and non-pharmaceutical treatment approaches. Neurorehabilitation is an important non-pharmaceutical treatment approach, and a prime component of this is formed by the training of behavioural adaptations that can assist patients to cope better with their motor and non-motor symptoms. Optimal delivery of neurorehabilitation requires a tailor-made, personalized approach. This article discusses the potential for growth in the field of neurorehabilitation. Specifically four relatively new developments: visual rehabilitation; cueing delivered by wearable devices; exergaming; and telemedicine.
Evidence in these new fields is growing, based on good clinical trials, fuelling hope that state-of-the-art neurorehabilitation can make a real impact on improving the quality of life of patients affected by Parkinson’s disease.