Speakers - 2026

Title: Cognitive and psychoemotional recovery in Ukrainian military personnel with upper limb amputations is enhanced through robotic-assisted rehabilitation

Abstract

Upper limb traumatic injuries in military personnel are commonly associated with post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), anxiety, depression, and cognitive dysfunction. While standard rehabilitation programs improve physical recovery, the additional neuropsychological benefits of robotic-assisted rehabilitation remain insufficiently explored.

This study evaluated the effectiveness of robotic-assisted rehabilitation combined with standard therapy in Ukrainian military personnel with upper limb traumatic injuries. Fifty-eight participants were enrolled in the study. Group 1 (n=29) received conventional rehabilitation, whereas Group 2 (n=29) received conventional rehabilitation supplemented with robotic therapy using the DIEGO® system. Clinical assessments were performed at baseline, day 14, day 30, and day 120 using validated scales including PCL-5, GAD-7, PHQ-9, and MoCA.

At baseline, both groups demonstrated comparable psychoemotional distress and moderate cognitive impairment without significant differences: PCL-5 scores were 57.4±5.9 vs. 57.1±6.0 (p=0.82), GAD-7 scores 15.0±3.1 vs. 14.8±3.0 (p=0.76), PHQ-9 scores 17.5±3.7 vs. 17.7±3.9 (p=0.88), and MoCA scores 23.4±2.2 vs. 23.5±2.3 (p=0.71).

By day 30, participants receiving robotic-assisted therapy demonstrated significantly greater improvements in PTSD symptoms (46.2±5.5 vs. 39.9±5.1; p=0.004; Cohen’s d=1.18), depressive symptoms (13.4±3.4 vs. 10.1±3.0; p=0.02), and cognitive performance measured by MoCA (24.8±2.0 vs. 26.0±1.8; p=0.01). At day 120, the robotic rehabilitation group maintained superior outcomes: PCL-5 scores decreased to 27.4±4.7 compared with 35.1±5.0 in the control group (p=0.001; η²=0.29), GAD-7 scores improved to 6.5±2.2 vs. 9.1±2.7 (p=0.005), PHQ-9 scores to 7.4±2.4 vs. 10.2±3.0 (p=0.007), and MoCA scores increased to 27.3±1.7 vs. 25.2±2.0 (p=0.002).

Repeated-measures ANOVA demonstrated significant time and group interaction effects across all neuropsychological scales (p<0.001). The findings indicate that robotic-assisted rehabilitation accelerates psychoemotional stabilization and enhances neurocognitive recovery in military rehabilitation programs.

What will the audience take away from presentation?

• Understanding the role of robotic-assisted rehabilitation in neuropsychological recovery.
• Evidence-based data regarding PTSD, anxiety, depression, and cognitive improvement.
• Practical approaches for integrating robotic technologies into rehabilitation programs.
• Statistical evidence supporting improved recovery outcomes with robotic therapy.
• Perspectives for future multidisciplinary rehabilitation research.