Papers
34
Total Citations
1,474
H-Index
21
About
Nicola Smania is a prominent rehabilitation medicine researcher whose work sits at the intersection of neurological rehabilitation, robotic-assisted therapy, and non-invasive brain stimulation. Based at the University of Verona, Smania has made substantial contributions to understanding how electromechanical and robotic devices can improve motor recovery in patients with stroke, Parkinson's disease, and multiple sclerosis. His most influential work explores robot-assisted gait training (RAGT) across these populations, investigating whether such technologies outperform conventional rehabilitation approaches for restoring walking ability, balance, and upper limb function. Notably, his research has probed the synergistic potential of combining RAGT with transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS) and transcutaneous spinal direct current stimulation, advancing knowledge of how cortical and spinal mechanisms interact during locomotor recovery. His 2011 pilot trial on tDCS combined with robotic gait training in stroke patients has garnered 130 citations, while his neurophysiological investigations using EEG to map brain oscillatory changes during robot-assisted movement offer mechanistic insights that refine clinical protocols. Collectively accumulating nearly 900 citations across his top works, Smania's rigorous randomized controlled trials and systematic reviews have meaningfully shaped evidence-based standards in neurorehabilitation.
Research Focus
Key Achievements
Top Papers
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- 3Robot-Assisted Gait Training in Patients With Parkinson Disease116 citations · 2012
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