Objective: The aim of this study is to elucidate the physiologic and cognitive benefit of horticultural therapy (HT) to the patients with acquired brain lesions including stroke and traumatic brain injury.
Method: A prospective case-control study was performed. The patients who had all of following conditions were included; 1) first-ever stroke or traumatic brain injury; 2) Stable dynamic sitting balance and sitting on a chair more than 60 minutes; 3) No severe aphasia or hearing disturbance; 4) No combined disease affecting their neurological, physical or functional status; 5) No experience to HT and willing to participate the therapy. Nine patients were participated to HT, and another 9 patients were selected as controls. All patients received conventional occupational therapies. The HT programs were constituted a one-hour session per day, and total 10 sessions during two weeks, and performed by a horticultural therapist. The National Institutes of Health Stroke Scale (NIHSS), Korean version modified Barthel index (K-MBI), Fugl-Meyer assessment, Jebsen-Taylor hand function tests of involved side, and the Korean Mini-mental State Examination (K-MMSE) were evaluated to all subject initially, just after 2-week HT, and 1 month after second assessments.
Results: Demographic variables (age, gender) were not different between two groups. Most of assessed scales (NIHSS, K-MBI, hand functions, and K-MMSE) had been improved at follow-up periods compared to initial status but the improvements did not show any difference between control and HT-received groups.
Conclusion: Horticultural therapy did not give any additional neurological, functional and cognitive benefit in addition to conventional occupational therapy for the patients with acquired brain lesions. Further study using upgraded protocols with more participants is needed to reveal the effect of horticultural therapy in the future.
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