Table 1 Demographic, neurological, and functional characteristics of the experimental and control group at baseline

Age (years)^a

64.3 (17.4), 42–94 (66)

t = − 0.05, p = 0.96

Gender^b

χ² = 0.6, p = 0.80

Male

4 (40)

Female

6 (60)

Education (years)^a

13.5 (2.1), 10–16 (14)

t = 1.20, p = 0.24

Rehab NIHSS^a

3.0 (1.8), 0–5 (3.5)

t = 0.67, p = 0.52

Time since stroke (days)^a

22.8 (14.8), 8–44 (24)

t = − 1.07, p = 0.30

Ischemic Stroke^b

9 (90)

Hemorrhagic Stroke^b

1 (10)

Left-sided lesion^b

4 (40)

Right-sided lesion^b

6 (60)

Oxfordshire Classification

χ² = 4.96, p = 0.17

TACI/H^b

5 (50)

LACI/H^b

1 (10)

PACI/H^b

2 (20)

POCI/H^b

2 (20)

MoCA baseline^a

18.4 (2.5), 14–22 (18.5)

t = −0.53, p = 0.61

BBT baseline, MAH^a

21.8 (12.8), 12–43 (15)

t = 0.08, p = 0.94

BBT baseline, LAH^a

45.1 (7.9), 30–56 (44.5)

t = 0.18, p = 0.86

GMLT Errors baseline

107.8 (12.3), 92–124 (104)

t = − 0.46, p = 0.65

Set Shift Errors baseline

64.9 (10.1), 50–79 (68.5)

t = 0.07, p = 0.95

NFI baseline

181.1 (36.6), 124–255 (180.5)

t = − 0.10, p = 0.92