Use of Sensory Substitution to Improve Arm Control After Stroke

Launched by MARQUETTE UNIVERSITY · Sep 26, 2017

Keywords

ClinConnect Summary

This clinical trial is exploring a new way to help stroke survivors regain better control of their arms. After a stroke, many people lose their sense of where their arm is in space, which can make it difficult to perform everyday tasks. The study will look at whether a special type of feedback called vibrotactile stimulation—think of it like gentle vibrations—can help improve arm movement and function in people who have had a stroke.

To participate in this trial, individuals must be stroke survivors who are at least six months into their recovery. They should have some ability to move their arms but still face challenges due to a loss of proprioception, which is the sense that helps us know where our body parts are without looking. Participants will take part in activities like reaching for objects and simulating drinking from a glass to see how well they can move their arms with this new support. If you're interested in participating or want to learn more, it's important to check your eligibility based on the specific criteria outlined in the study.

Gender

ALL

Eligibility criteria

• Inclusion Criteria:
• • stroke survivors who can perform our stabilization and grip modulation tasks and who
• • had a single ischemic or hemorrhagic stroke of the middle cerebral artery (MCA) in the chronic state of recovery (\> 6 months post-stroke).
• • ability to give informed consent and be able to follow two-stage instructions.
• • mild-to-moderate motor impairment as assessed using the upper extremity (UE) portion of the Fugl-Meyer Motor Assessment (FM); i.e., UE-FM score between 28 and 50 (inclusive) out of a possible 66.
• • proprioceptive deficit at the elbow in the more involved (contralesional) arm.
• • preserved tactile sensation in either the ipsilesional arm and/or thigh.
• • a minimal active wrist extension of 5°.
• Exclusion Criteria:
• • Inability of subjects to give informed consent or follow two-stage instructions.
• • subjects with a bleeding disorder.
• • subjects with fixed contractures or a history of tendon transfer in the involved limb.
• • subjects with a diagnosis of myasthenia gravis, amyotrophic lateral sclerosis or any disease that might interfere with neuromuscular function.
• • subjects who are currently using or under the influence of aminoglycoside antibiotics, curare-like agents, or other agents that may interfere with neuromuscular function.
• • subjects with a history of epilepsy.
• • history of other psychiatric co-morbidities (e.g. schizophrenia).
• • malignant or benign intra-axial neoplasms.
• • concurrent illness limiting the capacity to conform to study requirements.
• • Cardiac pacemaker, cardiac arrhythmia or history of significant cardiovascular or respiratory compromise.
• • subjects with profound atrophy or excessive weakness of muscles in the target area(s) of testing.
• • subjects with a systemic infection.