Operant Conditioning for Neuromodulation

Launched by STACEY DEJONG · Mar 4, 2018

Keywords

ClinConnect Summary

This clinical trial, called "Operant Conditioning for Neuromodulation," is exploring a new way to help people, especially those who have had a stroke, regain better control of their arm and hand movements. The study focuses on a technique called operant conditioning, which is a learning method where behaviors are strengthened through rewards. By using electrical stimulation on nerves and rewarding specific muscle responses, the researchers aim to change how active the spinal reflexes are, which could lead to improved movement in the upper limbs.

To participate in this trial, you need to be either a healthy individual with normal arm function or someone who has had a stroke and experiences some upper limb movement difficulties. Key criteria for healthy participants include being in good health and able to provide informed consent. For those with a stroke, it’s essential to have had the stroke at least three months ago and to experience some sensorimotor impairment. Participants will engage in activities that track their movement performance and help the researchers understand the potential benefits of this new rehabilitation strategy. This could pave the way for innovative treatments that enhance recovery after a stroke.

Gender

ALL

Eligibility criteria

• Inclusion Criteria for Healthy Group:
• • Able and willing to provide informed consent
• • Normal function of both upper extremities
• • Generally in good health
• Exclusion Criteria for Healthy Group:
• • Any self-reported disease or disorder that might affect this study, including neurologic, psychiatric, muscular, orthopedic, cardiac, vascular, pulmonary, hematologic, infectious, immune, gastrointestinal, urogenital, integumentary, oncologic, or endocrine conditions
• • Any self-reported or demonstrated loss of sensation, passive range of motion, or motor function affecting any part of the upper limb on either side
• Inclusion Criteria for Stroke Group:
• • Able and willing to provide informed consent
• • Subcortical ischemic stroke OR incomplete spinal cord injury, diagnosed by a neurologist at least 3 months before enrollment
• • Upper limb sensorimotor impairment on one or both sides, as indicated by a score of 10 to 56 out of 66 points on the Fugl-Meyer Assessment of the Upper Extremity
• • Cognitive ability that is normal or only mildly impaired, as indicated by a score of 9 or less on the Short Blessed Test
• • Normal receptive and expressive language abilities, as indicated by a score of 0 on the Best Language item of the National Institutes of Health Stroke Scale
• Exclusion Criteria for Stroke Group:
• • Any self-reported or medically documented disease or disorder that might affect this study, including other neurologic conditions besides stroke or spinal cord injury, psychiatric, muscular, orthopedic, cardiac, vascular, pulmonary, hematologic, infectious, immune, gastrointestinal, urogenital, integumentary, oncologic, or endocrine conditions
• • Diagnosis of hemorrhagic stroke or hemorrhagic conversion
• • Diagnosis of an infarct affecting the motor cortex