NCT04326205

Neural Mechanisms and Efficacy of Dual Neurotechnology-aided Mirror Therapy in Chronic Stroke: Neural and Motor Plasticity, Movement Performance, Daily Function, and Quality of Life

• Status: Unknown
• Phase: N/A
• Study type: Interventional
• Enrollment: 112 (estimated)
• Sponsor: Chang Gung Memorial Hospital · Academic / Other
• Sex: All
• Age: 35 Years – 85 Years
• Healthy volunteers: Not accepted

Summary

Mirror therapy (MT) has been demonstrated, in terms of neuroplasticity, to improve sensorimotor function of paretic upper extremity (UE) in chronic stroke patients. Central and peripheral electrical stimulation techniques such as ranscranial direct current stimulation (tDCS) and functional electrical stimulation (FES) can individually enhance effects of MT, combining both of them with MT can be a potentially valuable approach to maximize neural and functional recovery post stroke. To our knowledge, no studies combined central and peripheral neural network reorganization technique with motor behavioral learning approach to investigate its possible benefit after stroke. This project will be the first to design a "dual neurotechnology-aided MT (DNA-MT)", which combines tDCS and FES with contemporary neurorehabilitation approaches (i.e., MT) to stimulate both central and peripheral nervous systems to maximize neural and functional recovery post stroke. Investigators will determine the efficacy and neurophysiological and motor mechanisms related to this novel DNA-MT approach and identify potential responders to this novel intervention.

Conditions

• Cerebrovascular Accident

Interventions

Type	Name	Description
DEVICE	transcranial direct current stimulation, tDCS	The participants will receive a-tDCS over the ipsilesional M1, without any active arm practice for 20 minutes. Hence, movement extension will be achieved in the affected side while the participant will view the reflection of the normal movement patterns of their unaffected UE. Then the electrodes will be removed, and the participants will receive an additional 20 minutes of MT without tDCS followed by 30 minutes of functional task practice.
DEVICE	functional electrical stimulation, FES	The participants will start the FES-assisted MT. During this period, participants will perform simple wrist or finger extension with their unaffected UE while the affected wrist or fingers will receive FES within the mirror-box. Hence, movement extension will be achieved in the affected side while the participant will view the reflection of the normal movement patterns of their unaffected UE. Then the electrodes will be removed, and the participants will receive an additional 20 minutes of MT without FES followed by 30 minutes of functional task practice.
OTHER	no stimulation	Both tDCS and FES will not be used in this section.

Timeline

• Start date: 2021-04-14
• Primary completion: 2023-07-31
• Completion: 2023-07-31
• First posted: 2020-03-30
• Last updated: 2021-05-17

Locations

1 site across 1 country: Taiwan