NCT04875936

Neurofeedback Intervention for Reading Deficits in Subacute Stroke

Rehabilitation of Reading Deficits in Subacute Stroke Using Functional Magnetic Resonance Imaging (fMRI) Neurofeedback and Motor Imagery

• Status: Recruiting
• Phase: N/A
• Study type: Interventional
• Enrollment: 28 (estimated)
• Sponsor: Kessler Foundation · Academic / Other
• Sex: All
• Age: 18 Years – 80 Years
• Healthy volunteers: Accepted

Summary

The overall goal of this project is to advance a biologically-based approach to treatment of reading disorders after stroke, which will expand the limits of cognitive rehabilitation. Using a novel brain imaging technique, called real-time functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) neurofeedback combined with right hand motor imagery, this project will re-instate brain activity in the left language-dominant hemisphere. Stroke patients will practice modulating their own brain activity using fMRI neurofeedback signal and will select the most effective mental strategies that help them maintain brain activation patterns associated with better reading recovery.

Conditions

• Stroke
• Dyslexia, Acquired

Interventions

Type	Name	Description
BEHAVIORAL	Motor Imagery and Real-Time fMRI Neurofeedback	Survivors of left-hemisphere stroke (\<10 weeks post-stroke) or healthy volunteers will use right-hand motor imagery coupled with fMRI neurofeedback to help them re-engage the left hemisphere by shifting brain activation leftward relative to the initial left-right asymmetry. Following group assignment, participants will perform a motor imagery task and complete 3 sessions of motor imagery and reading tasks in the MRI scanner over 3 weeks. During the MRI sessions they will receive real time neurofeedback about how well they are engaging the left side of their brain compared to the right side. They will also practice the same task for 30 min a day as homework using the most effective motor imagery strategy that worked for them in the MRI scanner.
BEHAVIORAL	Motor Imagery and Sham fMRI Neurofeedback	Survivors of left-hemisphere stroke (\<10 weeks post-stroke) or healthy volunteers will practice right-hand motor imagery coupled with sham fMRI neurofeedback. As the experimental group, participants will perform a motor imagery task and complete 3 sessions of motor imagery and reading tasks in the MRI scanner over 3 weeks. However, during the MRI sessions they will receive sham neurofeedback on the basis of another participant's brain activity. Like the experimental group, they will also practice the same task for 30 min a day as homework.

Timeline

• Start date: 2023-04-03
• Primary completion: 2026-06-30
• Completion: 2026-06-30
• First posted: 2021-05-06
• Last updated: 2024-10-09

Locations

1 site across 1 country: United States