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Cortical Priming to Optimize Gait Rehabilitation Post Stroke

Not Applicable
Completed
Conditions
Stroke
Interventions
Other: tDCS
Other: AMT
Behavioral: Treadmill training
Registration Number
NCT03492229
Lead Sponsor
University of Illinois at Chicago
Brief Summary

Over four million stroke survivors currently living in the United States are unable to walk independently in the community. To increase the effectiveness of gait rehabilitation, it is critical to develop therapies that are based on an understanding of brain adaptations that occur after stroke. This project will be the first step towards the development of a novel therapeutic approach using brain stimulation to increase walking capacity in stroke survivors and understand the neural mechanisms that are associated with impairment and functional recovery.

Detailed Description

Not available

Recruitment & Eligibility

Status
COMPLETED
Sex
All
Target Recruitment
81
Inclusion Criteria
  • Age 50 - 80 years
  • First ever monohemispheric stroke > 6 months since onset
  • Residual hemiparetic gait deficits
  • Able to walk without an ankle orthotic for 5 minutes at self-paced speed. Handheld assistive device is acceptable.
Exclusion Criteria
  • Severe osteoporosis
  • Contracture-limiting range of motion of lower limb
  • Uncontrolled anti-spasticity medications during the study period
  • Cardiorespiratory or metabolic diseases (e.g. cardiac arrhythmia, uncontrolled hypertension or diabetes, chronic emphysema)
  • Unhealed decubiti, persistent infection
  • Significant cognitive or communication impairment (MMSE <21), which could impede the understanding of the purpose of procedures of the study or prevent the patient from performing the tracking task.
  • Lesions pertaining to the brainstem and cerebellum

Study & Design

Study Type
INTERVENTIONAL
Study Design
PARALLEL
Arm && Interventions
GroupInterventionDescription
tDCS+AMTAMTTDCS in combination with movement training before treadmill training
tDCSTreadmill trainingtDCS only before treadmill training
AMTTreadmill trainingMovement training only before treadmill training
ControlTreadmill trainingNo priming before treadmill training
tDCStDCStDCS only before treadmill training
AMTAMTMovement training only before treadmill training
tDCS+AMTtDCSTDCS in combination with movement training before treadmill training
tDCS+AMTTreadmill trainingTDCS in combination with movement training before treadmill training
Primary Outcome Measures
NameTimeMethod
Change in gait speed using 10 meter walk testChange from baseline to immediately after training and baseline to 3 months follow up

10-meter walk test: Gait speed will be measured as the average of 3 trials of the 10-m walk test. Participants will be asked to walk at their normal comfortable pace to cover a distance of 10 meters without an AFO (handheld assistive device is acceptable if needed).

Secondary Outcome Measures
NameTimeMethod
Change in Quality of life measuresChange from baseline to immediately after training and baseline to 3 months follow up

QOL will be measured with the Stroke Impact Scale (SIS). The SIS is a stroke-specific self-reported health status measure.

Change in 6 minute walk testChange from baseline to immediately after training and baseline to 3 months follow up

The 6 Minute Walk Test is a sub-maximal exercise test used to assess aerobic capacity and endurance. Participants will be asked to walk at their normal pace for 6 minutes.

Change in cortical excitability of leg muscles using TMSChange from baseline to immediately after training and baseline to 3 months follow up

Transcranial magnetic stimulation will be used to measure contralateral and ipsilateral corticospinal excitability of the paretic tibialis anterior (TA) using the protocol previously published by the PI Dr. Madhavan.

Change in Berg Balance ScaleChange from baseline to immediately after training and baseline to 3 months follow up

Balance will be measured using the Berg Balance Scale. It is a 14 item list with each item consisting of a five-point ordinal scale ranging from 0 to 4, with 0 indicating the lowest level of function and 4 the highest level of function. Tasks such as standing with eyes closed, one leg stance etc are included.

Trial Locations

Locations (1)

The University of Illinois at Chicago

🇺🇸

Chicago, Illinois, United States

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