Neuroplastic Change in Myelin of the Brain

Not Applicable

• Conditions: Stroke
• Interventions: Behavioral: TRAIT Task

• Registration Number: NCT01937910
• Lead Sponsor: University of British Columbia

Brief Summary

The main goal of this research is to advance understanding of how stroke changes both the structure and function of the brain. The investigators will determine which is the key driver of recovery of arm function after stroke: changes in the structure of the brain or changes in how brain regions interact with one another.

Detailed Description

The main goal of this research is to advance understanding of how stroke changes both the structure and function of the brain. Further, the investigators will determine which is the key driver of recovery of arm function after stroke: changes in the structure of the brain or changes in how brain regions interact with one another. Together, these data will advance the investigators understanding of how neural systems support recovery from stroke. The investigators will use a MRI technique that allows us to assess the health of a brain structure called myelin. This structure is important as it allows information to travel down nerves faster; the more myelin the quicker the signal can be conducted. The investigators aim is to test whether or not movement training can restore myelin in the brain. If movement training does restore myelin in the brain, the investigators will have identified an important new target for rehabilitation interventions.

Study Timeline

• Study First Submitted: 2013-08-27
• Study First Submitted QC: 2013-09-04
• Study First Posted: 2013-09-10
• Study Start: 2014-09
• Status Verified: 2017-01
• Last Update Submitted: 2017-01-09
• Last Update Posted: 2017-01-10
• Primary Completion: 2017-09
• Study Completion: 2018-09

Recruitment & Eligibility

• Status: UNKNOWN
• Sex: All
• Target Recruitment: 88

Inclusion Criteria

• individuals aged 40-75
• movement-related deficits associated with a middle cerebral artery stroke
• first time stroke affecting the corona radiata and/or internal capsule
• Fugl-Meyer upper extremity motor score of at least 15 but not greater than 55.

Read More

Exclusion Criteria

• outside the age range of 40-75
• show signs of dementia (score < 24 on the Montreal Cognitive Assessment)
• have aphasia (score < 13 on the Frenchay Aphasia Screen)
• history of head trauma, a major psychiatric diagnosis, neurodegenerative disorder or substance abuse;
• taking any drugs (GABAergic, N-methyl-D-aspartate A-receptor (NMDA) antagonist) known to influence neuroplasticity;
• report contraindications to MRI (see supporting documents)

Read More

Study & Design

• Study Type: INTERVENTIONAL
• Study Design: PARALLEL

Arm && Interventions

Group	Intervention	Description
Stroke Group	TRAIT Task	Participants in the stroke group will complete 10 training sessions of the TRAIT task.
Matched Healthy Control Group	TRAIT Task	Participants in the Matched Healthy Control group will complete 10 sessions of the TRAIT task

Primary Outcome Measures

Name	Time	Method
Change in Myelin water fraction	Baseline and 30 days post baseline	Myelin water fraction (MWF) is the area of the short T2 component (15-35ms) divided by the total T2 distribution expressed as a percentage (MWF% = MWF\*100)

Secondary Outcome Measures

Name	Time	Method
Change in Fractional anisotropy	Baseline and 30 days post baseline	Diffusion properties will be defined by calculating a 6-element tensor ellipsoid to provide both the magnitude and direction of diffusivity in a local orthogonal coordinate system within each voxel. Fractional anisotropy (FA) will be calculated to provide an index of microstructural white matter integrity.

Trial Locations

Locations (1)

University of British Columbia; 🇨🇦 Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada