Multimodal Platform Combining VR and TENS for Stroke Rehabilitation
Overview
- Phase
- Not Applicable
- Intervention
- Not specified
- Conditions
- Stroke
- Sponsor
- Institute Mihajlo Pupin
- Enrollment
- 40
- Locations
- 1
- Primary Endpoint
- Changes in sensorimotor impairments
- Status
- Recruiting
- Last Updated
- last year
Overview
Brief Summary
Stroke is a disabling medical condition annually affecting up to 15 million people worldwide. It leads to upper-limb impairments encompassing motor and sensory deficits together with cognitive self-body and space misrepresentation, overall limiting the functional independence of 70% of stroke survivors. On the motor side, stroke could account for hemiparesis (weakness or paralysis affecting the side contralateral to the brain lesion), muscle weakness, spasticity, loss of coordination, and others. On the sensory side, especially in the first stages after the stroke occurs, stroke could account for sensory loss, with the patient not being able to perceive what he's touching with the impaired arm.On a cognitive level, it has been shown that chronic stroke patients have distorted body representation and space representation. They perceive their impaired arm as shorter and the impaired hand as larger.
Despite initial evidence of the crucial role of sensory-motor integration toward a restored body representation to promote effective rehabilitation, conventional approaches suffer from the bias of prioritizing motor recovery, while disregarding stroke-induced sensory and body representation deficits.
In this view, the creation of a virtual reality (VR) scenario in which the person is fully immersed, could potentially play a significant role in improving stroke patients' rehabilitation.
Taking this into consideration, this project aims to assess whether a multimodal platform combining VR with TENS inducing full-body illusion toward a virtual avatar could positively impact motor performances, sensory assessments, and self-body and space representation of stroke patients.
More into detail, the intervention will consist of the patient performing some task-oriented movement within the virtual reality and congruently tactile receiving feedback through transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation. The subject will receive clear instruction within the virtual reality scenario to perform specific actions toward a final goal. These actions will be designed to make the subject repeat some crucial movements in their rehabilitation process. Depending on the motor impairment of the patient, the investigators will adapt the characteristics and the difficulty of the task accordingly.
Investigators
Eligibility Criteria
Inclusion Criteria
- •Ischemic or haemorrhagic stroke patient
- •At least 3 months after the stroke incident
- •10 \<= FMUE \<= 60 (motor function)
Exclusion Criteria
- •Prior neurological or psychiatric disorders
- •Severe cognitive impairment (MoCA score \<10)
- •Pacemakers or other electronic implants
- •Unable to give an informed consent form
Outcomes
Primary Outcomes
Changes in sensorimotor impairments
Time Frame: day 0 (before the first rehabilitation session, T0); 1.5 week (after six rehabilitation sessions, T1); 3 weeks (one day after the last rehabilitation session, T2); 5 weeks (2 weeks after the last rehabilitation session,T3)
To assess the sensorimotor impairment in individuals who have had a stroke the investigators will use Fugl-Meyer for upper extremity (FMUE). FMUE assesses reflex activity, movement control, muscle strength, and sensory performances. It comprises items scored on a scale of 0 to 2, where 0 = cannot perform, 1 = performs partially and 2 = performs fully.
Changes in functional performances
Time Frame: day 0 (before the first rehabilitation session, T0); 1.5 week (after six rehabilitation sessions, T1); 3 weeks (one day after the last rehabilitation session, T2); 5 weeks (2 weeks after the last rehabilitation session,T3)
To assess functional performance of the upper extremity through observational means the investigators will use the Action Research Arm Test (ARAT). The ARAT is a 19-item measure divided into 4 sub-tests (grasp, grip, pinch, and gross arm movement). The total score goes from 0 to 57. Performance on each item is rated on a 4-point ordinal scale ranging from: 3) Performs test normally 2) Completes test, but takes abnormally long or has great difficulty 1) Performs test partially 0) Can perform no part of test.
Changes in body-representation metrics
Time Frame: day 0 (before the first rehabilitation session, T0); 1.5 week (after six rehabilitation sessions, T1); 3 weeks (one day after the last rehabilitation session, T2); 5 weeks (2 weeks after the last rehabilitation session,T3)
To measure the body representation of the subjects the investigators will use body-landmark metrics. In VR, the subject is asked to locate the position of specific body landmarks (e.g. elbow, inner wrist, outer wrist, index, ring) while a black panel is on top of his/her arm. The investigators will then compare the real and perceived dimensions of patients' arms and hands
Secondary Outcomes
- Changes of spasticity indexes for shoulder, elbow and wrist(day 0 (before the first rehabilitation session, T0); 1.5 week (after six rehabilitation sessions, T1); 3 weeks (one day after the last rehabilitation session, T2); 5 weeks (2 weeks after the last rehabilitation session,T3))
- Changes in neuropathic pain perception(day 0 (before the first rehabilitation session, T0); 1.5 week (after six rehabilitation sessions, T1); 3 weeks (one day after the last rehabilitation session, T2); 5 weeks (2 weeks after the last rehabilitation session,T3))
- Changes in pain perception(Every day, from day 1 to day 14; 5 weeks (2 weeks after the last rehabilitation session,T3))
- Changes in degree of assistance required by an individual(day 0 (before the first rehabilitation session, T0); 1.5 week (after six rehabilitation sessions, T1); 3 weeks (one day after the last rehabilitation session, T2); 5 weeks (2 weeks after the last rehabilitation session,T3))
- Changes in peripersonal space(day 0 (before the first rehabilitation session, T0); 1.5 week (after six rehabilitation sessions, T1); 3 weeks (one day after the last rehabilitation session, T2); 5 weeks (2 weeks after the last rehabilitation session,T3))
- Treatment Satisfaction Measure(3 weeks (one day after the last rehabilitation session, T2))
- Changes in tactile acuity(day 0 (before the first rehabilitation session, T0); 1.5 week (after six rehabilitation sessions, T1); 3 weeks (one day after the last rehabilitation session, T2); 5 weeks (2 weeks after the last rehabilitation session,T3))
- Changes in upper-limb mobility (velocity)(Every day, from day 1 to day 14)
- Changes in upper-limb mobility (smoothness)(Every day, from day 1 to day 14)
- Changes in upper-limb mobility (efficiency)(Every day, from day 1 to day 14)
- Changes in upper-limb mobility (precision)(Every day, from day 1 to day 14)