Active music therapy for post-stroke recovery

Recruitment & Eligibility

Status: Completed

Sex: All

Target Recruitment: 45

Inclusion Criteria

Current information as of 03/11/09:
1. Middle cerebral artery ( MCA) stroke (an acute ischaemic stroke or ICH) in the right temporal, parietal frontal and/or subcortical brain region 2. No prior clinically diagnosed cerebral stroke, but old ischemic or stroke changes may be detected as an incidental finding in the brain MRI. 3. No prior significant neurological or psychiatric disease excluding vascular aetiology (e.g. transient ischaemic attack [TIA]), migraine, epilepsy, non-symptomatic tumour or mild depression 4. Under 21 days post-stroke 5. No hearing impairment 6. No significant visual impairment 7. Aged less than or equal to 75 years old, either sex 8. Right-handed 9. Native Finnish speaker 10. Understands the aim of the study and is able to give own consent

Initial information at time of registration
1. An acute ischaemic middle cerebral artery (MCA) stroke in the right temporal, parietal frontal and/or subcortical brain region
2. No prior cerebral stroke
3. No prior significant neurological or psychiatric disease excluding vascular aetiology (e.g. transient ischaemic attack [TIA]), migraine, epilepsy, non-symptomatic tumour or mild depression
4. Under 21 days post-stroke
5. No hearing impairment
6. No significant visual impairment
7. Aged less than or equal to 75 years old, either sex
8. Right-handed
9. Native Finnish speaker
10. Understands the aim of the study and is able to give own consent

Exclusion Criteria

1. Stroke (an acute ischaemic stroke or ICH) in any other region than right-hemisphere MCA
2. Prior cerebral stroke
3. Prior neurological and or psychiatric disease, which significantly affects patient functioning
4. Over 21 days post-stroke
5. Hearing impairment
6. Significant visual impairment
7. Aged greater than 75 years old
8. Left-handed
9. Native language other than Finnish
10. Patient displays cognitive disorders and is, in turn, unable to understand the aim of the study or to give own consent to participate in this study
11. Patient is bedridden or has a modified Rankin scale score =4

Study & Design

Study Type: Interventional

Study Design: Not specified

Primary Outcome Measures

Name	Time	Method
Measured in four phases: before randomisation, and after three, four (washout) and seven months after stroke. Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) will be used for ensuring the diagnosis before initial tests.<br>1. Functional disability and activities of daily living (ADL) independency will be measured with the Barthel Index (BI)<br>2. Level of impairment will be evaluated with National institutes of Health Stroke Scale (NIHSS)<br>3. Disability grade will be assessed with Modified Rankin Scale (mRS)<br>4. Neglect will be evaluated with Behavioural Inattention Test (BIT)<br>5. Motor function of upper extremity will be assessed with Action Research Arm Test (ARAT)

Secondary Outcome Measures