Upper Limb Function in Mental Health Disorders

Completed

• Conditions: Mental Health; Multiple Sclerosis

• Registration Number: NCT06949449
• Lead Sponsor: Universidad de Burgos

Brief Summary

Background: Individuals with mental disorders (MD) often experience motor issues, yet upper limb functionality remains understudied.

Objective: To compare upper limb function in individuals with and without MD, focusing on motor capacity, dexterity, and performance.

Design: Cross-sectional, qualitative, multicenter study. Methods: Assessed strength, motor skills, sensitivity, and daily function. Used T-test, Mann-Whitney U, Spearman correlation, and Chi-square.

Detailed Description

Background: Research suggests individuals with mental disorders (MD) often face motor difficulties, such as issues with gait and posture. However, there is limited research on upper limb functionality in the mental health context.

Objective: To compare upper limb functionality between individuals with and without MD, focusing on differences in motor capacity, manual dexterity, and functional performance.

Study Design: Cross-sectional, qualitative, multicenter study.

Methods: Strength, fine and gross motor skills, sensitivity, tactile discrimination, and were assessed, along with functional limitations in daily activities. Statistical methods used included independent samples T-test, Mann-Whitney U test, Spearman correlation, and Chi-square test.

Study Timeline

• Study Start: 2024-10-01
• Status Verified: 2024-11
• Primary Completion: 2025-01-25
• Study Completion: 2025-03-25
• Study First Submitted: 2025-04-08
• Study First Submitted QC: 2025-04-21
• Last Update Submitted: 2025-04-21
• Study First Posted: 2025-04-29
• Last Update Posted: 2025-04-29

Recruitment & Eligibility

• Status: COMPLETED
• Sex: All
• Target Recruitment: 38

Inclusion Criteria

Mental Disorder Group

• Participants with a mental disorder (MD) had to meet the following criteria:
• A formal diagnosis of a mental disorder according to the DSM-V.
• Aged between 18 and 65 years.
• Treatment stability, defined as being under stable pharmacological and psychiatric treatment for at least three months.
• Clinical stability, meaning no acute psychiatric episodes in the last three months that could interfere with participation in the study.
• Ability to follow instructions and communicate effectively, confirmed by scoring at least 23 points on the Mini-Mental State Examination (MMSE).

Control Group (Healthy Participants)

• Healthy individuals were required to meet the following inclusion criteria:
• Aged between 18 and 65 years.
• Ability to follow instructions and communicate effectively, also defined by a minimum MMSE score of 23.

Exclusion Criteria

• Presence of neurological conditions, such as multiple sclerosis, stroke, or similar disorders.
• History of upper limb rehabilitation within the past six months.
• Any acute or chronic condition affecting the upper limb that could interfere with the results, including but not limited to arthritis, osteoarthritis, or carpal tunnel syndrome.

Study & Design

• Study Type: OBSERVATIONAL
• Study Design: Not specified

Primary Outcome Measures

Name	Time	Method
Nine Hole Peg Test (NHPT)	3 weeks	Assesses fine manual dexterity. Participants place and remove nine pegs from holes as quickly as possible, using one hand at a time. The test is performed twice, and the average time is recorded. Lower scores indicate better fine motor skills.; The NHPT has shown high test-retest reliability, inter-rater reliability, and internal consistency in previous studies, including Spanish-speaking populations.
Box and Block Test (BBT)	3 weeks	Measures gross manual dexterity. Participants move as many blocks as possible from one compartment of a box to another in one minute, using each hand separately. Blocks must be moved over a dividing wall without throwing or bumping. Higher scores indicate better gross dexterity.; The BBT is widely used and validated across different populations.
Digital Hand Dynamometer	3 weeks	Evaluates grip strength. Participants squeeze a hydraulic hand dynamometer three times with each hand while seated with the elbow at 90°. The average of the three trials is used. Higher scores indicate greater grip strength.; This test has strong validity, sensitivity, and reliability, including among Spanish-speaking populations.
Semmes-Weinstein Monofilament Test	3 weeks	Assesses tactile sensitivity. Monofilaments of varying thickness are applied to specific areas of the hand (fingertips, palm, back of the hand). The finest filament perceived consistently (at least 2 out of 3 times) is recorded as the sensitivity threshold.; There is limited psychometric data available in Spanish-speaking populations, though the test is widely used clinically.
Two-Point Discrimination Test (Touch-Test)	3 weeks	Evaluates tactile discrimination ability. Two points are applied to the skin at decreasing distances until the participant can no longer distinguish them as separate. Tested on the same hand areas as the monofilament test.; It assesses the density of tactile receptors and sensory pathway integrity. Psychometric properties in Spanish-speaking populations are not well established.
QuickDASH Questionnaire	3 weeks	A shortened version of the DASH questionnaire, designed to evaluate disability and symptoms in the upper limb. It consists of 11 items rated on a 5-point scale. Higher scores indicate worse functional ability.; Both the original and Spanish versions have demonstrated good reliability, internal consistency, sensitivity to change, and construct validity.

Trial Locations

Locations (1)

University of Burgos; 🇪🇸 Burgos, Spain