Stroke Clinical Trials

The aim of this study is to evaluate how vibration of the tendons enhances arm and hand training in survivors of chronic stroke. The investigators hypothesize that wrist/elbow robotic training, combined with body awareness training will improve arm and hand function in individuals with chronic stroke. Read Less

The purpose of this study is to develop a database that contains movement and rehabilitation-related data collected through the use of wearable sensors and video. This database will serve as a resource for clinicians and researchers interested in the investigation of movement or rehabilitation-related research ideas. Read Less

The purpose of this study is to test the efficacy of a walking and balance training program designed to safely challenge and improve walking performance and balance in relation to walking speed, strength, endurance, and balance after traumatic brain injury (TBI). The aim and primary hypothesis of this research project is: Aim) Test and implement a new personalized intervention strategy, in addition to usual and customary care at an inpatient rehabilitation clinic, to improve patient outcomes with secondary conditions associated with impaired balance and walking that typically occur post brain injury. After validation of the locomotor Battery of tests, we will implement a personalized training strategy for individuals based on their battery profile. Hypothesis) Individuals training with this individualized protocol will demonstrate improved walking and balance outcomes and those with lesser pre-intervention impairment will improve at a greater rate than those with greater pre-intervention impairment. Read Less

The goal of this clinical trial is to to determine the effect of movement-based priming using the upper limbs on lower limb neuroplasticity and behaviors in chronic stroke. The main questions we aim to answer are: 1. What are the acute effect of UL-priming on lower limb neuroplasticity and motor behaviors in persons with stroke compared to other priming modalities? 2. What are the time effects of UL-priming on neuroplasticity and motor behavior in individuals with stroke? In this cross over study, participants will be involved in three priming sessions involving - UL-priming using rhythmic, symmetric, bilateral priming involving the movement of at least one major joint in the upper limbs. AND - Sham priming using auditory stimulation (1 Hz metronome). AND - Lower-limb movement-based priming using rhythmic, symmetric, dorsiflexion and plantarflexion movements. Researchers will compare outcome measures between the different priming sessions. Read Less

The purpose of the study is to explore the feasibility of using a wearable device, called a myoelectric-computer interface (MCI), to improve arm movement in people who have had a stroke. Impaired arm movement after stroke is caused not just by weakness, but also by impaired coordination between joints due to abnormal co-activation of muscles. These abnormal co-activation patterns are thought to be due to abnormal movement planning.The MCI aims to reduce abnormal co-activation by providing feedback about individual muscle activations. This randomized, controlled, blinded study will test the home use of an MCI in chronic and acute stroke survivors. Read Less

More than one million Americans present with foot drop after stroke. As the aging population grows in the United States and across the world, incidence of stroke will grow as age is a key risk factor, thus there will be a need for low-cost, easy-to-use, and scalable solutions to administer proper therapy to promote recovery. This study will evaluate a Variable Friction shoe (VF shoe), a new low-cost medical device, for foot drop in an at-home setting. Read Less

The purpose of this study is to investigate the effects of transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS) on motor cortex excitability in individuals who have suffered stroke and to study the influence of the phase of the oscillatory rhythm (mu frequency) on motor excitability in stroke individuals. Read Less

Loss of reading ability due to stroke, called alexia, likely affects over a million Americans at any given time and causes difficulty performing many daily life functions, such as paying bills, using email/text, reading for pleasure, and reading signs in the community. Understanding the brain and cognitive basis of alexia could improve diagnosis and treatment of this important problem. In this study, the investigators will perform a large-scale behavioral and brain imaging study of stroke survivors and typical older adults to improve our understanding of the brain and cognitive basis of reading in both of these groups. Participants will complete a battery of tests of reading, speech, language, and thinking abilities. In addition, some participants will complete an MRI. Sessions will be completed across approximately 2-6 weeks, but may be extended depending on participants' schedules and availability. Some participants will be invited to repeat these procedures once or twice in approximately 3-12 months to monitor for changes in reading abilities and MRI measurements over time. Read Less

The investigators propose a pilot crossover trial of 2 behavioral language treatments, with randomized order of treatments and blinded assessors, to determine if a therapy designed to stimulate right hemisphere functions (Producing Increasingly Complex Themes Using Right-hemisphere Engagement Implemented with Telemedicine - PICTURE IT; described below) is more effective in improving discourse than a published computer delivered lexical treatment (shown previously to improve naming) in subacute post-stroke aphasia. Read Less

This study aims at comparing manual function outcomes between the standard of care and additional self-administered hand therapy after stroke. Strokes are common neurological injuries, and although rates of survival have increased in recent decades, survivors often continue to experience deficiencies in hand dexterity and bimanual function. Most motor recovery takes place within the first 3 months after a stroke. This initial period is necessary for stabilizing the patient but also provides different opportunities to foster motor recovery. Functional gains, including instances after the post-acute period, have been observed after regular and frequent (high dosage) therapy, suggesting that recovery is likely influenced by practice-driven sensorimotor learning. These findings motivate the implementation of daily therapeutic regimes beyond post-stroke hospitalization and basic motor function, aiming instead at addressing overlooked deficiencies in manipulation and bimanual coordination. While some hand therapy is often provided during outpatient therapy visits (the standard of care), self-administered sessions play a large role in implementing additional daily therapy. As a result, the investigators are interested in both the implementation of self-administered regimes and measuring clinical outcomes with and without self-administered therapy. Read Less

This trial aims to demonstrate that the Neuralert Monitoring System will detect strokes before they would be identified by current standard of care. Each patient will be monitored for up to five days, depending on device connectivity or battery duration. Each monitoring session will consist of wearing a Neuralert device on each arm. For this pilot trial, we are interested in learning about Wi-Fi connectivity, successful data transmission, integration into clinical workflow, usability and tolerability. Read Less

The investigators have developed a novel robot-guided stretching under intelligent control and combine it with active movement training, which helped increase joint ROM, reduce spasticity and joint stiffness, increase muscle force output, and improve locomotion. However, for stroke survivors with sensorimotor impairment, their peripheral muscle may not sufficiently be recruited. Functional electrical stimulation (FES), has been shown its advantage to activate the peripheral muscles for people with neurological conditions. The investigators thus make a hybrid robot-FES rehabilitation system, combining the advantage of robot and FES technologies for stroke motor recovery. The investigators further would like to translate the technologies from lab to home-based training. Thus, the investigators will conduct a randomized, controlled, primarily home-based clinical trial using an ankle robot alone or combined with functional electrical stimulation (FES) to treat sensorimotor and locomotion impairments post-stroke. Read Less