The Influence of Cortical Lateralization on Selective Motor Control of the Arm Swing During Independent Walking After Stroke.

Status: Recruiting
Location: See location...
Intervention Type: Other
Study Type: Interventional
Study Phase: Not Applicable
SUMMARY

The upper limbs play an essential role for safe and efficient walking in healthy persons and persons post-stroke. Nevertheless, in current post-stroke gait rehabilitation (research) the upper limbs are barely targeted. To address this gap, my project aims to investigate the selective motor control of the upper limbs during walking and the contribution of the cortical activity to the arm swing in independent walkers after stroke. To gain insight in the direct effects of stroke on the arm swing, the primary motor control of the arm swing will be evaluated by determining muscle synergies (i.e group of muscles working together as a task-specific functional unit). Additionally, the cortical activity (EEG-analysis) during walking of persons post-stroke will be compared to healthy controls and the relationship between stroke-induced changes in cortical activity and arm swing deviations will be assessed. Furthermore, I will evaluate whether improvements in cortical activity relate to improvements in primary motor control of the arm swing. This innovative project will be the first to investigate the direct coupling between the cortex and the muscle synergies in persons post-stroke during independent walking to investigate the arm swing. These fundamental insights in the primary motor control of the arm swing and the contribution of the cortical activity will allow to develop targeted interventions aiming to improve arm swing and as such optimize post-stroke gait rehabilitation. Research questions: 1. How can muscle synergies explain arm swing alterations in independent walkers after stroke? 2. How do stroke-induced changes in cortical activity relate to arm swing deviations in persons after stroke? 3. Are changes in primary motor control of the upper limb during walking related to normalization of brain activity in independent walkers after stroke?

Eligibility
Participation Requirements
Sex: All
Minimum Age: 18
Maximum Age: 70
Healthy Volunteers: t
View:

• First-ever, ischemic and cerebral stroke

• Maximum one-year post-stroke

• Able to walk at least 10 minutes (FAC ≥ 3)

• Presence of upper limb paresis (NIHSS item 5a/b \> 0)

• Older than 18 years

• Able to walk at least 10 minutes

⁃ Exlusion criteria:

• Pregnancy

Locations
Other Locations
Belgium
Ghent University Hospital
RECRUITING
Ghent
Contact Information
Primary
Arne Defour, Msc.
Arne.Defour@UGent.be
09 332 12 43
Backup
Anke Van Bladel, PhD
Anke.VanBladel@UGent.be
09 332 12 43
Time Frame
Start Date: 2024-07-09
Estimated Completion Date: 2027-09-30
Participants
Target number of participants: 84
Treatments
Experimental: Stroke
Persons with a unilateral first ever ischemic stroke
Active_comparator: Control
Age and gender matched healthy controls
Related Therapeutic Areas
Sponsors
Collaborators: VU University of Amsterdam, University Ghent, Vrije Universiteit Brussel
Leads: University Hospital, Ghent

This content was sourced from clinicaltrials.gov