Virtual Reality in Motor Neurone Disease

Motor Neuron Disease Clinical Trial

— VR in MND  

Official title:

Exploring the Use of Virtual Reality Applications in Patients With a Diagnosis of Motor Neurone Disease

Clinical Trial Details — Status: Completed

Administrative data

• NCT number: NCT06256107
• Other study ID #: 274505
• Status: Completed
• Phase: N/A
• Start date: January 13, 2021
• Est. completion date: October 31, 2023

Study information

• Verified date: February 2024
• Source: Lancashire Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust
• Contact: n/a
• Is FDA regulated: No
• Study type: Interventional

Clinical Trial Summary

Motor Neurone Disease (MND) is a chronic progressive neurological condition where people experience weakness of muscles leading to pain and restriction of movement as well as problems with swallowing, breathing and communication. The purpose of this study is to establish if Virtual Reality is useful for people with MND and if it helps improve their well being.

Description:

Motor Neurone Disease (MND) is a chronic progressive neurological condition where people experience weakness of muscles leading to pain and restriction of movement as well as problems with swallowing, breathing and communication.

As people become increasingly immobile, they become restricted in their ability to perform activities of daily living, access the outdoors, participate in preferred occupational roles or engage in leisure activities. Consequently, there is a deterioration in their ability to experience well being and have quality of life. There is also a significant carer burden as the carer spends long hours in the day looking after the person. The average disease trajectory lasts between 3-5 years, followed by death. More recently, the use of Virtual Reality (VR) technology is being recognised in the field of health. This technology uses the interactions between an individual and a computer generated environment to stimulate different sensory modalities such as visual and auditory. The technology can be accessed commonly using head mounted goggles or head sets. The entertaining or stimulating effect of VR is useful in redirecting the person's attention away from the distressing experiences, such as pain and anxiety. The purpose of this study is to establish if VR is useful for people with MND and if it helps improve their well being.

Recruitment information / eligibility

• Status: Completed
• Enrollment: 6
• Est. completion date: October 31, 2023
• Est. primary completion date: October 31, 2023
• Accepts healthy volunteers: No
• Gender: All
• Age group: 18 Years to 80 Years

Eligibility

Inclusion Criteria:

1. Diagnosis of MND

2. Sufficient cognitive ability to understand instructions with regards using the VR kit (ECAS score - minimum 100/136)

3. Has sufficient motor ability/dexterity to use the kit or a carer who will be able to assist with the use of the kit.

4. Can tolerate light and have sufficient head control to wear the head set.

5. English speaking

Exclusion Criteria:

1. Poor cognition - inability to understand instructions regarding the use of VR (Total ECAS Score <100/136)

2. Unable to tolerate light/unable to wear the head set

3. Light sensitive epilepsy, severe vertigo or dizziness.

4. Non English speaking

Related Conditions & MeSH terms

• Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis
• Motor Neuron Disease

Intervention

Device:
• Virtual Reality Headset
Virtual Reality Headset

Locations

Country	Name	City	State
United Kingdom	Lancashire Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust	Preston

Sponsors (1)

Lead Sponsor	Collaborator
Lancashire Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust

Country where clinical trial is conducted

United Kingdom, 

Outcome

Type	Measure	Description	Time frame	Safety issue
Primary	Edinburgh Mental Well being Scale	Quality of Life (Scale 0-10 higher being better)	4 weeks
Secondary	ECAS (Edinburgh Cognition Assessment Scale)	Cognition measure scale varied per question (Scale 0-8, 0-10, 0-12 higher being better)	4 weeks
Secondary	PHQ-9	scale for depression (Scale 0-27 - higher being worse)	4 weeks
Secondary	GAD-7	scale for anxiety (Scale 0-3 where higher is worse outcome)	4 weeks
Secondary	ALS-FRS	test of function (Yes or No - ability to perform function)	4 weeks