View clinical trials related to Cerebrovascular Accident.
Filter by:No universally successful therapy exists that promotes recovery of motor function after a stroke, the main cause of long-term disability among adults. The purpose of this study is to develop strategies to improve recovery of lost motor function. It will combine motor skills training with a brain-stimulating technique called transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS). Healthy adult volunteers and adult stroke patients will be enrolled in this study. Participants will come to NIH for a clinical and neurological exam, and, if necessary, an MRI [magnetic resonance imaging] examination. Participants will return for 4 sessions; each lasting approximately 3 hours. The first will be a practice session during which participants will become familiar with the motor skills required of them in this study, such as performing finger movements on a keyboard, pinching, tapping, making wrist movements, and lifting small items. In sessions 2 and 3, participants will perform the motor skills they practiced in session 1 while receiving tDCS. During session 4, they will receive tDCS only, with no performance of motor skills. During tDCS, investigators will place electrodes with a gel on participants' heads and pass the tDCS current between these two electrodes. tDCS is a painless procedure. Participants will receive up to $420 in compensation for their involvement in this study.
The purpose of this study is to determine if treating periodontal infections (gum problems) will lead to fewer heart problems in patients at high risk for cardiovascular disease.
Adults who sustain brain damage due to stroke, head injury, or traumatic surgery may develop difficulty reading. This study examines the effectiveness of behavior-based programs to improve reading ability in these individuals.
To evaluate common genetic variations, that in combination with exposure to tobacco smoke, may modify the risk of atherosclerosis.
Patients with stroke sometimes have a condition called diaschisis, a loss of function in a part of the brain located some distance from the original stroke-injury site. Doctors do not know why this happens. The purpose of this study is to get a better understanding as to why diaschisis occurs by studying people who have experienced a stroke and people who have aged in good health. Forty-four participants who are older than 40 year of age will be enrolled in this study-18 healthy people and 26 stroke patients. They will have 3 to 4 study visits. The first visit will involve a medical history and a physical and neurological exam. Participants will then have a magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) scan, either on the first visit or on a later day. On the next visit, they will undergo a position emission tomography (PET) scan. Finally, they will return for another MRI scan.
The goal of this study is to evaluate the effectiveness and safety of field-initiated magnesium sulfate in improving the long-term functional outcome of patients with acute stroke.
The goal of this study is to learn if combination antiplatelet therapy (aspirin and clopidogrel) is more effective than aspirin alone for the prevention of recurrent stroke and cognitive decline, and if intensive blood pressure control is associated with fewer recurrent strokes and cognitive decline. On July 21, 2011 the DSMB recommended terminating the anti platelet arm of the study due to an imbalance of overall and major non-CNS hemorrhagic SAE's and total deaths in the investigational anti platelet combination of aspirin + clopidogrel and an interim statistical analysis that demonstrated futility in the investigational anti platelet arm. It was recommended that patients be continued on standard care of aspirin mono therapy until their study close-out visit. Also, recommended the continuation and completion of the plood pressure arm following the protocol.
An individual suffering a stroke or other brain injury may lose function on one side of the body (partial paralysis). As the individual shifts activities to favor the unaffected side, the problem worsens. Constraint induced (CI) therapy forces the individual to use the neglected arm by restraining the good arm in a sling. This study examines the effectiveness of CI therapy for improving arm motion after stroke.
This study will determine whether impaired hand function due to stroke can be improved by blocking nerve impulses to the unaffected arm. Following a stroke, the unaffected side of the brain might negatively influence the affected side. Studies in healthy volunteers show that function in one hand improves when ischemic nerve block (inflating a pressure cuff to block nerve impulses) is applied to the forearm of the other hand. This study will examine whether similar improvement also occurs in the affected hand of patients with chronic impairment after stroke. Stroke patients with sensory (numbness) or motor impairment (weakness) in the hand that has persisted at least 12 months after the stroke may be eligible for this study. Patients who have had more than one stroke, whose stroke affected both sides of the body, who have a history of deep vein thrombosis (blood clotting), or who are receiving anticoagulant (blood-thinning) treatment at the time of the study will not be enrolled. Participants will have physical and neurological examinations and will undergo the following procedures: Session 1 - Magnetic resonance imaging (if one has not been done within the previous 6 months): MRI uses a magnetic field and radio waves to produce images of body tissues and organs. For this procedure, the patient lies on a table that is moved into the scanner (a narrow cylinder) and wears earplugs to muffle loud knocking and thumping sounds that occur during the scanning process. The procedure lasts about 45 to 90 minutes, during which the patient lies still up to a few minutes at a time. - Mini Mental State Examination - Patients will take a short test to assess cognitive function. Sessions 2 (and possibly 3 and 4) - Motor task practice: Patients practice a motor task several times to achieve optimal performance. The task is a rhythmic, repetitive pinch grip at maximal strength at a frequency of one grip every 10 seconds. If technical difficulties arise during the session, the procedure will be repeated in sessions 3 and 4. Sessions 5 (and possibly 6) - Pinch grip and ischemic nerve block (INB): Patients perform the pinch grip task several times and then INB is applied. For INB, a blood pressure cuff is inflated around the arm at the level of the elbow for 35 to 50 minutes. The procedure causes temporary numbness, tingling, loss of muscle strength, and discoloration or the forearm and hand. Patients repeat the pinch grip task during the INB and again 20 minutes after the INB is released. If technical difficulties arise during the session, the procedure will be repeated in session 6. Session 7 This session is identical to session 5, except the INB is applied immediately above the ankle instead of on the forearm.
This is a preliminary study to evaluate the possible use of transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS), together with exercise, for rehabilitation of chronic stroke patients. It will identify the optimum stimulation settings (within the limits of current safety guidelines) to be used in a later rehabilitation study and confirm the safety of the procedure at these settings. Some previous studies using TMS to treat movement disorders such as Parkinson's disease have shown improvement in motor function; others have not. The results of this study may provide information to help researchers design better rehabilitation treatments after stroke. Stroke patients with residual arm function and no history of seizures may be eligible for this study. The stroke must have occurred at least 6 months before entry into the study and must have affected only one side of the brain. For the TMS procedure, subjects are seated in a comfortable chair with their hands placed on a pillow on their lap. An insulated wire coil is placed on the scalp. A brief electrical current is passed through the coil, creating a magnetic pulse that stimulates the outer part of the brain, called the cortex. This may cause muscle, hand or arm twitching if the coil is near the part of the brain that controls movement, or it may affect movements or reflexes. Subjects are asked to make movements, do simple tasks, or tense muscles. Metal electrodes are taped to the skin over the muscle for computer recording of the electrical activity of the hand and arm muscles activated by the stimulation. The testing lasts 2-3 hours.