Recovery of Hand Function Through Mental Practice.

Stroke Clinical Trial

Official title:

Can Motor Imagery Enhance Recovery of Hand Function After Stroke? Evaluation of Motor Imagery Training.

Clinical Trial Details — Status: Completed

Administrative data

• NCT number: NCT00355836
• Other study ID #: CZH/4/153
• Status: Completed
• Phase: N/A
• First received: July 24, 2006
• Last updated: November 4, 2015
• Start date: November 2004
• Est. completion date: February 2007

Study information

• Verified date: November 2015
• Source: University of Aberdeen
• Contact: n/a
• Is FDA regulated: No
• Health authority: United Kingdom: Research Ethics Committee
• Study type: Interventional

Clinical Trial Summary

The purpose of this study is to assess the therapeutic benefits of motor imagery training in stroke patients with persistent motor weakness.

Description:

Stroke is a common and highly debilitating illness. Many patients (41-45%) experience chronic motor impairments (Dijkerman et al., 1996) and limitations in activities of daily living (Wade & Langton Hewer, 1987) even after extensive neurological rehabilitation. They often result in long-term dependence at a considerable cost to the carers and the health service. It is therefore crucial to optimise motor recovery after stroke. This study investigates the therapeutic benefits of motor imagery training in stroke patients with a motor weakness.

Evidence for the idea that motor imagery training could enhance the recovery of hand function comes from several separate bases of evidence: the sports literature; neurophysiological evidence; evidence from health psychology research; as well as preliminary findings using motor imagery techniques in stroke patients.

There is evidence to suggest that mental rehearsal of movement can produce effects normally attributed to practising the actual movements. Imagining hand movements could stimulate the redistribution of brain activity, which accompanies recovery of hand function, thus resulting in a reduced motor deficit. Patients are assessed before and after a four-week evaluation period. In this randomised controlled trial 45 patients daily mentally rehearse movements with their affected hand under close supervision. Their recovery is compared to 45 patients who perform closely supervised non-motor mental rehearsal, and 45 patients who are not engaged in a training program.

Recruitment information / eligibility

• Status: Completed
• Enrollment: 135
• Est. completion date: February 2007
• Est. primary completion date: February 2007
• Accepts healthy volunteers: No
• Gender: Both
• Age group: N/A and older

Eligibility

Inclusion Criteria:

Confirmed diagnosis of stroke in the last 1-6 months Persisting upper limb weakness -

Exclusion Criteria:

Alcohol/ Drug abuse Psychiatric history Previous illness that has impacted on individuals Activity of Daily living

• Dementia (assessed by MSQ) Severe Aphasia

Study Design

Allocation: Randomized, Endpoint Classification: Efficacy Study, Intervention Model: Factorial Assignment, Masking: Double-Blind, Primary Purpose: Treatment

Related Conditions & MeSH terms

• Stroke

Intervention

Behavioral:
• Mental Imagery

Locations

Country	Name	City	State
United Kingdom	University of Aberdeen	Aberdeen
United Kingdom	Ninewells Hospital	Dundee

Sponsors (2)

Lead Sponsor	Collaborator
University of Aberdeen	Chief Scientist Office of the Scottish Government

Country where clinical trial is conducted

United Kingdom, 

Outcome

Type	Measure	Description	Time frame	Safety issue
Primary	Action Research Arm Test (ARAT) (Lyle, 1981)
Secondary	Grip strength (dynamometer; Heller et al., 1987),
Secondary	Nine hole pegboard task (Mathiowetz et al., 1985, Wade [ref]),
Secondary	Function Limitation Profile
Secondary	Barthel Index
Secondary	Recovery Locus of Control