Novel Brain Signal Feedback Paradigm to Enhance Motor Learning After Stroke

Summary

Stroke (795,000/year in the US and 30 million existing stroke survivors in the world) damages brain neural structures that control coordinated upper limb movement. To most effectively target the brain damage, interventions should be directed so as to restore brain control serving coordination of peripheral neuromuscular function. Currently, there is a lack of a transformative intervention strategy, and only limited efficacy is seen in response to neural rehabilitation that is only peripherally-directed (limbs e.g.) or only directed at the brain. This study will employ a novel neural feedback approach with a closed-loop, real-time paradigm to engage and retrain existing brain function after stroke. Real-time functional magnetic resonance imaging (rtfMIR) provides neural feedback with the advantage of precisely identifying the location of brain activity for multiple cognitive and emotional tasks. However, the rtfMRI is costly and precludes motor learning that requires sitting and engaging the upper limb in complex motor tasks during imaging acquisition. In contrast, real-time functional near-infrared spectroscopy (rtfNIRS), although not as spatially precise as rtfMRI, offers a low-cost, portable solution to provide brain neural feedback during motor learning. This proposal will utilize both technologies in a hybrid, sequential motor learning protocol. Moreover, the study protocol will also simultaneously involve both central effective signals (through neural feedback) and peripheral affective signals by employing neutrally-triggered functional electrical stimulation (FES)-assisted coordination practice, which produces peripherally-induced affective signals from muscle and joint receptors. This novel combination intervention protocol will engage the central nervous system, motor effective pathway training along with induction of affective signal production (FES-assisted practice), all of which will be implemented within the framework of evidence-based motor learning principles.

Conditions

• Stroke

Interventions

OTHER

Neural feedback plus FES and motor training

We are not testing the feasibility of the imaging methods; that has been well established and is used clinically. We are testing the feasibility of using neural feedback clinical imaging methods in a neural feedback paradigm which involves sequential rtfMRI (phase I) and rtfNIRS (phase II) training; Neurally-triggered, peripherally-directed FES-assist practice of wrist and finger extension will be combined with rtfNIRS training in Phase II; up to 60 total sessions, including additional motor learning sessions without brain neural feedback will be provided in Phase III.

Sponsors & Collaborators

• VA Office of Research and Development

  lead FED

Principal Investigators

• Janis J. Daly, PhD MS · North Florida/South Georgia Veterans Health System, Gainesville, FL

Study Design

Allocation

NA

Purpose

DEVICE_FEASIBILITY

Masking

NONE

Model

SINGLE_GROUP

Eligibility

Min Age

21 Years

Max Age

88 Years

Sex

ALL

Healthy Volunteers

Yes

Timeline & Regulatory

Start

2017-01-01

Primary Completion

2018-08-01

Completion

2018-09-28

Countries

• United States

Study Locations