Dual Channel Rehabilitation Technology Promotes Rapid Recovery of Upper Limbs After Stroke

Summary

The injury and remodeling mechanism about upper extremity motor network after stroke is not clear. There are few studies on the motor network covering cortex, white matter and blood perfusion at the time. Some studies have shown that metal imagery activates the cortex through active mental simulation. Our previous study has shown that passive application of transcranial direct current stimulation causes subthreshold polarization and promotes the effective integration of residual brain high-level network. This study proposes a hypothesis: transcranial Direct Current Stimulation + Motor Imagery combines active and passive neuromodulation techniques to produce dual channel effect, which can synergistically excite motor cortex, remodel the motor network and optimize cerebral perfusion. The research contents include clarify the effect of transcranial Direct Current Stimulation + Motor Imagery neuromodulation therapy through comprehensive randomized controlled trial study; present the process of brain injury and secondary neural plasticity through the motor network construction, functional connectivity strength and cerebral perfusion with Blood Oxygen Level Dependent, Diffusion Tensor Imaging and Arterial Spin Labeling multimodal magnetic resonance technology; calculate the correlation between motor score and brain functional network, extract the key nodes that can promote the motor network remodeling. The research results are expected to provide preliminary theoretical foundations for further research on the injury and remodeling mechanism about upper extremity motor network after stroke.

Conditions

• Stroke
• Upper Extremity Dysfunction
• Transcranial Direct Current Stimulation
• Image, Body

Interventions

BEHAVIORAL

Transcranial Direct Current Stimulation therapy

Transcranial Direct Current Stimulation with two saline-soaked electrodes (5cm x 7cm) is applied by our occupational therapist. The anode is placed on the ipsilesional primary motor cortex (C3/C4). The cathode is placed on the contralesional shoulder. The current is 1.5 milliampere and lasts 20 minutes.

BEHAVIORAL

Motor imagery therapy

Stroke patients are asked to watch a video about the upper extremity movement. The video lasts 20 minutes. The contents are as follows: the patients are asked to relax the muscles for the first 2 minutes; the action refers to shoulder flexion and extension, elbow flexion and extension, forearm pronation and supination, wrist flexion and extension, finger flexion and extension, and corresponding daily functional activities for 16min; the patients are asked to relax their mind and body for the last 2 minutes.

BEHAVIORAL

Transcranial Direct Current Stimulation and motor imagery therapy

The treatment parameters are the same as the above. It should be emphasized that the participants sit and perform the motor imagery task while receiving Transcranial Direct Current Stimulation.

Sponsors & Collaborators

• Fu Xing Hospital, Capital Medical University

  lead OTHER

Principal Investigators

• Lirong Huo, Doctor · Office of academic research, Fu Xing Hospital, Capital Medical University

Study Design

Allocation

RANDOMIZED

Purpose

TREATMENT

Masking

DOUBLE

Model

PARALLEL

Eligibility

Min Age

18 Years

Max Age

80 Years

Sex

ALL

Healthy Volunteers

No

Timeline & Regulatory

Start

2021-06-09

Primary Completion

2023-12-31

Completion

2024-06-30

Countries

• China

Study Locations