A Music-based VR Intervention for Upper Limb Motor Rehabilitation in Hemiparetic Patients

Summary

Hemiparesis affects the majority of stroke patients in the acute phase. In post-stroke motor rehabilitation patients can re-learn motor sequences through repetitive training. Research showed that virtual reality (VR) can be effectively used in upper limb motor rehabilitation by training motor coordination and gestures in an immersive virtual environment. Another promising line of intervention in post-stroke rehabilitation is the use of music, with evidence supporting the notion that a rhythmic accompaniment promotes the recovery of motor coordination in patients with hemiparetic stroke. Furthermore, studies showed a beneficial effect of the observation of movements performed by a third person in patients with post-stroke hemiparesis. Based this evidence, the present study aims at testing the feasibility and efficacy of a novel music-based VR intervention designed for upper limb motor rehabilitation in post-stroke hemiparetic patients. The treatment consists in upper limb repetitive training activities through the imitation of movements synchronized with a musical accompaniment and is delivered in 10 sessions over 2 weeks, supervised by a physical therapist. Participants wear a VR headset through which they observe egocentric 180° 3D videoclips. The experimental condition (group A) will be compared with a no-music condition (group B), to test the specific effect of music, and with traditional physiotherapy rehabilitation (group C), to test the efficacy of the approach. The investigators expect that the patients undergoing the experimental intervention (group A and group B) will show a greater upper limb motor function improvement, as compared to the active control group. As a secondary endpoint the investigators expect the music component to induce a greater motor improvement as compared to the experimental condition without music.

Conditions

• Hemiparesis

Interventions

BEHAVIORAL

VR+MUSIC

A novel VR intervention designed for upper limb motor rehabilitation in post-stroke hemiparetic patients consisting in 10 daily sessions of 30 minutes, over 2 weeks, supervised by a physical therapist.

BEHAVIORAL

VR

A novel VR intervention designed for upper limb motor rehabilitation in post-stroke hemiparetic patients consisting in 10 daily sessions of 30 minutes, over 2 weeks, supervised by a physical therapist.

BEHAVIORAL

TAU

Traditional post-stroke upper limb motor rehabilitation under the supervision of a physical therapist, for 0 daily sessions of 30 minutes, over 2 weeks.

Sponsors & Collaborators

• Fondazione Poliambulanza

  collaborator UNKNOWN

• Catholic University of the Sacred Heart

  lead OTHER

Study Design

Allocation

RANDOMIZED

Purpose

TREATMENT

Masking

NONE

Model

PARALLEL

Eligibility

Min Age

18 Years

Max Age

80 Years

Sex

ALL

Healthy Volunteers

No

Timeline & Regulatory

Start

2021-07-31

Primary Completion

2021-12-31

Completion

2022-03-31

Countries

• Italy

Study Locations