Effect of Virtual Reality-Based Music Therapy on Cognitive and Motor Skills in Subacute Stroke Patients

Summary

This clinical trial aims to investigate the effects of immersive virtual reality-based music therapy on cognitive and motor functions in individuals aged 50 to 75 years with subacute stroke (between 2 weeks and 6 months post-stroke). Participants will be randomly assigned to either a control group receiving conventional physiotherapy or an experimental group receiving conventional physiotherapy plus virtual reality-based music therapy.

The study will assess cognitive performance, upper extremity motor skills, stroke impact, balance, and spatial neglect before and after a 6-week intervention. All participants will be treated at Istanbul Aydın University VM Medical Park Hospital. The study has been approved by the ethics committee, and written informed consent will be obtained from all participants.

Conditions

• Stroke
• Subacute Stroke
• Virtual Reality
• Immersive Virtual Reality
• Cognitive Dysfunction
• Motor Impairment

Interventions

BEHAVIORAL

VR-Based Music Therapy

VR-Based Music Therapy Protocol: Participants undergo immersive VR sessions twice weekly for 6 weeks, each lasting 30 minutes, supervised by a physiotherapist. Each session includes three 10-minute activities with 2-minute breaks: Rhythm Exercises: Participants follow tempo by clapping on a table while watching Brooklyn Music Factory YouTube videos played within the VR headset (levels 1-4), progressing weekly. Ocean Rift: Exploration of calming underwater environments with marine life to enhance relaxation, attention, and cognition. PianoVision: Virtual piano exercises using hand tracking with the unaffected hand; difficulty increases from levels 0 to 4.

BEHAVIORAL

Conventional Physiotherapy and Rehabilitation

Participants will receive conventional physiotherapy and rehabilitation exercises as follows: Upper and lower extremity strengthening exercises Resistance training exercises Aerobic exercises Basic and assisted parallel bar walking Skill courses on various surfaces Training on stable and unstable surfaces Static and dynamic balance exercises Fine motor skill exercises Weight transfer exercises to improve postural stability Exercises will be performed according to the patient's condition in standing, sitting, four-point kneeling, supine, and prone positions. Exercise difficulty will be adjusted based on the patient's performance and functional level. Sessions will be 60 minutes long, 5 days per week, for 6 weeks.

Sponsors & Collaborators

• Suzan Aydın

  lead OTHER

Principal Investigators

• Selen GÜR ÖZMEN, Associate Professor · Bahçeşehir University

Study Design

Allocation

RANDOMIZED

Purpose

TREATMENT

Masking

SINGLE

Model

PARALLEL

Eligibility

Min Age

50 Years

Max Age

75 Years

Sex

ALL

Healthy Volunteers

No

Timeline & Regulatory

Start

2025-03-22

Primary Completion

2025-07-20

Completion

2025-12-20

Countries

• Turkey (Türkiye)

Study Locations