Neuro-Intermuscular Coordination Enhancement (NICE) Rehabilitation Through Human-Machine Interaction in Chronic Stroke

Summary

The objective of this study is to develop Neuro-Intermuscular Coordination Enhancement (NICE) rehabilitation, a novel neuromuscular control signal-guided strategy that visually guides stroke patients to individually activate motor modules through human-machine interaction. Ultimately, the development will lead to better clinical motor recovery, better quality of life, and lowered healthcare costs associated with the impairment.

Conditions

• Chronic Stroke-related Upper-extremity Motor Impairment
• Motor Module-guided Rehabilitation Targeting Impaired Intermuscular Coordination and Motor Recovery

Interventions

OTHER

Neuromuscular coordination enhancement (NICE) intervention

Neuro-Intermuscular Coordination Enhancement (NICE) is a motor module-guided rehabilitation intervention designed to improve upper-extremity motor recovery after stroke by retraining impaired intermuscular coordination patterns. Participants perform isometric upper-extremity force-generation tasks using a human-machine interface while receiving real-time visual feedback derived from motor module recruitment signals calculated from surface electromyography (EMG). Individualized motor module targets are derived from the participant's less-affected upper extremity and used to guide selective recruitment of impaired coordination patterns in the more-affected upper extremity. Participants will complete 18 one-hour training sessions over six weeks (3 sessions/week). During training, participants perform repetitive target-matching tasks that require preferential recruitment of specific motor modules while minimizing unintended activation of non-target modules.

OTHER

EMG Amplitude Biofeedback Exercise

EMG Amplitude Biofeedback Exercise is an active comparator rehabilitation intervention designed to improve upper-extremity motor function after stroke through targeted muscle activation training. Participants perform isometric upper-extremity exercises using a human-machine interface with real-time EMG amplitude-based visual feedback. Individualized muscle activation targets derived from the less-affected upper extremity guide training of the more-affected upper extremity. Participants will complete 18 one-hour sessions over 6 weeks (3 sessions/week).

Sponsors & Collaborators

• TIRR Memorial Hermann

  collaborator OTHER

• The University of Texas Health Science Center, Houston

  collaborator OTHER

• University of Houston

  lead OTHER

Principal Investigators

• Jinsook Roh, PhD · University of Houston

Study Design

Allocation

RANDOMIZED

Purpose

TREATMENT

Masking

TRIPLE

Model

PARALLEL

Eligibility

Min Age

21 Years

Max Age

80 Years

Sex

ALL

Healthy Volunteers

Yes

Timeline & Regulatory

Start

2027-08-31

Primary Completion

2032-08-31

Completion

2032-08-31

Countries

• United States

Study Locations