Visuomotor Learning Task for Stroke Recovery

Overseen By Kirstin-Friederike Heise, PhD

Age: 18+

Sex: Any

Trial Phase: Academic

Sponsor: Medical University of South Carolina

Must not be taking: Tricyclics, Neuroleptics

Disqualifiers: MRI risk factors, Substance use, Psychotic, others

No Placebo Group All trial participants will receive the active study treatment (no placebo)

Compensation: Varies

Number of Visits: 1

What You Need to Know Before You Apply

What is the purpose of this trial?

This trial aims to understand how the brain recovers after a stroke and how learning new tasks might affect this recovery. Participants will engage in a visuomotor learning task, which involves coordinating vision and movement, to study brain changes during recovery. The trial seeks individuals who had a stroke more than six months ago and can perform a simple hand grip task.

As an unphased trial, this study offers participants the chance to contribute to groundbreaking research on stroke recovery and potentially enhance rehabilitation methods.

Will I have to stop taking my current medications?

If you are taking tricyclic anti-depressants or neuroleptic medication, you will need to stop taking them to participate in this trial.

What prior data suggests that this visuomotor learning task is safe for stroke recovery?

Research has shown that the visuomotor learning task is generally safe for people. One study found that training focused on learning movements improved arm function in stroke patients, suggesting that this approach is well-tolerated. Another study indicated that using mental imagery in stroke recovery aids motor skills, supporting the safety of learning tasks in treatment.

While these studies don't provide specific safety data, the treatment involves holding a device to measure grip strength, which is non-invasive and low-risk. Overall, research suggests that the visuomotor learning task is safe and may aid stroke recovery. ^{1 2 3 4 5}

Why are researchers excited about this trial?

Researchers are excited about the visuomotor learning task for stroke recovery because it offers a new approach by leveraging the brain's ability to relearn motor skills through visual feedback and coordination exercises. Unlike traditional physical therapy, which often focuses on repetitive physical movements, this method encourages the brain to develop new neural pathways by integrating visual cues with motor tasks. This innovative technique has the potential to enhance recovery speed and effectiveness, offering stroke patients a promising new way to regain their motor functions.

What evidence suggests that the visuomotor learning task is effective for stroke recovery?

Research shows that certain learning tasks involving vision and movement can help people recover from a stroke by improving their ability to move. This trial will evaluate the effectiveness of a visuomotor learning task for stroke recovery. Studies have found that difficulties in adjusting to these tasks link to movement problems after a stroke, suggesting that focusing on these adjustments could aid recovery. Using visual feedback during these tasks might improve movement, even though the brain's processing of this remains unclear. Additionally, guided imagery, which also uses visualization, seems promising for enhancing movement recovery after a stroke. Overall, these findings suggest that tasks involving vision and movement could be useful in stroke rehabilitation. ^{6 7 8 9 10}

Are You a Good Fit for This Trial?

This trial is for adults over 18 who are right-handed and have had a stroke at least 6 months ago, with the ability to grip with their hand. They must not have severe communication difficulties, MRI risks, substance use disorders, certain types of multiple or cerebellar strokes, other neurological issues affecting the arm, dementia history, uncontrolled high blood pressure or be taking specific antidepressants or antipsychotic drugs.

Inclusion Criteria

My stroke affected the deeper or surface areas of my brain.

I had my stroke more than 6 months ago.

I can grip with my whole hand but with some weakness.

Exclusion Criteria

Stroke-group specific exclusion criteria: severe aphasia, particularly of receptive nature (NIHSS Language subsection ≥2), affecting their ability to understand the purpose of the study and give informed consent

You have any factors that make getting an MRI risky for you.

You have a problem with using drugs or alcohol.

Timeline for a Trial Participant

Screening

Participants are screened for eligibility to participate in the trial

2-4 weeks

Learning Session

Participants undergo a learning session to assess changes in visuomotor grip force adjustment and brain activation

90 minutes

1 visit (in-person)

Follow-up

Participants are monitored for changes in sensorimotor recovery and brain activation post-learning session

4 weeks

What Are the Treatments Tested in This Trial?

Interventions

• Visuomotor learning task

Trial Overview The study investigates how learning tasks after a stroke affect brain plasticity and recovery of sensorimotor function. It involves performing visuomotor tasks while undergoing functional MRI scans to observe brain network dynamics in those recovering from a stroke compared to healthy volunteers.

How Is the Trial Designed?

Group I: stroke group Experimental Treatment 1 Intervention

Group II: control group Experimental Treatment 1 Intervention

Who Is Running the Clinical Trial?

Medical University of South Carolina

Lead Sponsor

Trials

994

Recruited

7,408,000+

National Institute of General Medical Sciences (NIGMS)

Collaborator

Trials

315

Recruited

251,000+

National Institutes of Health (NIH)

Collaborator

Trials

2,896

Recruited

8,053,000+

Citations

1. pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC9198391/

Assessing Impairments in Visuomotor Adaptation After Stroke Our findings reveal impairments in visuomotor adaptation that are associated with motor impairment and function after stroke.

2. pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC11940390/

The Impact of Visualization on Stroke Rehabilitation in Adults Conclusions: Guided imagery shows promise as a beneficial adjunct in stroke rehabilitation, with the potential to improve motor recovery across several domains ...

3. frontiersin.org frontiersin.org/journals/systems-neuroscience/articles/10.3389/fnsys.2019.00074/full

Principles of Neurorehabilitation After Stroke Based on ... Neurorehabilitation addresses the question of whether recovery can occur after a brain injury like a stroke and how this recovery process could be optimized ...

4. jneuroengrehab.biomedcentral.com jneuroengrehab.biomedcentral.com/articles/10.1186/s12984-025-01735-4

Divided attention and manual visuomotor control in stroke We expected that cognitive dysfunction measured during the visuomotor dual-task would explain some manual dexterity impairments in stroke since ...

5. sciencedirect.com sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2213158217302929

Visual feedback alters force control and functional activity ... Modulating visual feedback may be a viable option to improve motor function after stroke, but the neurophysiological basis for this improvement is not clear ...

6. pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC12191063/

Movement Impairments May Not Preclude Visuomotor ... Our findings suggest that factors other than movement impairments may influence visuomotor adaptation after stroke.

7. clinicaltrials.gov clinicaltrials.gov/study/NCT05511467?tab=results

Study Results | NCT05511467 | Learning in Stroke The visuomotor learning task involves holding a device in the hand that measures the strength of the grip when squeezing the 'gripper'.

8. withpower.com withpower.com/trial/phase-stroke-8-2022-a8314

Visuomotor Learning Task for Stroke Recovery Research shows that learning-based sensorimotor training can improve upper limb function in stroke patients, and motor skill learning is important for recovery.

9. mdpi.com mdpi.com/2227-9059/13/3/599

The Impact of Visualization on Stroke Rehabilitation in Adults Guided imagery shows promise as a beneficial adjunct in stroke rehabilitation, with the potential to improve motor recovery across several domains.

10. jneuroengrehab.biomedcentral.com jneuroengrehab.biomedcentral.com/articles/10.1186/s12984-024-01338-5

The effects of visual skills training on cognitive and executive ... Visual skills training shows positive effects in improving cognitive and executive functions, especially in combination with high cognitive load and in an ...