Stroke
Conditions
Brief summary
Subjects with chronic stroke (\> 6 months post-stroke) will learn a new walking pattern through distorted visual feedback. Retention of the pattern will be tested without visual feedback immediately after learning and 24 hours later. Subjects will be randomly assigned to the control group or the exercise group. The control group will simply complete the learning task. The exercise group will complete 5 minutes of exercise immediately following the first retention test to test for the effects of exercise on retention 24 hours later.
Detailed description
Despite significant time and money spent on post-stroke rehabilitation, stroke survivors are left with reduced walking capacity and significant disability. After stroke, individuals must relearn movements that have been disrupted due to damage to the brain, therefore, enhancing motor learning is critical to improving the rehabilitation of walking after stroke. In this project investigators will examine how individual factors influence motor learning after stroke and use this information to personalize post-stroke rehabilitation.
Interventions
BEHAVIORALExercise
Subjects will complete 5 minutes of exercise on an ergometer to examine the effects of exercise on retention of a newly learned walking pattern.
Sponsors
University of Delaware
Study design
Allocation
RANDOMIZED
Intervention model
PARALLEL
Primary purpose
BASIC_SCIENCE
Masking
SINGLE (Investigator)
Eligibility
Sex/Gender
ALL
Age
18 Years to 85 Years
Healthy volunteers
No
Inclusion criteria
Age 18-85 Single, unilateral, chronic stroke (\>6 months post-stroke), confirmed by MRI or CT scan Score \>1 on question 1b and \>0 on question 1c of the NIH Stroke Scale Able to walk at self-selected speed without assistance from another person Resting heart rate between 40-100 beats per minute Resting blood pressure between 90/60 to 185/100
Exclusion criteria
Evidence of cerebellar stroke on clinical MRI or CT scan, because of role of cerebellum in learning Other neurologic conditions in addition to stroke Inability to walk outside the home prior to the stroke Coronary artery bypass graft or myocardial infarction within past 3 months, Musculoskeletal pain that limits walking Inability to communicate with investigators Visual field cut Neglect Unexplained dizziness in last 6 months
Design outcomes
Primary
| Measure | Time frame | Description |
|---|---|---|
| 24 hour retention | 24 hours | This is amount of learning that was retained when subjects return 24 hours later and are tested without visual feedback |
Countries
United States
Contacts
CONTACTDarcy Reisman, PhD
PRINCIPAL_INVESTIGATORDarcy Reisman, PhD
University of Delaware
Outcome results
None listed