Feedback and Cognition During Locomotor Learning Post Stroke
University of Delaware
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.
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.
Eligibility
- Age range
- 18–85 years
- Sex
- All
- 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 Coronar…
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.
Location
- University of DelawareNewark, Delaware