An Exploratory Study: The Effects of Cortical Priming on Visuomotor Stepping Learning in Healthy Adults and Persons With Chronic Stroke
The University of Texas Medical Branch, Galveston
Summary
This research study aims to understand the relationship between brain stimulation and leg skill learning in both healthy adults and persons with chronic stroke.
Eligibility
- Age range
- 21–90 years
- Sex
- All
- Healthy volunteers
- Yes
Inclusion Criteria: 1. Age between 21 and 90 years 2. Medical history of a unilateral stroke occurring ≥ 6 months prior to enrollment 3. MRI or CT evidence from the imaging report shown that the stroke involves the corticospinal tract 4. Hemiparesis involving the lower extremity (Fulg-Meyer LE motor test) 5. No passive range of motion limitation in bilateral hips and knees 6. Limitation of ankle passive range of motion to 10 degrees of dorsiflexion or less 7. Visual acuity can be corrected by glasses or contact lens to 20/20 8. Able to walk independently with/without assistant devices for 10…
Interventions
- Combination Productanodal transcranial direct current stimulation (a-tDCS)
Stroke participants will be randomly assigned into one of three groups: anodal transcranial direct current stimulation (a-tDCS), sham tDCS (s-tDCS), or control groups (i.e. no brain stimulation). Stroke participants in the first two groups will receive five sessions of the assigned brain stimulation combined with visuomotor stepping training over five consecutive days. Healthy adults will be randomly assignments into a-tDCS or s-tDCS groups.
Location
- Physical Therapy, University of Texas Medical BranchGalveston, Texas