Biomedical Instrumentation in the Study of Mirror Therapy in Elderly's Hands Motor Activity

Universidade do Vale do Paraíba

Status: Unknown

Conditions: Muscle Weakness Conditions

Treatments: Other: Mirror Therapy; Other: Kinesiotherapy

Study type: Interventional

Funder types: Other

Identifiers

NCT02104102

24581613.0.0000.5503

Details and patient eligibility

About

Check if the Mirror therapy represents an effective method in improving the motor activity of the hands of institutionalized elderly.

Full description

Among the various functions impaired by aging there is the muscle function, which indirectly affects the quality of life for seniors, since it is crucial to the progressive increase of the debilitating condition, leading to difficulties in carrying out everyday tasks and often making them dependent on the assistance of others. The possible neural mechanisms underlying this decrease in muscle function associated with aging include changes undefined in Central Nervous System, a delay in conduction velocity of motor nerve fibers and in transmission of the neuromuscular junction. In this context, it is necessary to develop procedures that reduce the functional losses and decrease the negative effects of the aging process, increasing the quality of life for seniors. Mirror Therapy (MT) is the one of those possible procedures, which is based on the activation of mirror neurons from the illusion generated by viewing the reflection of a member in a mirror. When performing a movement with a member who is in your field of vision, generated the reflection in the mirror is able to offer the brain a new, albeit illusory visual stimulus, suggesting that covert member is moving. This illusion promotes the activation of mirror neurons located in the sensorimotor cortex region and the progression of therapy, this activation drives cortical plasticity that promotes the reestablishment of functions, such as motor coordination and increased range of motion. Therefore, MT is a promising technique to reduce the functional losses of aging. It is then suggested the implementation of a protocol for functional recovery of MT hands in institutionalized elderly and the measurement of electromyographic activity of the wrist, the range and speed of movement, the writing skill and the application of a questionnaire to Katz index calculation in order to investigate whether the technique can benefit this public.

Enrollment: 60 estimated patients

Sex: All

Ages: 60+ years old

Volunteers: Accepts Healthy Volunteers

Inclusion criteria

• 60 years old or more
• Institutionalized elderly
• Ability to understand and sign the Informed Consent Form. In case of illiteracy, the term will be read to the volunteer and signed by him in the case of functional illiteracy or by officials of the asylum
• Ability to perform analysis of writing skills throughout the proposed protocol
• Cognitive preserved, being able to respond to the examiner's command

Exclusion criteria

• Disabling pain to perform movements with their arms
• Active infection and rash at the application site of EMG
• Severe uncorrected visual deficit
• Deficit uncorrected severe hearing
• Neurological disorders

Trial design

60 participants in 2 patient groups

Mirror group

Experimental group

Description:

Composed of 30 volunteers who carry out the mirror therapy, whose name shall Mirror Group (MG).

Treatment:

Other: Mirror Therapy

Control Group - kinesiotherapy

Experimental group

Description:

Called by Control Group (CG), composed of 30 volunteers who will carry out the kinesiotherapy with the same sequence of movements for the Mirror Therapy that the MG, but without the view in the mirror, since it will be blocked.

Treatment:

Other: Kinesiotherapy