Neurofeedback Intervention for Reading Deficits in Subacute Stroke (ReadingNFB)

Kessler Foundation

Status: Enrolling

Conditions: Stroke; Dyslexia, Acquired

Treatments: Behavioral: Motor Imagery and Sham fMRI Neurofeedback; Behavioral: Motor Imagery and Real-Time fMRI Neurofeedback

Study type: Interventional

Funder types: Other

Identifiers

NCT04875936

R-1147-21

Details and patient eligibility

About

The overall goal of this project is to advance a biologically-based approach to treatment of reading disorders after stroke, which will expand the limits of cognitive rehabilitation. Using a novel brain imaging technique, called real-time functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) neurofeedback combined with right hand motor imagery, this project will re-instate brain activity in the left language-dominant hemisphere. Stroke patients will practice modulating their own brain activity using fMRI neurofeedback signal and will select the most effective mental strategies that help them maintain brain activation patterns associated with better reading recovery.

Enrollment: 28 estimated patients

Sex: All

Ages: 18 to 80 years old

Volunteers: Accepts Healthy Volunteers

Inclusion criteria

• First-ever left-hemisphere stroke < 3 months prior to study recruitment or healthy volunteer
• Age: 18 - 80 years old
• Fluent and literate in English prior to stroke
• Reading deficits, defined as >3 errors on the Paragraphs test (subtests VIII, IX) of the Reading Comprehension Battery for Aphasia-2nd ed. (RCBA-2) in keeping with the healthy control accuracy criterion of 86-100% correct.

Exclusion criteria

• Inability to consent or complete study tasks
• Inability to undergo MRI (e.g., pregnancy, non-MRI compatible implants, claustrophobia)
• A history of prior neurological disease (e.g., brain tumor, Alzheimer's disease)

Trial design

Primary purpose: Treatment

Allocation: Randomized

Interventional model: Parallel Assignment

Masking: Single Blind

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28 participants in 2 patient groups

Motor Imagery and Contingent Neurofeedback (NFB)

Experimental group

Description:

This group will receive real-time fMRI NFB on the bases of participant's own brain activity

Treatment:

Behavioral: Motor Imagery and Real-Time fMRI Neurofeedback

Motor Imagery and Non-contingent Neurofeedback (NFB)

Sham Comparator group

Description:

This group will receive group will receive fMRI NFB based on another participant's brain activity

Treatment:

Behavioral: Motor Imagery and Sham fMRI Neurofeedback