Operant Conditioning of Reflex Pathways to Improve Walking in Individuals Post-stroke

Nevada System of Higher Education (NSHE)

Status: Enrolling

Conditions: Post-stroke Hemiparesis; Stroke; Foot Drop

Treatments: Behavioral: Operant conditioning

Study type: Interventional

Funder types: Other

Identifiers

NCT05801744

1656292

Details and patient eligibility

About

The purpose of this study is to examine the changes in reflex pathways in the paretic ankle plantarflexors in individuals with post-stroke hemiparesis using operant conditioning. We are recruiting 5 individuals with chronic post-stroke hemiparesis with foot drop in the affected leg to participate in the reflex training procedure. The study involves 40 visits with a total study duration of about 4 months.

Enrollment: 5 estimated patients

Sex: All

Ages: 18+ years old

Volunteers: Accepts Healthy Volunteers

Inclusion criteria

• At least 6 months following a single, unilateral stroke, resulting in hemiparesis.
• Ambulatory with or without assistive device, but must demonstrate a gait deficit which is indicative of foot drop from reduced activation of the tibialis anterior muscle.
• Able to follow verbal directions.
• Able to see icons on computer monitor (with or without corrective lenses) from at least 4 feet away.
• All subjects will be adults at least 18 years old.
• Know history and current medication management for lower limb spasticity, if any.

Exclusion criteria

• No history of ear disease or balance problems outside of those caused by the stroke.
• Cerebellar stroke
• No other neurological disease or injuries other than the stroke affecting the use of the legs and/or walking.

Trial design

Primary purpose: Treatment

Allocation: N/A

Interventional model: Single Group Assignment

Masking: None (Open label)

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5 participants in 1 patient group

Reciprocal inhibition up conditioning

Experimental group

Description:

Each participant completes 6 baseline sessions and 30 up conditioning sessions. In the 30 conditioning sessions, the magnitude of reciprocal inhibition in the paretic leg of participants post-stroke will be up conditioned.

Treatment:

Behavioral: Operant conditioning