RECRUITING

Remote Ischemic Conditioning, Bimanual Skill Learning, and Corticospinal Excitability

Description

Unilateral cerebral palsy (UCP) is a leading cause of childhood disability. An early brain injury impairs the upper extremity function, bimanual coordination, and impacts the child's independence. The existing therapeutic interventions have higher training doses and modest effect sizes. Thus, there is a critical need to find an effective priming agent to enhance bimanual skill learning in children with UCP. This study aims to determine the effects of a novel priming agent, remote ischemic conditioning (RIC), when paired with intensive bimanual skill training to enhance bimanual skill learning and to augment skill dependent plasticity in children with UCP.

Study Overview

Study Details

Study overview

Unilateral cerebral palsy (UCP) is a leading cause of childhood disability. An early brain injury impairs the upper extremity function, bimanual coordination, and impacts the child's independence. The existing therapeutic interventions have higher training doses and modest effect sizes. Thus, there is a critical need to find an effective priming agent to enhance bimanual skill learning in children with UCP. This study aims to determine the effects of a novel priming agent, remote ischemic conditioning (RIC), when paired with intensive bimanual skill training to enhance bimanual skill learning and to augment skill dependent plasticity in children with UCP.

Effects of Remote Ischemic Conditioning on Bimanual Skill Learning, Bimanual Coordination, and Corticospinal Excitability in Children With Unilateral Cerebral Palsy

Remote Ischemic Conditioning, Bimanual Skill Learning, and Corticospinal Excitability

Condition
Unilateral Cerebral Palsy
Intervention / Treatment

-

Contacts and Locations

Greenville

Dept. of Physical Therapy, East Carolina University, Greenville, North Carolina, United States, 27834

Participation Criteria

Researchers look for people who fit a certain description, called eligibility criteria. Some examples of these criteria are a person's general health condition or prior treatments.

For general information about clinical research, read Learn About Studies.

Eligibility Criteria

  • * Manual Ability Classification System (MACS) levels I-III
  • * Ability to complete a stack of 3 cups in 2 minutes
  • * Mainstream in school and has sufficient cognition to follow the experiment instructions
  • * Children with other developmental disabilities such as autism, developmental coordination disorders, etc.
  • * Children with absent active motor threshold
  • * Children with cognitive deficits or communication problem
  • * Children with known cardiorespiratory and vascular dysfunctions
  • * Children with metabolic disorders, neoplasm, hydrocephalus
  • * Children who are receiving other adjunct therapies such as rTMS and tDCS
  • * Children with seizures and on anti-seizure medications
  • * Children with metal implants and incompatible medical devices for MRI scans

Ages Eligible for Study

6 Years to 16 Years

Sexes Eligible for Study

ALL

Accepts Healthy Volunteers

No

Collaborators and Investigators

East Carolina University,

Swati Surkar, PRINCIPAL_INVESTIGATOR, East Carolina University

Study Record Dates

2025-07-31