20 Clinical Trials for Various Conditions
Yoga Nidra is a scripted mind-body intervention (MBI) that uses guided relaxation technique in a reproducible sequence of mechanisms that naturally produce a parasympathetic response. This is a randomized controlled trial in which participants will be randomly assigned to one of three interventions: 1) yoga nidra (Yoga Nidra Script Basic), 2) yoga nidra with pain acceptance (Yoga Nidra Acceptance Intention), 3) yoga nidra with pain acceptance and Explicit Motor Imagery (Yoga Nidra Acceptance Intention and Visualization).
Treatment of post-stroke apraxia of speech (AOS) requires frequent and ongoing practice with a speech-language pathologist to facilitate lasting behavioral change, which is costly and, therefore, inaccessible to many patients. Thus, there is a critical need to identify novel, cost-effective ways to supplement speech therapy to increase opportunities for practice and optimize treatment outcomes. Our long-term goal is to develop an effective, home-practice, computer-based, motor imagery protocol Motor Imagery for Treatment Enhancement and Efficacy (MI-TEE) which will serve as an adjunct to routine speech therapy to optimize treatment response in persons with AOS. The overall objectives of this application are to (i) evaluate the acceptability and feasibility of MI-TEE as a home practice program and (ii) determine the efficacy of MI-TEE with speech therapy, compared to speech therapy alone, in improving speech production in people with AOS. Our central hypothesis is that MI-TEE will be an accessible, feasible, and efficacious adjunct to speech therapy. To attain our objectives, the following specific aims will be pursued using two single-subject experimental designs with multiple baselines across participants (n=18): 1) Evaluate the acceptability and feasibility of MI-TEE as an adjunct to speech therapy for the rehabilitation of AOS; and 2) Compare the efficacy of adjunctive MI-TEE plus standard speech therapy to standard speech therapy alone. Under the first aim, observational data, surveys, and semi-structured interviews will be employed to assess the acceptability (perceived satisfaction, appropriateness, and intent to continue use) and feasibility (recruitment, retention, and intervention adherence rates) of MI-TEE. For the second aim, accuracy of articulation for trained words and untrained words (generalization) will be measured pre-treatment, repeatedly during the treatment phase, and post-treatment. Improvements in speech accuracy will be documented using a binary scoring system (correct/incorrect). Multilevel analyses will be used to address rate of acquisition, overall change, and response variation across participants.
The goal of this clinical trial is to compare the effects of different durations of Motor Imagery (MI) practice and physical practice on motor performance enhancement in healthy adults. The main questions it aims to answer are: * Does Motor Imagery (MI) practice improve motor performance? * How do different doses of MI practice (low vs. high) compare to no MI practice in enhancing motor performance? Participants: * Be randomly assigned to one of three groups: no MI practice (control group), low dose MI practice (6 minutes per session), or high dose MI practice (12 minutes per session). * Complete nine sessions over three weeks, practicing a timed mirror tracing task. * Have their performance measured in each session by the time taken to complete the task and the number of errors made. Compared the control group, low dose MI group, and high dose MI group to see if there are significant differences in motor performance enhancement, aiming to determine the effectiveness of MI and the optimal dose for practice.
To determine if there is any carry over effect of sensation training for the feet, officially called Graded Motor Imagery (GMI), will impact balance and fall risk factors in older individuals. This will be looked at to see if there is a difference in balance and sensation before and right after the training.
This study will investigate if the use of motor imagery to practice a balance task is as effective as physically practicing balance tasks as measured by the Berg Balance Scale (BBS) in persons with MS. A secondary purpose is to investigate if using a motor imagery balance intervention will limit fatigue typically experienced with physical movement in this population.
The aim of the research is to improve motor function in people with cerebellar ataxia by using neuroimaging methods and mental imagery to "exercise" motor networks in the brain. The relevance of this research to public health is that results have the potential to reduce motor deficits associated with cerebellar atrophy, thereby enhancing the quality of life and promoting independence.
Low back pain (LBP) is the most common musculoskeletal condition treated in physical therapy, accounting for an estimated 25-40% of outpatient physical therapy visits. One strategy commonly used for treating LBP is directional preference. Directional preference is the process of examining a patient with LBP's response to a movement direction, i.e., extension, and if it coincides with improvement, the test becomes part of the treatment. Various studies have shown evidence for, and use of directional preference by physical therapists. Specifically for LBP, directional preference usually involves either an extension-bias or flexion-bias, with various studies indication an extension protocol being the most common (estimated \> 80% of patients). With extension exercises, a favorable therapeutic effect result in centralization of symptoms (leg pain migrates proximal), improved range of motion (ROM), decreased pain and decreased fear of movement. In recent years there has been an increased interest in various pain neuroscience strategies to help people in pain, including LBP. It is well established that the physical body of a person is represented in the brain by a network of neurons, often referred to as a representation of that particular body part in the brain. This representation refers to the pattern of activity that is evoked when a particular body part is stimulated. The most famous area of the brain associated with representation is the primary somatosensory cortex (S1). These neuronal representations of body parts are dynamically maintained. It has been shown that patients with pain display different S1 representations than people with no pain. The interesting phenomenon associated with cortical restructuring is the fact that the body maps expand or contract, in essence increasing or decreasing the body map representation in the brain. Furthermore, these changes in shape and size of body maps seem to correlate to increased pain and disability. Various studies have shown that physical movement is associated with restoring the cortical maps, which in turn may be associated with a decreased pain experience. In patients with high levels of pain, sensitization of the nervous system and fear of movement, physical movement itself may increase a pain experience. An added therapeutic ability to help restore these cortical maps is motor imagery (visualization). Various studies have shown that motor imagery activate the same areas of the brain as when actually physically moving, thus restoring the altered maps "without moving."
The purpose of this study is to investigate, in two phases: (1) the feasibility and safety of Virtual Embodiment Therapy in treating chronic pain of lower back and upper limbs and (2) the efficacy of Virtual Embodiment Therapy on chronic pain disorders of the lower back and upper limbs. In phase 1, we will investigate the feasibility, safety, and side effects related to this treatment by assessing simulator sickness. In phase 2, which in contingent on successful completion of phase 1, we will assess symptoms of pain specific to the region treated, fear and avoidance behavior, and depression symptoms before and after 8 sessions of treatment with Virtual Embodiment Therapy in order to assess efficacy. This study will be single-blinded, because the participation of the clinician is necessary to ensure proper administration of the therapy, as well as to monitor in the event of adverse reactions.
This research study is a six-week treatment pilot study to compare the effects of different exercise types on measures of tongue strength and swallowing pressure in typically aging older adults. Typically-aging older adults represent a group "at risk" for dysphagia secondary to sarcopenia of striated musculature important to swallowing. Participants at all study sites will be randomly selected into one of four study exercise groups. At some study sites, the investigators will also determine cortical activation patterns differences during motor execution and motor imagery of tongue exercises between the groups using near-infrared spectroscopy. The results of this study will inform refinement/further development of the mental practice protocol to use with patients with dysphagia in future studies.
The overall vision of this proposal is to demonstrate that a virtual reality based motor imagery training program will improve brain computer interface (BCI) performance and motor function in quadriplegic subjects. The ultimate goal is to increase the independence of subjects with spinal cord injury by training to safely control BCI assistive devices and to enhance motor recovery.
Nearly 2 out of 10 women will sustain a distal forearm fracture throughout their lifespan.Recent longitudinal studies illustrate that as many as 1/3 of all persons who undergo closed reduction and casting for distal radius fractures (DRF) go on to develop type 1 complex regional pain syndrome (CRPS). Graded motor imagery (i.e., motor imagery and mirror therapy), a movement representation technique, is strongly supported in the literature as a treatment of CRPS and has recently been suggested as a potential strategy to prevent its onset. Other complications include disability, wrist/forearm tightness and sensorimotor changes. The investigators propose that an early intervention protocol which includes graded motor imagery (GMI) will improve the pain, functional and upper limb sensorimotor outcomes of persons following closed reduction and casting of DRF relative to a standard of care intervention.
The investigators propose a single-blind randomized clinical trial to determine if seniors show improved mobility (walking speed) and cognition following motor imagery (imagined walking) training. They hypothesize that imagined walking can be used as a rehabilitative tool for improving walking speed and cognition in the elderly, because it engages and strengthens similar neural systems as actual walking and cognition.
The goal of this randomized clinical trial is to learn if imagining fast or slow muscle contractions causes different responses for nervous system excitability and muscle function in young, healthy males and females in. The main questions are: Does imagining fast muscle contractions cause greater nervous system excitability compared to imagining slow muscle contractions? Does imagining fast muscle contractions increase muscle function compared to imagining slow muscle contractions? A control condition (rest) will be compared with two intervention conditions: imagining fast and imagining slow conditions, to determine if the fast and slow increase outcomes more than control and if fast has the greatest response. Participants will: * Attend 4 laboratory visits * Perform 50 imagined contractions fast or slow, but with no physical movement * Physical muscle contractions and non-invasive brain stimulation would be completed before and after each condition.
The primary goal of this research was to assess the practicality and initial effectiveness of a motor imagery (MI) intervention combined with elements of action observation (AO), alongside active or sham transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS) over the prefrontal cortex (PFC), on locomotor learning in healthy adults. Feasibility was determined by examining recruitment rates, participant engagement, and safety measures. The efficacy of the intervention was gauged by analyzing the time taken to complete tasks and changes in cerebral blood flow immediately after the intervention and one week later. The study was guided by three main hypotheses: (1) the intervention techniques would be well-received and safe for the participants; (2) compared to a control group, MI training would lead to better learning outcomes and retention of learning; (3) in comparison to the control and sham tDCS groups, active tDCS would result in superior learning outcomes and retention of learning.
This project will evaluate the effects of bilateral knee pain and dry needling (DN) on laterality recognition, movement and muscle function. The objective is to determine if laterality recognition accuracy deficits are present in individuals with bilateral chronic knee pain and if DN affects 'central' and 'peripheral' musculoskeletal measurements. Chronic musculoskeletal pain results in changes to the way the brain perceives pain and left-right discrimination between body parts. This phenomenon has been established for individuals with chronic back pain and chronic regional pain syndrome, but has not been described for individuals with bilateral knee pain without the presence of knee OA. Dry needling involves the insertion of a small diameter monofilament needle into muscle, and has been purported to affect the neuromuscular system both centrally and peripherally. Sixty individuals between 18 and 40 years old will be recruited and allocated into three groups. The first group will consist of 20 subjects presenting with bilateral chronic anterior knee pain and high fear of movement with scores on Tampa Kinesiophobia Scale (fear of movement) greater than 37. The second group with consist of 20 subjects with bilateral chronic anterior knee pain and low fear of movement between ages of 18 and 40 years old, and the third group will consist of healthy controls without knee pain between 18 and 40 years old. All subjects will undergo baseline testing consisting of laterality recognition, movement analysis, muscle force production, and ultrasound imaging. Subjects will undergo laterality recognition testing using the Neuro Orthopaedic Institute (NOI) Recognise Knee phone application. 2D video analysis of the lateral step down test will be performed followed by peak isometric force production assessment of knee extension and flexion. Muscle function of the vastus medialis will be measured with ultrasound imaging where cross-sectional area and other measurements (tendon length, muscle thickness, etc) will be captured with Lumify ultrasound imaging transducer. Then DN to the quadriceps will be performed. After DN procedure, subjects will undergo aforementioned measurements from baseline testing. Testing will require only one appointment by the subject, which will last approximately 2 hours an include baseline testing, dry needling, and post testing. No follow up will occur afterwards.
Breast cancer patients often suffer from long-term physical symptoms of weakness. In this study, investigators propose to compare how two different low intensity physical exercise training programs can improve handgrip strength for breast cancer patients with symptoms of weakness. Using brain imaging, the study will also investigate changes in brain structure, and muscle activity associated with handgrip.
This study will use transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS) to examine the relationship between cognitive processing and motor control by determining whether a part of the brain called the premotor cortex is essential to imagining movement. TMS, described below, is a method of brain stimulation that can temporarily inhibit brain functions of the area underlying the stimulator. Healthy right-handed normal volunteers may be eligible for this study. Candidates will be screened with a medical history, neurological examination, and test of finger dexterity. Participants will perform a sequential finger tapping movement in response to a series of numbers (stimuli) displayed on a computer monitor. After 10 stimuli, they will be asked which finger they tapped last. They will then imagine the same finger tapping movement and will be asked which finger they tapped last in their imagination. During these exercises, participants will undergo transcranial magnetic stimulation. For this procedure, the subject is seated comfortably in a chair. A wire coil is placed on the scalp and a brief electrical current is passed through the coil, creating a magnetic pulse that passes into the brain. This generates a very small electrical current in the brain, which briefly disrupts the function of the brain cells in the stimulated area. The stimulation may cause twitching in arm or leg muscles. During the stimulation, the electrical activity of muscles is recorded with a computer or other recording device, using electrodes attached to the skin with tape. Subjects will complete eight experimental blocks of testing. One block consists of 20 experimental trials, with each trial lasting about 10 seconds. Five pairs of TMS stimuli are given per trial, with pulses delivered in short bursts of one second each. After each block, subjects draw a mark on a line on paper, showing how much attention they are paying, how much fatigue they are experiencing, and how well they think they are executing the tasks. Each TMS session takes up to 3.5 hours. Before the TMS session, participants will undergo magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) for use in determining proper placement of the TMS coil. MRI uses a strong magnetic field and radio waves to obtain images of body organs and tissues. For this procedure, the subject lies still in a narrow metal cylinder (the scanner) for about 30 minutes during the scan.
This study will use transcranial magnetic stimulation to examine how the brain controls movement by sending messages to the spinal cord and muscles and what goes wrong with this process in disease. Normal healthy volunteers between the ages of 18 and 65 years may be eligible to participate. In transcranial magnetic stimulation, an insulated wire coil is placed on the subject's scalp or skin. Brief electrical currents are passed through the coil, creating magnetic pulses that stimulate the brain. During the stimulation, participants will be asked to tense certain muscles slightly or perform other simple actions. The electrical activity of the muscle will be recorded on a computer through electrodes applied to the skin over the muscle. In most cases, the study will last less than 3 hours.
The primary aim of the proposed study is to collect data in an effort to estimate the clinical effectiveness of implementing repetitive task practice (RTP) in addition to mental imagery training (MIT) to improve upper extremity motor function and the quality of life of chronic stroke patients.
Effect of Mental Imagery Training on Brain Plasticity and Motor Function in Individuals with Parkinson's Disease: A functional MRI investigation.