Exoskeletal Support in Stroke
Stroke
About this trial
This is an interventional treatment trial for Stroke
Eligibility Criteria
Inclusion Criteria: Healthy controls: Having obtained the age of 18 years Neurologically healthy (i.e., no history of: traumatic brain injury, peripheral neuropathy, seizures, etc.) Strongly right-handed according to at least 80% score on the Edinburgh Handedness Inventory (Oldfield, 1971; Veale, 2013). The use of right-handed participants is a common feature in this field of study. This is due to the slight differences in arm control between left- and right-handed individuals (Sainburg & Kalakanis, 2000). Ability to give informed consent Survivors of stroke: Having obtained the age of 18 years have a diagnosis of stroke more than six months prior to entry into the study; have the ability to reach, unsupported, to approximately 70% of arm length ability to give informed consent Exclusion Criteria: All participants have any conditions that limit their capability of using a Head Mounted Display (HMD) for a VR environment or cooperate with the protocol. have any orthopedic injuries to the upper extremities. Have neurological injuries other than stroke. Have excessive pain in any joint of either arm that could limit the ability to cooperate with the protocols. Visuospatial neglect Apraxia Global inattention Legal blindness
Sites / Locations
- NYU Langone Health (222 East 41st Street)
Arms of the Study
Arm 1
Arm 2
Experimental
Experimental
Patients with History of Stroke
Healthy Controls
Individuals with history of stroke more than 6 months prior to enrollment. Participants will complete 3 blocks of 54 trials in a single session. Block 1 is a baseline phase where subjects will perform reaches without any loads applied via the exoskeleton devices. Block 2 is the intervention block where bilateral exoskeletons apply gravity assistance to the impaired arm for stroke survivors and gravity resistance to the non-impaired arm. Block 3 is a retention block, where tested procedures are identical to block 1.
Healthy age and gender-matched control participants. Participants will complete 3 blocks of 54 trials in a single session. Block 1 is a baseline phase where subjects will perform reaches without any loads applied via the exoskeleton devices. Block 2 is the intervention block where bilateral exoskeletons apply gravity assistance to the non-dominant arm and resistance is applied to the dominant arm in healthy controls. Block 3 is a retention block, where tested procedures are identical to block 1.