Combinational Rehabilitative Therapy and Functional Brain Imaging for Patients Recovering From Motor Stroke
Ischaemic Stroke
About this trial
This is an interventional treatment trial for Ischaemic Stroke focused on measuring stroke, virtual reality based therapy
Eligibility Criteria
Inclusion Criteria:
- Age: 25-99yrs
- Right-handed
- Cognitively coherent, able to provide informed consent (MMSE >25)
- Newly diagnosed, first episode ischemic stroke in the past 2-21 days
- Motor score: Strength of 2-3 out of 5 on affected side upper limb
Exclusion Criteria:
- Declined consent to participate in the study
- Cognitive impairment or significant aphasia with inability to understand study requirements and inability to participate in therapy
- Other neurological or physical ailments with pre-existing motor weakness
- Haemorrhagic stroke
- Patient due to undergo significant medical interventions such as carotid endarthrectomy
- Patients on neuroactive agents prior to the stroke such as antidepressants
- Hypersensitivity to benserazide, levodopa, sympathomimetics, or any component of the formulation
- Use of MAO inhibitors within the last 14 days
- Patients with clinical or laboratory evidence of uncompensated cardiovascular, endocrine, renal, hepatic, hematologic, or pulmonary disease
- Patients with decompensated endocrine, renal, hepatic, cardiac disorders, psychiatric disorders, narrow-angle glaucoma, or closed-angle glaucoma;
- Patients <25 years of age (due to possibility of skeletal abnormalities from benserazide)
- Pregnancy or use in women of childbearing potential without adequate contraception.
Sites / Locations
- Singapore General Hospital
Arms of the Study
Arm 1
Arm 2
Experimental
Active Comparator
Virtual Reality based therapy, levodopa
occupational therapy, levodopa
The VR therapy session consists of the subject interacting with a computer-based program in which they guide an avatar to gather items by using flexion and extension gestures of the affected upper limb. VR therapy sessions will last for 15-30 minutes depending on the subject's tolerance and participation. For patients who are unable to overcome gravity fully, they can still participate in this therapy by resting their arm on a table. Patients will receive a single dose of 100mg levodopa in combination with benserazide 2-3 hours before each additional Occupational therapy session or VR therapy session depending on the assigned group.
The control group will receive and additional half an hour per working day of standard occupational therapy. Patients will receive a single dose of 100mg levodopa in combination with benserazide 2-3 hours before each additional Occupational therapy session or VR therapy session depending on the assigned group.