Active clinical trials for "Cerebral Palsy"

Assessing the effects of noninvasive spinal cord neuromodulation on improving function in individuals with cerebral palsy

Unilateral spastic cerebral palsy (USCP) leads to life-long impairment with a hemiparesis of the affected side of the body. Rehabilitation efforts combine evidence based methods such as constrained induced movement therapy (CIMT) or hand-arm bimanual intensive therapy (HABIT) as well as training in daily life activities and psychological support in order to improve participation. It has been tried to enhance hand motor function trainings with non-invasive brain stimulation. However, evidence of this promising approach is limited. This might be due to a non-consideration of the individually different types of cortico-spinal projections to the paretic hand that demonstrated to be of highly relevant for the therapy of these children. Approximately one third of such patients control their paretic hands via crossed projections from the affected hemisphere (CONTRA), while one third uses ipsilateral projections from the contralesional hemisphere (IPSI). This study aims - for the first time - to enhance the effects of the training by priming the primary motor cortex (M1) of the paretic hand with a newly established high frequency quadri-pulse theta burst stimulation (qTBS) in a randomized, patient and evaluator blind, sham-controlled approach, for the first time taking the individual type of cortico-spinal reorganization (CONTRA vs IPSI) into account. This promising and neurophysiologically motivated approach is likely to ameliorate hand function in children with USCP.

The overall objectives of this work is to establish feasibility of a robotic ankle assist device (RAAD) to improve mobility in free-living settings and to establish the RAAD as an effective tool to provide increased dose and precision of targeted ankle therapy. The first specific aim is to complete a personal-use feasibility analysis of ankle mobility assistance. It is hypothesized the children will be able to safely walk faster and travel farther in the community when using the RAAD device vs. without the device. The second specific aim is to gather feedback to design and prototype a minimum viable product for use in clinical and community settings. The third specific aim is to quantify the potential for the RAAD system to increase the effectiveness of clinical gait therapy. Individuals with CP will complete three training sessions: RAAD assistance, RAAD resistance and standard of care. Muscle activity and step activity will be measured during each session. It is hypothesized that the RAAD assistance and resistance therapy will improve ankle plantar-flexor muscle activity and treatment session quality compared to traditional physical therapist-guided gait training. The fourth specific aim is to assess the benefits of repeated gait training with RAAD assistance and resistance. Individuals with CP will participate in a 4-week assistance or resistance intervention and mobility outcomes will be quantified pre and post intervention. It is hypothesized that both assistance and resistance training will improve mobility outcomes.

The purpose of this study is to test the efficacy of a motor learning-based postural and reaching control intervention delivered with the robotic Trunk-Support-Trainer (TruST) compared to the same motor learning-based intervention delivered with Static Trunk Support Equipment in children with cerebral palsy (CP) classified as III and IV with the Gross Motor Function Classification System (GMFCS).

Whole-body vibration (WBV) and treadmill training (TT) are commonly-utilized rehabilitation interventions for children with neuromotor disorders. WBV has been shown in the literature to positively affect gait and lower body spasticity in this population. However, the effects of a single session of WBV are generally transient, lasting between ten minutes and two hours. Thus, it may be necessary to combine WBV with another intervention to reinforce improved movement patterns and maximize its potential benefits. Therefore, the aim of this study is to investigate the effects of the addition of a single bout of WBV to a single bout of TT on the lower extremity spasticity and gait parameters of ambulatory children with CP.

There is strong evidence that recent intensive interventions based on motor skill learning principles are efficient on functional and neuroplastic changes of children with cerebral palsy (CP). Besides, impaired selective voluntary motor control (SVMC) is one of four interrelated neuromuscular deficits in children with CP and is listed in the ICF-CY (International Classification of Functioning, Disability and Health for Children and Youth) under body functions. Additionally, impaired SVMC has been shown to negatively affect the motor and functional abilities of children with CP. However, there have been little scientific investigations on the trainability of SVMC according to therapeutic interventions. Therefore, the study aims to evaluate the effect of Hand and Arm Bimanual Intensive Therapy Including Lower Extremities (HABIT-ILE) on the body function and structures of children with bilateral and unilateral cerebral palsy, including SVMC and brain structure.

The aim of this study was to compare the effectiveness of umbilical cord mesenchymal stem cells (UCMSCs) and conditioned medium (CM) administration, UCMSCs only and control with standard therapy. Hypothesis: UCMSCs + CM therapy resulting in higher improvement in cognitive function, gross motor function and chemical factors than UCMSCs and standard therapy.

Wheelchair bound patients often have pain in lower back and glutes, constipation and reduced quality of life - symptoms that exercise might ameliorate. However, in wheelchair bound patients with muscular dystrophies and cerebral palsy only very little research is done on exercise. We thus wish to investigate effects of cycle exercise in wheelchair bound patients with muscular dystrophy and cerebral palsy.

Cerebral palsy is a disorder of movement and posture resulted from a non-progressive lesion or injury of the immature brain. It is a leading cause of childhood onset disability. Many experimental animal studies have revealed that umbilical cord blood is useful to repair neurological injury in brain. On the basis of many experimental studies, umbilical cord blood is suggested as a potential therapy for cerebral palsy.

This is a randomized controlled trial, comparing 3 months of intensive leg exercise to standard physiotherapy care for the improvement of gross motor function in young children with spastic diplegia.