Mirror Box Imaging Study

Arm and hand weakness as a result of stroke occurs in approximately 70% of stroke survivors, with 30%-60% of patients being unable to fully recover functional use of their upper limbs. As recovery may be due to insufficient or inadequate therapeutic interventions, the progress and evaluation of upper limb treatment is currently being investigated.

Mirror Box therapy is a task orientated, non-invasive, economic and patient directed therapy for hemiparetic upper limb post stroke patients. The study is intended to evaluate cerebral reorganization by using mirror therapy. Movements of the stronger limb trick the brain into thinking that the weaker arm is moving and to stimulate the respective brain areas.

Patients are enrolled into two groups using standard upper limb rehabilitation for three weeks followed by standard rehabilitation plus Mirror Box for another three weeks (Group 1). Group 2 will receive the same therapy in inverted order.

Patients will receive clinical and functional assessment at baseline, three weeks and six weeks including brain MRI using functional resting state MRI.

The primary outcome is functional connectivity (correlation coefficient) at baseline and after treatment. Secondary endpoints include motor and functional recovery using outcome measures like Fugl Meyer assessment, Action Research Arm Test, grip and pincer strength. Further secondary endpoints are increase in sensorimotor cortex activation across the period of therapy and cortical reorganization.

Inclusion criteria

• 18yrs to 105yrs
• Hemiparetic upper limb post stroke
• Capable of providing informed consent
• Intact vision: if diagnosis of peripheral field defect, patient should be able to compensate for it.

Exclusion criteria

• Any contraindication to MRI scanning
• Clinically significant psychiatric disorder (e.g. depression)
• Pre-existing neurological or psychiatric disease that could confound the study results.