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NCT Number: NCT05465005

Perception of Electrical Stimuli in Individuals With Stroke

To successfully manipulate objects in one's surroundings, such as when lifting a cup, one must accurately perceive their physical interactions. This includes accurately interpreting the tactile cues arising at one's fingertips when touching an object. Currently, tactile perception is assessed in individuals with stroke using passive protocols. Research has yet to explore whether activating one's muscles impacts the tactile perceptual process in individuals with stroke despite previous research demonstrating the effect of muscle activation on tactile perception in individuals who are neurologically intact. The proposed research will be the first to address the impact of muscle activation, in addition to stroke, on tactile perception. As such, the proposed research is significant for advancing our understanding of the extent to which tactile deficits occur in individuals with stroke, particularly during volitional movement.

Active, Not Recruiting

This study is active but is not currently recruiting participants.

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Key information

Conditions

Stroke Brain Diseases Cardiovascular Diseases Central Nervous System Diseases Cerebrovascular Disorders Nervous System Diseases Vascular Diseases

Age range

18 year and older

Sex eligibility

All sexes

Study type

Interventional

Phase

Not applicable

Primary location

Virginia Tech Biomedical Engineering and Mechanics

Blacksburg, Virginia, 24061, United States

About this study

Participants will detect an externally-applied electrical stimulus at their fingertip with the elbow: 1) relaxed and flexed to 2) 25% and 3) 50% of their maximum voluntary torque (MVT). We will compare the detection threshold for these three conditions between each arm of participants with stroke and similarly-aged controls. Based on pilot data, we hypothesize that the detection threshold will be largest at the paretic arm when flexing to 50% MVT due to the greatest inhibition of sensory signals. Findings will indicate whether stroke negatively impacts an individual's ability to detect tactile stimuli during volitional sensorimotor tasks.

Who can participate

Healthy volunteers accepted: Yes

Only the study team can determine whether someone qualifies for participation.

Inclusion criteria

  • For the participants with stroke, i) a single unilateral cortical lesion that took place at least one year prior and ii) an absence of comorbid neurological impairments
  • Ability to understand and complete the experimental tasks
  • Capacity to provide informed consent
  • At least 18 years of age

Exclusion criteria

  • Major injury to either arm
  • Sensory neuropathy

Treatment and study plan

Torque Generation

Behavioral

Relaxed, or flexing about the elbow to 25% or 50% of the maximum elbow torque that one can generate.

Other names: Muscle activation

Primary outcomes

  1. Detection threshold

    Time frame: ~5 minutes

    Minimum magnitude of current at which an electrical stimulus can be detected

Sponsors and collaborators

Lead sponsor

Netta Gurari

Other

Collaborators

  • Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development (NICHD)
  • Northwestern University
  • Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University

Registry information

Official study title

Perception of Electrical Stimuli During Muscle Activation in Individuals With Stroke

Important dates

Study start
2022
Primary completion
2028
Study completion
2028
First posted
Jul 19, 2022
Registry last updated
Apr 13, 2026

OpenTrials presents study information sourced from ClinicalTrials.gov. The official registry record should be consulted for the latest information.

View the official ClinicalTrials.gov record (opens in a new tab)

This listing is for discovery and informational purposes only. It is not medical advice, does not guarantee that a study is recruiting, and does not determine eligibility. Contact the study team and a qualified healthcare professional when considering participation.

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