Investigating the Feasibility of Combining Virtual Reality and Bilateral Transcranial Direct Stimulation to Improve Upper Limb Recovery in Patients With Stroke
Key facts
- Where
- Riyadh, Saudi ArabiaSee the site
Where in Saudi Arabia
- King Fahad Medical City مدينه الملك فهد الطبيه, 6496 Makkah Al Mukarrama Road, الرياض, الرياض 12231Riyadh, Saudi ArabiaTaking people
Questions to ask the study team
- How often do I need to come in, and for how long each time?
- Are travel costs paid?
- Can I keep my own doctor?
- What happens if I want to stop?
Trial details
- Who runs it
- King Saud University
- Trial code
- NCT07288385
- Record updated
- 30 December 2025
- Original description
Following a stroke, the function of the distal upper limb, especially hand and finger movements, is often severely compromised, significantly restricting the ability to carry out daily activities. It is estimated that 55-75% of stroke survivors suffer from motor dysfunction, with upper limb impairments affecting up to 85% of them (Tang et al., 2024). Current rehabilitation approaches, while beneficial, often produce limited gains in hand function, particularly in patients with chronic stroke. Virtual reality (VR) training has emerged as a promising tool in neurorehabilitation, providing repetitive, task-specific, and engaging practice environments that can promote motor learning (Cameirão et al., 2012). tDCS has also shown potential to enhance motor recovery when combined with motor practice (Kang et al., 2016). To date, no studies have directly compared the effectiveness of Bi-tDCS with VR for improving upper limb function after stroke.Read full original descriptionShow less
Following a stroke, the function of the distal upper limb, especially hand and finger movements, is often severely compromised, significantly restricting the ability to carry out daily activities. It is estimated that 55-75% of stroke survivors suffer from motor dysfunction, with upper limb impairments affecting up to 85% of them (Tang et al., 2024). Current rehabilitation approaches, while beneficial, often produce limited gains in hand function, particularly in patients with chronic stroke. Virtual reality (VR) training has emerged as a promising tool in neurorehabilitation, providing repetitive, task-specific, and engaging practice environments that can promote motor learning (Cameirão et al., 2012). tDCS has also shown potential to enhance motor recovery when combined with motor practice (Kang et al., 2016). To date, no studies have directly compared the effectiveness of Bi-tDCS with VR for improving upper limb function after stroke.
Inclusion: 2- Patients with a unilateral cerebral infarction or haemorrhage who are at least three months post-stroke (Muller et al., 2021); 3- Adequate mental status confirmed by an MMSE (Arabic version) should be ≥24 (Kim, 2021). ensuring the ability to comprehend and follow instructions; 4- Modified Ashworth scale score < 3 (Ögün et al., 2019). 5- Fugl-Meyer assessment (FMA) scores between 29 and 58, indicating moderate impairments (Woytowicz et al., 2017); -.
Exclusion: 3- Presence of any medical condition that contraindicates the use of non-invasive brain stimulation (Stahl et al., 2019; Learmonth et al., 2021); 4- History of neurological disorders unrelated to stroke or participation in another study; 2- Individuals who have aphasia find it difficult to follow instructions (Fluet et al., 2015); -.