Brain stimulation plus electrical muscle stimulation for hand weakness after stroke
Tests brain stimulation combined with muscle stimulation for hand recovery in people with chronic stroke.
Plain-language title generated from the registry record
Registry title: A Novel Multimodal Approach to Promote Motor Recovery and Plasticity After Stroke
Key facts
- Where
- Salt Lake City, United StatesSee the site
Could this be for you?
Answer for yourself. This is not a decision: only the study team can say whether you can take part.
- Are you between 40 and 85 years old?
Source: NCT07887880, who can take part
Where in United States
- University of UtahSalt Lake City, United StatesNo longer taking part
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
- University of Utah
- Trial code
- NCT07887880
- Record updated
- 22 October 2026
- Original description
Upper extremity (UE) paresis or weakness is one of the most frequent impairments after stroke. Despite intense rehabilitation, motor and functional recovery of patients with severe hand impairments is poor. Hence, there is a need for more effective treatments to enhance motor function in patients with severe hand impairments after stroke. Adaptive functional electrical stimulation (FES) appears to be a promising treatment and has the potential to facilitate active movement in individuals with severe impairments post-stroke. In addition, transcranial random noise stimulation (trns) is a widely studied, non-invasive and safe method to enhance the corticomotor excitability in individuals with chronic stroke. However, the effect of combining trns and adaptive FES in patients with severe hand impairments has not been investigated. Therefore, the purpose of this study is to investigate whether combining trns with FES will enhance hand function in individuals with chronic stroke than FES alone. The investigators predict that combining trns with FES will significantly enhance hand function than FES alone.Read full original descriptionShow less
A Novel Multimodal Approach to Promote Motor Recovery and Plasticity After Stroke
Upper extremity (UE) paresis or weakness is one of the most frequent impairments after stroke. Despite intense rehabilitation, motor and functional recovery of patients with severe hand impairments is poor. Hence, there is a need for more effective treatments to enhance motor function in patients with severe hand impairments after stroke. Adaptive functional electrical stimulation (FES) appears to be a promising treatment and has the potential to facilitate active movement in individuals with severe impairments post-stroke. In addition, transcranial random noise stimulation (trns) is a widely studied, non-invasive and safe method to enhance the corticomotor excitability in individuals with chronic stroke. However, the effect of combining trns and adaptive FES in patients with severe hand impairments has not been investigated. Therefore, the purpose of this study is to investigate whether combining trns with FES will enhance hand function in individuals with chronic stroke than FES alone. The investigators predict that combining trns with FES will significantly enhance hand function than FES alone.
Inclusion: Female and male subjects are eligible for inclusion only if all of the following criteria are met:; Age between 40-85 years; Diagnosis of first-ever subcortical stroke (single cerebrovascular accident); Stroke onset of at least six months prior to the time of participation; Limited functional wrist and finger flexion and extension, as indicated between 5º-20º active movement; Cognitive skills to actively participate, as indicated by scores of ≥ 24 on the Mini-Mental Status Examina-tion; English speaking.
Exclusion: Presence of metallic implants in the head or neck; Ferromagnetic metallic implants, pacemakers, other implanted devices, or ventilators (for MRI); Participation in concurrent occupational therapy; Diagnosis of neurological disorders other than stroke; History of recent seizure or epilepsy while taking anticonvulsants; Orthopedic/musculoskeletal conditions (e.g., arthritis) affecting the upper extremity; Psychiatric diagnosis according to the criteria of the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorder, Fifth Edition (DSM-V), or who are on psychotropic medication; A subject is not eligible for inclusion if any of the following criteria apply:; Presence of severe aphasia preventing the ability to follow 1-step directions at least 80% of the time; Excessive spasticity of the wrist and finger muscles, defined as a Modified Ashworth Score >2; Currently or planning to become pregnant; Difficulty maintaining alertness or remaining still; Bodyweight > 300 lbs due to MRI scanner dimensions (for subjects also undergoing MRI).