Impaired Interlimb Coordination During Locomotion in Individuals With Chronic Stroke: Contributors and Effect on Walking Function

Part of paid clinical trials in Chicago, Illinois.

Sponsor
University of Illinois at Chicago
Study ID
NCT07006818
Status
Recruiting
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Conditions

Eligibility Criteria

Sex
ALL
Age
25 Years - 90 Years
Healthy Volunteers
Not accepted

Interventions

  • Direct current stimulation — DEVICE
    Direct current stimulation will be applied at 2 mA for 20 minutes.

Study Details

Individuals with chronic stroke have long-term walking problems that limit community engagement and quality of life, lead to secondary disabilities, and increase healthcare costs and burden. These walking issues often persist despite rehabilitation. One novel target for stroke gait rehabilitation is interlimb coordination-the phase-dependent cyclical relation of the legs. Interlimb coordination is altered during walking after stroke, compromising walking stability, phase transitions, and responses to perturbation and contributing to motor compensation. It is unclear what neural pathways contribute to impaired interlimb coordination after stroke and what impact this has on walking-related outcomes. This proposal consists of two aims to address these issues, with the long-term goal of developing therapeutic interventions to improve interlimb coordination and walking after stroke. Aim 1 will identify which neural sources contribute to impaired interlimb coordination after stroke. During bilateral, cyclical recumbent stepping (analogue of walking), interlimb coordination will be assessed as relative leg phasing. During the task, transcranial magnetic stimulation and peripheral nerve stimulation will be applied to assess supraspinal, interhemispheric, spinal interneuronal, and sensory pathways. The relation of interlimb coordination with these outcomes will be assessed to determine potential contributors. Aim 2 will test the association between interlimb coordination and walking after stroke. Interlimb coordination will be quantified during split-belt treadmill walking, and associations with walking speed, endurance, mobility, independence, daily activity, quality of life, and community engagement will be tested. An additional exploratory aim will determine the effect of targeted neuromodulation on lower limb interlimb coordination. Electrical stimulation will be applied to three locations in a cross-over study: the primary motor cortex (supraspinal/interhemispheric), thoracolumbar spine (spinal interneuronal), and peripheral nerves (sensory).

Key Dates

Start date
Sep 15, 2025
Status verified
Dec 2025
Primary completion
Apr 30, 2027
Completion
Apr 30, 2028

Study Design

Enrollment
50 participants (estimated)
Allocation
RANDOMIZED
Intervention model
CROSSOVER
Primary purpose
BASIC_SCIENCE

Arms

  • Experimental: Supraspinal direct current stimulation
    Participants will receive 2 mA direct current stimulation for 20 minutes, with the anode applied to the ipsilesional primary motor cortex and the cathode applied to the contralesional supraorbit.
  • Experimental: Spinal direct current stimulation
    Participants will receive 2 mA direct current stimulation for 20 minutes, with the anode applied to the thoracic vertebra and the cathode applied to the non-paretic shoulder.
  • Experimental: Sensory direct current stimulation
    Participants will receive 2 mA direct current stimulation for 20 minutes, with the anode and the cathode applied to the cutaneous superficial peroneal nerve.

Primary Outcome Measure

Corticomotor excitability [ Time Frame: immediately before and after immediately after the intervention ]

Central Contacts

Locations (1)

FacilityCityStateZIPSite coordinators
University of Illinois at ChicagoChicagoIllinois60612
Brice T Cleland, PhD
[email protected]
3129969056
Brice T Cleland, PhD (PRINCIPAL_INVESTIGATOR)

Find similar trials in Chicago, IL

By condition
Stroke
By specialty
NeurologyBrain disorders
By research site
University of Illinois at Chicago· Chicago, IL

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