Stroke

The purpose of this research study is to evaluate whether telerehabilitation targeting arm movement, when added to usual care, improves arm function and reduces global disability after stroke, compared to usual care alone. Patients with arm weakness due to stroke that happened in the past 90-150 days will be randomized into one of two groups: \[1\] TR and usual care; \[2\] usual care only (no TR), but people in the usual care group will be offered TR once the study is done. TR consists of 70 minutes/day of activities targeting arm function, 6 days a week for 6 weeks.

The goal of this clinical trial is to learn if a device which provides vagal nerve stimulation, applied to the tragus of the ear via an ear clip, can improve sleep in individuals recovering from stroke while they are treated in a rehabilitation hospital. The main questions this study aims to answer are: 1. Does using this device improve insomnia? 2. Does this device have any impact on the person's stroke severity, mobility, self-care, or ability to think? Researchers will compare this treatment to a sham (a look-alike device that will not deliver the stimulation). Participants will: * Complete questionnaires about insomnia and their ability to think * Use the device for 30 minutes every evening for at least 10 nights during their inpatient stay * Complete a log tracking their use of the device and any concerns

The goal of this clinical trial is to learn whether starting a direct oral anticoagulant (DOAC) early after endovascular treatment works to improve outcomes in patients with ischemic stroke related to atrial fibrillation. It will also learn about the safety of early DOAC treatment. The main question it aims to answer is: \- Does starting DOAC treatment 24 hours after endovascular treatment improve outcomes at 3 months compared with starting it 5 days after randomization? Researchers will compare early DOAC treatment (started 24 hours after the procedure) with delayed DOAC treatment (started 5 days after randomization) to see if early treatment works better. Participants will: * Have atrial fibrillation-related acute ischemic stroke caused by a large vessel blockage in the front part of the brain, within 24 hours of symptom onset * Be randomly assigned to one of two groups after endovascular treatment: early DOAC treatment or delayed DOAC treatment * Take DOACs starting 24 hours after the procedure (early group) or 5 days after randomization (delayed group) * Be followed up for 3 months to check their recovery and any medical problems

Stroke is a major health issue, especially for women, who are more likely than men to have worse outcomes and lower quality of life after a stroke. Yet, women are under-represented in stroke research, which limits how well treatments work for them. This study aims to change that by testing a new way to recruit women into stroke research using the ORDER toolkit, a set of easy-to-understand, women-focused materials like brochures and videos co-designed with patients. This new approach will be compared to the usual way of recruiting patients. The study will track how many people join, how long it takes to make a decision, and what influences participation. Patients and research coordinators will also share their feedback on the process. Our goal is to make stroke studies more inclusive so that research findings benefit everyone equally.

The objective of the COGNITIVE Study is to evaluate whether successful reperfusion with Tigertriever is associated with cognitive benefit.

PREMAP invites residents of the Eloisa region (South Savo, Finland) turning 45, 50, or 55 years of age in 2026 to undergo a blood-based NMR metabolomics risk assessment for five interlinked cardio-renal-metabolic conditions (type 2 diabetes, coronary heart disease/myocardial infarction, stroke/cardiovascular disease, chronic kidney disease, and fatty liver disease), alongside a mental wellbeing assessment (WHO-5 Well-Being Index). Based on this risk profile, participants are classified as low, moderate, or high multi-disease risk. Participants at moderate or high risk are individually randomized in a 1:1:1 ratio to one of three digital health interventions for up to 12 months: a habit-based lifestyle application (BitHabit), a structured digital lifestyle coaching programme (Onnikka), or a guideline-based digital self-care pathway (Oma Eloisa, comparator). Participants at high risk additionally receive a physician consultation and optimization of guideline-directed medical therapy. All participants, including the non-randomized low-risk group, are followed prospectively at baseline, 6 months, and 12 months. The study evaluates whether early risk identification and risk-stratified digital interventions reduce future disease risk and improve wellbeing and estimates the cost-effectiveness of the overall approach for the Finnish healthcare system.

The goal of this clinical trial is to determine the effects of home-based cross-education on lower limb neuroplasticity in severe stroke. The main questions the investigators aim to answer are: * What are the effects of home-based cross-education on lower limb neuroplasticity? * What are the effects of home-based cross-education on lower limb function? * Is home-based cross-education feasible to administer and accepted by participants? Participants will take part in ten home-based, remotely supervised sessions, during which participants will either perform unilateral skill and strength training of the unaffected lower limb (Tele-Cross Education or Tele-CE) or cognitive training and unilateral movements of the unaffected lower limb (Tele-control). Each participant will experience measures of brain and spinal activity and motor function testing before and after both sessions (Tele-CE and Tele-control). Each participant will also be asked to fill out a feedback questionnaire to assess acceptability after intervention sessions (Tele-CE and Tele-control).

This observational study aims to investigate associations between oral and salivary biomarkers and stroke. Adults with stroke and healthy controls will undergo clinical oral assessment and unstimulated saliva collection. Salivary inflammatory biomarkers and oral bacterial profiles will be analyzed, including detection of Streptococcus mutans and the cnm gene by PCR/qPCR. The study will explore associations between these biomarkers and stroke status.

Unilateral motor deficits, such as paresis and tone disorders, are frequent consequences of stroke and lead to gait impairments. Among these, spatial asymmetry is characterized by differences in step length between the paretic and non-paretic limbs, resulting in balance problems and an increased risk of falls. Conventional rehabilitation has shown limited effectiveness in addressing this issue, highlighting the need for innovative approaches. Real-time feedback interventions, particularly through augmented reality (AR), may help improve gait asymmetry by providing a more natural and interactive learning environment. This study aims to compare the effectiveness of two types of real-time visual feedback, an avatar-based system and visual bars, in improving gait symmetry and other locomotor parameters in individuals post-stroke. It will also assess the acceptability and usability of the intervention, participants' sense of presence, and the potential for cybersickness induced by these systems. A repeated-measures design will be used to evaluate the immediate effectiveness of the two types of visual feedback on gait asymmetry and other locomotor parameters in adults in the subacute phase after stroke. Participants, aged 18 to 65 and presenting spatial asymmetry, will perform walking trials in an AR environment while being exposed to both feedback modalities in randomized order. Spatiotemporal and kinematic data will be collected using inertial sensors, while questionnaires will assess acceptability, usability, sense of presence, and cybersickness. Participants will be evaluated in a 45-m long corridor (free of traffic) and will perform nine walking trials (three per condition) under three randomized conditions: (1) a lateral view avatar displayed on the paretic side, previously shown to provide optimal feedback on step length; (2) a visual bar feedback representing bilateral step lengths; and (3) a "control" condition with no additional feedback. Each walking trial, lasting 2.5 minutes, will consist of a pre-adaptation phase without feedback (30 s), followed by an adaptation phase with feedback (1 min), and a post-adaptation phase without feedback (1 min). The investigators expect that avatar-based feedback will be more effective than visual bars in improving spatial symmetry. The investigators also anticipate that both feedback modalities will be well accepted and usable by participants without inducing cybersickness, but that the sense of presence will be higher with avatar-based feedback. This study will shed light on locomotor adjustment mechanisms and may lay the groundwork for future clinical trials. By offering a personalized, evidence-based approach, these results could help transform post-stroke rehabilitation through the integration of innovative tools to optimize functional recovery.

The goal of this clinical trial is to study the feasibility of a 6-week piano playing training intervention in a subacute stroke population. More specifically, the investigators aim to (1) implement and test the feasibility of the intervention in the subacute stroke rehabilitation program; and (2) explore the acceptability of the supervised training sessions and home practice sessions. Researchers will also (3) estimate and contrast the effects of the piano training intervention as compared to conventional therapy on manual dexterity, coordination, functional use of the upper extremity, attention and mood. Therapy specifically provided as part of this project will be delivered above and beyond usual therapy time in both intervention groups. Participants of the piano group will: * Engage in a step-by-step musical training consisting of two supervised, individual 45-min sessions per week for 6 consecutive weeks, for a total of 12 sessions. * The supervised session will also be complemented with a biweekly home program (15 minutes) consisting of piano exercises. Participants in the conventional group will: * Engage in two individual 45-min sessions per week for 6 consecutive weeks consisting in conventional occupational therapy treatment. * They will also receive a biweekly home program consisting in occupational therapy exercises (15 minutes).

While stroke survivors discharged from rehabilitation present with some recovery in mobility, their ability to ambulate in the community remains limited. The investigators propose to test a novel, low-cost, intensive and individually tailored intervention that combines virtual reality (VR) and field training to enhance community ambulation and participation in stroke survivors discharged from rehabilitation. The aims are to: (1) Assess feasibility, acceptability, safety and adherence of the intervention in stroke survivors; and (2) Examine the extent to which post-intervention changes in functional walking and participation to community walking vary according to walking, cognitive and visual-perceptual abilities. The investigators will use a virtual environment prototype simulating a shopping mall and surrounding streets, in which participants will interact using VR goggles and game controllers. Scenarios of increasing levels of complexity will be introduced. This intervention study involves a single group, multiple pre- multiple post- study design where chronic stroke participants will engage in a 4-week training program. The program will include VR training sessions performed in the clinical setting (3/week) and practice of community ambulation skills while supervised by family/caregivers (2/week). Participants will be assessed on measures of functional walking, balance \& mobility and participation to community walking. Adherence, safety and acceptability will be documented. This study will generate foundation knowledge on the response to the intervention based on individual capacities.

Stroke is a leading cause of neurological disability and upper limb impairment. While conventional rehabilitation options exist, brain-computer interface (BCI)-based neurorehabilitation has emerged as a promising approach that records and decodes neural signals to drive rehabilitation devices or functional electrical stimulation. By re-coupling cortical motor intent to limb movement, BCI systems restore closed-loop neurofeedback and facilitate neuroplasticity through residual neural pathways. Motor intent is detected non-invasively via scalp electroencephalography (EEG), using characteristic changes in mu and beta rhythm activity known as event-related desynchronisation (ERD). This study aims to investigate how these electrophysiological signals change over time following stroke and their implications for BCI-based rehabilitation.

This randomized controlled pilot trial evaluates the usability and safety of PhiCube, a compact, portable, bilateral end-effector robotic device for upper limb rehabilitation, and its impact on motor and cognitive function. Eighty adults aged 18 to 85 years are enrolled in two groups: 60 participants with neuromotor impairment of the upper limbs (stroke, amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, Parkinson's disease, spinal cord injury) and 20 participants with mild cognitive impairment. Within each group, participants are randomly assigned either to conventional rehabilitation combined with PhiCube training or to conventional rehabilitation alone, 5 days a week for 8 weeks. The primary endpoints are usability, measured with the System Usability Scale, and safety, measured as the incidence of adverse events reported by the participant or observed by the operator at the end of each session. Secondary endpoints address upper limb motor function, executive function, independence in daily activities, quality of life, adherence, satisfaction, perception of technology-assisted rehabilitation, and the effect of acoustic feedback on engagement and enjoyment.

The primary objective of this pilot randomized controlled trial (RCT) is to test the feasibility (consent rate, retention rate, participant burden, adherence, technical issues, safety) and usability (system usability scale, SUS) of Omnidirectional treadmill Virtual Reality training (omni-VR) among chronic stroke survivors. Our secondary objective is to (1) estimate the extent to which cognition, brain activation during a dual task activity, walking ability, and dynamic balance change after 3 months of training among intervention participants (omni-VR) and traditional exercise controls, and (2) estimate the extent to which health-related quality of life and motivation co-evolve with our secondary outcomes. Researchers will compare the intervention group and control group to evaluate the impact of omni-VR on cognition and physical function among stroke survivors. Participants will: * undergo a 45-minute training session 3 times per week for 12 weeks * intervention group: omni-VR * control group: traditional exercise program (strengthening and walking activities)

The purpose of this study is to develop and test if upper limb task practice and muscle activity training improve upper limb function in stroke survivors. Participants will be asked to come to the laboratory 23 times (approximately 3 times a week) over 2.5 months to receive upper limb task practice, muscle activity training, and/or upper extremity functional assessments.

Background: When people have a stroke, they often have difficulty moving their arms and hands. Transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS) can improve how well people with and without stroke can move their arms and hands. But the effects of TMS are minor, and it doesn t work for everyone. Researchers want to study how to time brain stimulation so that the effects are more consistent. Objective: To understand how the brain responds to transcranial magnetic stimulation so that treatments for people with stroke can be improved. Eligibility: Adults ages 18 and older who had a stroke at least 6 months ago Healthy volunteers ages 50 and older Design: Participants will have up to 5 visits. At visit 1, participants will be screened with medical history and physical exam. Participants with stroke will also have TMS and surface electromyography (sEMG). For TMS, a brief electrical current will pass through a wire coil on the scalp. Participants may hear a click and feel a pull. Muscles may twitch. Participants may be asked to do simple movements during TMS. For sEMG, small electrodes will be attached to the skin and muscle activity will be recorded. At visit 2, participants will have magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). They will lie on a table that slides into a metal cylinder in a strong magnetic field. They will get earplugs for the loud noise. At visit 3, participants will have TMS, sEMG, and electroencephalography (EEG). For EEG, small electrodes on the scalp will record brainwaves. Participants will sit still, watch a movie, or do TMS. Participants may be asked to have 2 extra visits to redo procedures.

The goal of this observational study is to learn how the timing of mobilisation after endovascular thrombectomy (EVT) affects complications in patients with acute ischaemic stroke. The main questions it aims to answer are: Does mobilisation approximately 12 hours after EVT, compared to approximately 24 hours after EVT, affect the risk of complications such as access site haematoma (ASH), venous thromboembolism (VTE), infections, and delirium? How common are these complications after EVT, and which factors are associated with increased risk? Participants undergoing EVT as part of their regular stroke care at two hospitals with different mobilisation routines will be followed during their hospital stay. Researchers will collect information about mobilisation timing, complications, clinical assessments, and medical history using case report forms, electronic health records, and national stroke registries.

This study aims to evaluate the effects of local vibration applied to the plantar surface of the foot on gait speed and dynamic balance in individuals with stroke.

Two decades ago, the projection of recovery of the upper extremity (UE) after a stroke had a very poor prognosis worldwide. Nowadays, thanks to medical advances and early rehabilitation, the prognosis for recovery has improved; however, there is still a limit that no therapy has been able to overcome, related to spontaneous recovery as part of the natural evolution of the pathophysiological process, rather than with the contribution of rehabilitation. Additionally, existing therapies show partial effectiveness on the recovery of UE function, but do not avoid the use of compensatory strategies or alternatives to normal movement. Given this situation, there is an active search for new therapeutic approaches. In this clinical trial the investigators propose a rehabilitation paradigm that promotes the recovery of control of specific planes of movement through the selective restriction of degrees of freedom, simplifying control demands. The investigators sought to test the hypothesis that people with stroke in the early subacute stage and who present alterations in the movement of the upper extremity, a rehabilitation protocol that reduces the degrees of freedom of the UE and trunk, enables greater recovery of the movement of the UE and less use of compensatory movements compared to a protocol without DoF control. The general objective is to demonstrate the effect of training with restriction of the degrees of freedom of UE and trunk, mediated by an exoskeleton and videogames, on the control of the UE.

This study examines how to best assess and treat post-stroke neglect. This study will examine the preliminary effects of an innovative intervention (repetitive task-specific practice + transcranial direct current stimulation) for individuals with neglect. This study will also determine whether items from various neglect assessments can be combined to establish a more comprehensive neglect measure.

This study is a prospective, multicenter, randomized, controlled, single-blind, investigator-driven, non-profit clinical trial designed to compare the safety and efficacy of the Cocoon PFO Occluder with the Amplatzer PFO Occluder family in patients requiring percutaneous closure of a patent foramen ovale (PFO). Eligible participants are adults with a history of cryptogenic embolic stroke or neurologically confirmed transient ischemic attack (TIA) within the previous 12 months and a PFO suitable for transcatheter closure. A total of up to 1260 subjects will be enrolled across multiple European centers. Participants will be randomly assigned in a 3:1 ratio to receive either the Cocoon PFO Occluder (experimental group) or an Amplatzer PFO closure device (control group). The procedure will be performed as soon as possible after randomization, preferably within 14 days and no later than 45 days. The primary endpoint is a non-inferiority comparison of a composite outcome at 12 months, including recurrent ischemic stroke, TIA, or all-cause death. Secondary endpoints include PFO closure rate at 6 months, assessed by echocardiographic imaging, and other measures of safety, device performance, and clinical outcomes. The study is conducted in a single-blind fashion: patients will not be informed of the device they receive unless they explicitly request this information. Any patient who chooses to be unblinded will continue to participate without affecting eligibility or follow-up, and the date of unblinding will be documented to allow appropriate sensitivity analyses. This trial aims to provide robust comparative evidence on the clinical performance of the Cocoon PFO Occluder relative to the Amplatzer PFO Occluder to guide optimal device selection in patients with cryptogenic stroke or TIA associated with PFO.

This study investigates the effects of Tizanidine on the voluntary movement controls of the arms of participants who have had a stroke and have not had a stroke by measuring medication-induced changes in upper extremity kinematics, pupillometry, and brain activity. Tizanidine is approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration. Understanding how different areas of the brain are involved in movement impairments may help rehabilitation efforts and assist in restoring healthy movement in individuals who have had a stroke.

Homonymous lateral hemianopia (HLH) is characterized by loss of vision in half the visual field, and is the most common neurovisual disorder following stroke. Numerous behavioral and neuroanatomical studies have focused on the phenomenon of blindsight, corresponding to patients' unconscious residual visual capacities in the blind hemifield. Cohort studies of patients have highlighted different types of blindsight, and a low occurrence of the phenomenon initially described: (1) type 1 blindsight (≈12%), unconscious visual abilities; (2) type 2 blindsight, visual abilities associated with sensations in the blind field (≈18%); (3) blindsense, sensations in the blind field without visual abilities (≈30%); and (4) no blindsight (≈40%). The heterogeneity of these blindsight abilities in the HLH population is closely related to patients' neuroanatomical and functional profiles. In particular, resting-state functional imaging (r-fMRI) and default mode network analysis have highlighted a significant correlation between the degree of inter-hemispheric connection (between the healthy and injured hemispheres) and the rate of spontaneous visual field recovery. To our knowledge, this degree of functional connectivity has not yet been studied in relation to blindsight abilities. However, this functional MRI measurement tool represents a potential predictive factor for patients' residual performance in their blindsight field, in order to assess the level of visuo-cognitive impairment and, ultimately, to adapt care.

Stiff-knee gait (SKG) is a frequent gait abnormality in people with post-stroke hemiparesis and is characterized by insufficient knee flexion during the swing phase of walking. One potential mechanism is inappropriate activation of one or more heads of the quadriceps during pre-swing and early swing. This observational study will compare quadriceps electromyographic activity and gait kinematics between adults with chronic post-stroke hemiparesis with SKG and healthy adult controls. The study will include 30 participants with post-stroke SKG and 24 healthy controls. Quantitative gait analysis will be performed using three-dimensional motion analysis together with electromyography (EMG). Ultrasound-guided fine-wire electrodes will record the activity of all four heads of the quadriceps: rectus femoris, vastus intermedius, vastus medialis, and vastus lateralis. Healthy controls will be assessed while walking at a slow speed selected to provide a reference condition that is comparable with the walking speeds typically observed in participants with post-stroke hemiparesis. The primary outcome is the difference in fine-wire EMG activation patterns of the four quadriceps heads between participants with post-stroke SKG and healthy controls, with particular attention to pre-swing and early swing. Secondary outcomes will assess differences in gait kinematics between groups, including peak knee flexion during the swing phase and knee flexion-extension patterns throughout the gait cycle. The study aims to improve understanding of the muscular mechanisms underlying post-stroke SKG and to establish relevant fine-wire EMG reference patterns for all four quadriceps heads in healthy individuals walking at a speed comparable with patients with hemiparesis.

This study aims to investigate whether a live stream video between the on-call neurologist and the emergency medical technicians can increase feasibility and performance of symptom-based prehospital stroke scales.