This interventional study will measure motor performance, including 3D movement analysis and muscle activity, in response to exoskeleton assistance. The cohort design will compare stroke patients to healthy controls. Data collection will be conducted in a single, 2-hour session. Investigators will also access stroke patients' brain MRIs that were obtained as standard of care during acute admission for stroke.
Study Type
INTERVENTIONAL
Allocation
NON_RANDOMIZED
Purpose
TREATMENT
Masking
NONE
Enrollment
19
The Oculus Rift is a commercially-available virtual reality (VR) headset. It is used to present the visual environment in which participants perform the reaching task.
The exoskeleton was designed and constructed to provide either gravity assistance or gravity resistance. It applies a torque to both shoulders. Torque values do not exceed 50% of the torque due to gravity. The device is mounted to a testing chair and attached to the participant using Velcro straps.
NYU Langone Health (222 East 41st Street)
New York, New York, United States
Relative Contribution (RC)
Relative Contribution (RC) is a measure of the relative displacement between the hands during a bimanual reaching task. Displacement of both hands was measured using 3D motion capture using the Oculus Rift VR system. RC is calculated as the displacement of the more-impaired hand divided by the sum of displacements of both hands, multiplied by 100.
Time frame: End of VR Task (Day 1 - session lasts approx. 2 hours)
Muscle Contribution (MC)
Muscle Contribution (MC) is a measure of the relative muscle activity between the arms during a bimanual reaching task. Muscle activity was measured using electromyography (EMG); the root-mean-square (RMS) of the EMG timeseries signal in the anterior deltoid. MC in the anterior deltoid was calculated as the RMS in the more-impaired anterior deltoid divided by the sum of RMS values in both anterior deltoids, multiplied by 100. For example, an MC (deltoid) value of 50% indicates that the muscle activity in both anterior deltoids was the same while reaching; an MC value less than 50% indicates that reaching occurred with less muscle activity in the more-impaired deltoid compared to the less-impaired deltoid.
Time frame: Baseline, End of VR Task (Day 1 - session lasts approx. 2 hours)
Corticospinal Tract (CST) Lesion Load
Measured via MRI; lesion load is expressed as percentage of the entire CST.
Time frame: Baseline
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