Action Observation and Motor Imagery Therapy in Stroke

NCT ID: NCT06166862

Last Updated: 2025-12-11

Study Results

Results pending

The study team has not published outcome measurements, participant flow, or safety data for this trial yet. Check back later for updates.

Basic Information

Get a concise snapshot of the trial, including recruitment status, study phase, enrollment targets, and key timeline milestones.

Recruitment Status

RECRUITING

Clinical Phase

NA

Total Enrollment

56 participants

Study Classification

INTERVENTIONAL

Study Start Date

2023-12-12

Study Completion Date

2026-06-30

Brief Summary

Review the sponsor-provided synopsis that highlights what the study is about and why it is being conducted.

In recent years, motor imagery (MI) and action observation (AO) therapy strategies have been used in rehabilitation programs to increase motor learning in stroke. Visuomotor training strategies such as AO and MI therapy rely on the activity of the mirror neuron system to facilitate motor re-learning. Mirror neurons are activated during the performance of goal-directed actions, also when observing the same action and visualizing the action in the mind.

This clinical trial aims to test whether the application of AO and MI treatment in stroke in addition to conventional rehabilitation programs has an additional effect on motor recovery, activities of daily living, and quality of life.

Detailed Description

Dive into the extended narrative that explains the scientific background, objectives, and procedures in greater depth.

Stroke is one of the most common neurological disorders that causes chronic disability in adulthood. Stroke-related neurological dysfunction causes impairment in motor and sensory skills and limitation in the ability to perform daily living activities, resulting in decreased independence of patients. This process causes significant impairment in the quality of life of stroke patients.

In recent years, motor imagery (MI) and action observation (AO) therapy strategies have been used in rehabilitation programs to increase motor learning in stroke. Visuomotor training strategies such as AO and MI therapy rely on the activity of the mirror neuron system to facilitate motor re-learning. Mirror neurons are activated during the performance of goal-directed actions, also when observing the same action and visualizing the action in the mind.

This clinical trial aims to test whether the application of AO and MI treatment in stroke in addition to conventional rehabilitation programs has an additional effect on motor recovery, activities of daily living, and quality of life.

Conditions

See the medical conditions and disease areas that this research is targeting or investigating.

Stroke

Study Design

Understand how the trial is structured, including allocation methods, masking strategies, primary purpose, and other design elements.

Allocation Method

RANDOMIZED

Intervention Model

PARALLEL

Prospective randomized controlled study
Primary Study Purpose

TREATMENT

Blinding Strategy

SINGLE

Outcome Assessors
Single

Study Groups

Review each arm or cohort in the study, along with the interventions and objectives associated with them.

Action observation and motor imagery therapy for rehabilitation

Action observation and motor imagery therapy for rehabilitation in stroke patients in addition to conventional rehabilitation programs.

Group Type EXPERIMENTAL

Action observation and motor imagery therapy for rehabilitation

Intervention Type OTHER

Action observation; Patients will watch some exercises accompanied by music from a previously prepared video for 10 minutes. Exercises include 8-10 repetitions of abduction-adduction, horizontal abduction-adduction, flexion-extension and supination-pronation movements for the upper extremity, and stepping, forward-backward stepping, side stepping and ankle dorsiflexion movements for the lower extremity.

Motor imagery training; Patients will be asked to visualize the actions they watched in their minds for 10 minutes.

Then the patients will watch the video again and will be asked to perform the exercises while watching.

Sham action observation and motor imagery therapy for rehabilitation

Sham comparator for action observation and motor imagery therapy for rehabilitation in stroke patients in addition to conventional rehabilitation programs.

Group Type SHAM_COMPARATOR

Sham action observation and motor imagery therapy for rehabilitation

Intervention Type OTHER

Sham action observation; Patients will watch a video consisting of static nature photographs for 10 minutes with the same music.

Sham motor imaginary; Patients will think about the video they watched for 10 minutes.

Then, they will watch another video in which the exercises are performed only once, and they will be asked to do the exercises. They will be given enough time to do 8-10 repetitions.

Interventions

Learn about the drugs, procedures, or behavioral strategies being tested and how they are applied within this trial.

Action observation and motor imagery therapy for rehabilitation

Action observation; Patients will watch some exercises accompanied by music from a previously prepared video for 10 minutes. Exercises include 8-10 repetitions of abduction-adduction, horizontal abduction-adduction, flexion-extension and supination-pronation movements for the upper extremity, and stepping, forward-backward stepping, side stepping and ankle dorsiflexion movements for the lower extremity.

Motor imagery training; Patients will be asked to visualize the actions they watched in their minds for 10 minutes.

Then the patients will watch the video again and will be asked to perform the exercises while watching.

Intervention Type OTHER

Sham action observation and motor imagery therapy for rehabilitation

Sham action observation; Patients will watch a video consisting of static nature photographs for 10 minutes with the same music.

Sham motor imaginary; Patients will think about the video they watched for 10 minutes.

Then, they will watch another video in which the exercises are performed only once, and they will be asked to do the exercises. They will be given enough time to do 8-10 repetitions.

Intervention Type OTHER

Eligibility Criteria

Check the participation requirements, including inclusion and exclusion rules, age limits, and whether healthy volunteers are accepted.

Inclusion Criteria

* Patients who had a stroke in the last year
* Functional Ambulation Classification score 2-5

Exclusion Criteria

* Patients who have had repeated strokes
* Patients with neglect
* Patients with cognitive dysfunction (those who cannot follow simple verbal instructions)
* Patients with severe hearing problems
* Patients with severe vision problems
* Patients with additional musculoskeletal system pathology that will affect physical performance (such as amputation, severe joint mobility limitation, peripheral nerve damage)
* Patients with uncontrolled hypertension and diabetes mellitus
* Patients with a history of symptomatic lung disease (such as asthma, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, emphysema)
* Patients with a history of symptomatic cardiac disease (such as coronary artery disease, arrhythmia, heart failure)
* Patients with peripheral artery disease
Minimum Eligible Age

18 Years

Maximum Eligible Age

65 Years

Eligible Sex

ALL

Accepts Healthy Volunteers

No

Sponsors

Meet the organizations funding or collaborating on the study and learn about their roles.

Karamanoğlu Mehmetbey University

OTHER

Sponsor Role lead

Karaman Training and Research Hospital

OTHER

Sponsor Role collaborator

Responsible Party

Identify the individual or organization who holds primary responsibility for the study information submitted to regulators.

Yurdagül Bahran Muştu

M.D., Principal investigator

Responsibility Role PRINCIPAL_INVESTIGATOR

Principal Investigators

Learn about the lead researchers overseeing the trial and their institutional affiliations.

Yurdagul Bahran Mustu, MD.

Role: PRINCIPAL_INVESTIGATOR

Karaman Training and Research Hospital

Locations

Explore where the study is taking place and check the recruitment status at each participating site.

Karaman Training and Research Hospital

Karaman, Karaman, Turkey (Türkiye)

Site Status RECRUITING

Countries

Review the countries where the study has at least one active or historical site.

Turkey (Türkiye)

Central Contacts

Reach out to these primary contacts for questions about participation or study logistics.

Yurdagul Bahran Mustu, MD.

Role: CONTACT

+90 506 209 76 72

Aynur Basaran, MD, Prof.

Role: CONTACT

Facility Contacts

Find local site contact details for specific facilities participating in the trial.

Yurdagul Bahran Mustu, MD.

Role: primary

+90 338 226 3228

Aynur Basaran, MD, Prof.

Role: backup

+90 338 226 3225

Other Identifiers

Review additional registry numbers or institutional identifiers associated with this trial.

09-2023/02

Identifier Type: -

Identifier Source: org_study_id

More Related Trials

Additional clinical trials that may be relevant based on similarity analysis.

Mirror Therapy in Stroke
NCT05312905 COMPLETED NA