Combining MyoCI With Memory Reactivation to Improve Motor Recovery After Stroke

May 25, 2026 updated by: Marc Slutzky, Northwestern University
This study will examine the combination of myoelectric computer interface (MyoCI) training with targeted memory reactivation (TMR) in chronic stroke survivors. The study aims to determine whether this training-plus-sleep combination will generalize to improve arm motor function over an extended training protocol in stroke survivors.

Study Overview

Status

Recruiting

Conditions

Intervention / Treatment

Study Type

Interventional

Enrollment (Estimated)

70

Phase

  • Not Applicable

Contacts and Locations

This section provides the contact details for those conducting the study, and information on where this study is being conducted.

Study Contact

Study Locations

  • United States
    • Illinois
      • Chicago, Illinois, United States, 60611
        • Recruiting
        • Northwestern University

Participation Criteria

Researchers look for people who fit a certain description, called eligibility criteria. Some examples of these criteria are a person's general health condition or prior treatments.

Eligibility Criteria

Ages Eligible for Study

21 years to 100 years (Adult, Older Adult)

Accepts Healthy Volunteers

No

Description

Inclusion Criteria:

  • Age at enrollment is 21 or older
  • Hemiparesis from first ever stroke affecting arm movement at least 6 months prior to screening
  • Severe to moderate motor impairment (FMA-UE of 7-40)
  • At least some voluntary shoulder and elbow muscle activation

Exclusion Criteria:

  • Inability to follow instructions of the MyoCI task
  • Visual impairment (such as hemianopia) preventing full view of screen
  • Anesthesia or neglect in the affected arm, or visual hemineglect (score of 2 on the NIH Stroke Scale Extinction and Inattention subtest)
  • Participation in another study on the affected arm within 6 weeks of enrollment or any pharmacological study
  • Inability to understand or follow commands in English due to aphasia or other reason
  • Diffuse or multifocal infarcts in both hemispheres
  • Substantial arm pain preventing participation for 90 minutes a day
  • Spasticity treatment (pharmacological or Botox) within last 3 months
  • Ferromagnetic implants that are MRI incompatible

Study Plan

This section provides details of the study plan, including how the study is designed and what the study is measuring.

How is the study designed?

Design Details

  • Primary Purpose: Treatment
  • Allocation: Randomized
  • Interventional Model: Parallel Assignment
  • Masking: Double

Arms and Interventions

Participant Group / Arm
Intervention / Treatment
Experimental: All phase TMR
TMR during every stage of sleep
Other: Targeted Memory Reactivation (TMR)
Targeted memory reactivation (TMR) refers to the process of playing audio cues associated with specific learned material quietly during sleep in order to strengthen consolidation of specific memories during sleep.
Experimental: Slow-wave sleep (SWS) only TMR
TMR during slow-wave sleep only
Other: Targeted Memory Reactivation (TMR)
Targeted memory reactivation (TMR) refers to the process of playing audio cues associated with specific learned material quietly during sleep in order to strengthen consolidation of specific memories during sleep.
Experimental: Reduced frequency TMR
TMR during only subset of sessions
Other: Targeted Memory Reactivation (TMR)
Targeted memory reactivation (TMR) refers to the process of playing audio cues associated with specific learned material quietly during sleep in order to strengthen consolidation of specific memories during sleep.
Sham Comparator: Sham TMR
Patients receive no TMR
Other: Targeted Memory Reactivation (TMR)
Targeted memory reactivation (TMR) refers to the process of playing audio cues associated with specific learned material quietly during sleep in order to strengthen consolidation of specific memories during sleep.

What is the study measuring?

Primary Outcome Measures

Outcome Measure
Measure Description
Time Frame
Wolf Motor Function Test (WMFT)
Time Frame: change from baseline at 6 weeks
The WMFT evaluates upper extremity function on a continuous scale. It measures the time it takes to perform 15 different tasks, with a time limit of 120 s per task.
change from baseline at 6 weeks

Secondary Outcome Measures

Outcome Measure
Measure Description
Time Frame
Fugl-Meyer Assessment of Upper Extremity (UE) Motor Function
Time Frame: change from baseline at 6 weeks
The FMA-UE is a measure of impairment. Maximum score is 66 on the motor function portion. Items are scored on a 3-point ordinal scale.
change from baseline at 6 weeks
Fugl-Meyer Assessment of Upper Extremity (UE) Motor Function
Time Frame: change from baseline at 10 weeks
The FMA-UE is a measure of impairment. Maximum score is 66 on the motor function portion. Items are scored on a 3-point ordinal scale.
change from baseline at 10 weeks
Motor Activity Log (MAL)
Time Frame: change from baseline at 6 weeks
The MAL is a validated measure of home-based arm function, both quantity and quality of use in 30 different activities of daily living.
change from baseline at 6 weeks
Motor Activity Log (MAL)
Time Frame: change from baseline at 10 weeks
The MAL is a validated measure of home-based arm function, both quantity and quality of use in 30 different activities of daily living.
change from baseline at 10 weeks
Modified Ashworth Scale
Time Frame: change from baseline at 6 weeks
The Modified Ashworth Scale is a measure of spasticity, which is graded on a scale of 0-4 per joint tested.
change from baseline at 6 weeks
Modified Ashworth Scale
Time Frame: change from baseline at 10 weeks
The Modified Ashworth Scale is a measure of spasticity, which is graded on a scale of 0-4 per joint tested.
change from baseline at 10 weeks

Collaborators and Investigators

This is where you will find people and organizations involved with this study.

Sponsor

Northwestern University

Investigators

  • Principal Investigator: Marc W Slutzky, MD/PhD, Northwestern University

Study record dates

These dates track the progress of study record and summary results submissions to ClinicalTrials.gov. Study records and reported results are reviewed by the National Library of Medicine (NLM) to make sure they meet specific quality control standards before being posted on the public website.

Study Major Dates

Study Start (Actual)

February 25, 2020

Primary Completion (Estimated)

January 30, 2027

Study Completion (Estimated)

January 30, 2027

Study Registration Dates

First Submitted

March 9, 2020

First Submitted That Met QC Criteria

March 16, 2020

First Posted (Actual)

March 18, 2020

Study Record Updates

Last Update Posted (Actual)

May 27, 2026

Last Update Submitted That Met QC Criteria

May 25, 2026

Last Verified

May 1, 2026

More Information

Terms related to this study

Keywords

Additional Relevant MeSH Terms

Other Study ID Numbers

  • SP0052149

Plan for Individual participant data (IPD)

Plan to Share Individual Participant Data (IPD)?

YES

IPD Plan Description

Clinical functional outcomes and analyzed EMG (co-activation) will be uploaded and shared upon publication.

IPD Sharing Time Frame

IPD and associated analytic code will be made available upon publication of research results and will remain available for the duration of the funded project.

IPD Sharing Supporting Information Type

  • ANALYTIC_CODE

Drug and device information, study documents

Studies a U.S. FDA-regulated drug product

No

Studies a U.S. FDA-regulated device product

No

This information was retrieved directly from the website clinicaltrials.gov without any changes. If you have any requests to change, remove or update your study details, please contact register@clinicaltrials.gov. As soon as a change is implemented on clinicaltrials.gov, this will be updated automatically on our website as well.

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