Ipsilateral Transfer of Motor Skill From Lower to Upper Limb in Healthy Adults

Ipsilateral Transfer of Motor Skill From Lower to Upper Limb in Healthy Adults: a Randomized Controlled Trial

To determine whether there is an ipsilateral transfer of motor skill from the lower to the upper limb in healthy adults.

Study Overview

• Status: Completed
• Conditions: Healthy
• Intervention / Treatment: Behavioral: Leg training; Behavioral: Sequence observation; Other: Nature movie watching

Detailed Description

In a single-blind randomized controlled study,45 healthy subjects were randomly allocated to one of three single intervention groups: (1) "Leg Training" group (LT) (15 participants) practiced reaching movement (RM) sequences with the non-dominant left lower limb towards the numbered illuminating switch; (2) "Sequence observation" group (SO) (15 participants) observed the identical sequences of the illuminating switches (Switches Observation (SO) group); and (3) "Nature Movie Watching" (MW) group. (15 participants) watched a neutral nature video. Each subject was asked to attend two consecutive sessions, day after day. The first session included familiarization practice of the motor task, a pretest, a single session intervention (according to group randomization), and a posttest. Subjects participated in two sessions. The second session included a retest, 24 hours after the training. The predefined sequence consisted of six reaching movements in the following order of switches: 1, 4, 3, 5, 4, 2.

Recording apparatus used in tests (pretest, posttest, and retest) and training: A custom-made testing device was set up on a rectangular table with a smooth laminated tabletop of 105 cm × 80 cm and adjustable height. Five switch-led units of 5 cm × 8 cm × 5 cm, each composed of a large push-button switch and a red light-emitting diode (LED), attached to the tabletop in a 38-cm radius half circle, successively numbered from 1 to 5. The system was operated by a desktop computer, interfaced with a data acquisition card of LABVIEW software. The algorithm allowed parameters selection of LED activation (illumination) sequence, duration of RM, the delay between RMs, and the number of RM repetitions. Activation of a specific unit LED was a cue for the subject to reach toward that unit and press the push-button switch. Reaching the switch of an activated unit deactivated it, and the response time, between the activated and deactivated LED, was recorded.

Tests (motor tasks): The non-dominant left arm was tested. Motor task: The subjects performed a sequential movement task on a table with push button switches with lights sequentially turning on to indicate the order. Each switch lit up for 1 second, or until hit. Initially, the participants were required to perform 3 sequences to familiarize themselves with the setup, the task, and the sequence. Then, they performed the pre-test which consisted of two blocks of 5 sequences, i.e. 10 sequences, with a 30s break between blocks. After this, the participants underwent one of the following predetermined interventions groups:

1. "Leg Training" Participants sat on a chair with their left heel resting on the table with the push button switches. They performed 10 blocks of the aforementioned sequence with their leg, with a 30s break between each block.
2. "Sequence observation" Participants observed 10 blocks of the identical sequence with the lights alternating automatically, with a 30s break between each block.
3. "Nature movie watching" Participants watched a "scenic relaxation film" for 10 minutes, with a 30s break after every minute.

Two outcome measures were used: 1. response time (s), 2. failure (%) of the reaching movements, defined as failure to reach the switch in the allotted time (1 sec), or pressing the wrong buzzer.

• Study Type: Interventional
• Enrollment (Actual): 45
• Phase: Not Applicable

Contacts and Locations

Study Locations

• Israel
  • Ariel, Israel
    • Ariel University

Participation Criteria

Eligibility Criteria

• Ages Eligible for Study: Adult
• Accepts Healthy Volunteers: Yes

Description

Inclusion Criteria:

• aged between 20 and 35
• right-hand dominant
• healthy according to self-report

Exclusion Criteria:

• musculoskeletal problems or any other problem that may interfere with the performance of the task (extension of an arm or leg while sitting).
• pregnancy

Study Plan

How is the study designed?

Design Details

• Primary Purpose: Other
• Allocation: Randomized
• Interventional Model: Parallel Assignment
• Masking: Single

Number of Arms

3

Arms and Interventions

Participant Group / Arm	Intervention / Treatment
Experimental: Leg training; Participants sat on a chair with their left heel resting on the table with the push button switches. participants performed 10 blocks of the aforementioned sequence with their leg, with a 30s break between each block.	Behavioral: Leg training; Participants sat on a chair with their left heel resting on the table with the push button switches. participants performed 10 blocks of the aforementioned sequence with their leg, with a 30s break between each block.
Active Comparator: Sequence observation; Participants observed 10 blocks of the sequence with the lights alternating automatically, with a 30s break between each block.	Behavioral: Sequence observation; Participants observed 10 blocks of the sequence with the lights alternating automatically, with a 30s break between each block.
Other: Nature movie watching; Participants watched a "scenic relaxation film," for 10 minutes, with a 30s break after every minute.	Other: Nature movie watching; Participants observed 10 blocks of the sequence with the lights alternating automatically, with a 30s break between each block.

What is the study measuring?

Primary Outcome Measures

Outcome Measure	Measure Description	Time Frame
Change in response time (s) from baseline to post-test	Average time of movements, measured from the time the switch lights up until it is pressed	baseline - before the training session, post-test - immediately after the training session
Change in response time (s) from post-test to follow up	Average time of movements, measured from the time the switch lights up until it is pressed	post-test - immediately after the training session, follow up - 24 hours after the training session
Change in response time (s) from baseline to follow up	Average time of movements, measured from the time the switch lights up until it is pressed	baseline - before the training session, follow up - 24 hours after the training session

Secondary Outcome Measures

Outcome Measure	Measure Description	Time Frame
Change in failure (%) from baseline to post-test	Percentage of the reaching movements in which the participant failed to reach the switch in the allotted time (1 sec) or pressed the wrong buzzer.	baseline - before the training session, post-test - immediately after the training session
Change in failure (%) from post-test to follow up	Percentage of the reaching movements in which the participant failed to reach the switch in the allotted time (1 sec) or pressed the wrong buzzer.	post-test - immediately after the training session, follow up - 24 hours after the training session
Change in failure (%) from base line to follow up	Percentage of the reaching movements in which the participant failed to reach the switch in the allotted time (1 sec) or pressed the wrong buzzer.	baseline - before the training session, follow up - 24 hours after the training session

Collaborators and Investigators

• Sponsor: Ariel University
• Investigators: Principal Investigator: Silvi Frenkel-Toledo, PhD, Study Principal Investigator

Study record dates

Study Major Dates

• Study Start (Actual): May 8, 2022
• Primary Completion (Actual): March 9, 2023
• Study Completion (Actual): March 12, 2023

Study Registration Dates

• First Submitted: July 30, 2023
• First Submitted That Met QC Criteria: August 9, 2023
• First Posted (Actual): August 14, 2023

Study Record Updates

• Last Update Posted (Actual): August 14, 2023
• Last Update Submitted That Met QC Criteria: August 9, 2023
• Last Verified: May 1, 2022

More Information

Terms related to this study

• Keywords: lower limb; upper limb; motor performance; ipsilateral transfer; reaching sequence
• Other Study ID Numbers: AU-HEA-OE-20210610

Plan for Individual participant data (IPD)

• Plan to Share Individual Participant Data (IPD)?: NO
• IPD Plan Description: The datasets (Study Protocol, Statistical Analysis Plan, Informed Consent Form, Analytic Code generated during and/or analyzed during the current study) will be available from the corresponding author on reasonable request.

Drug and device information, study documents

• Studies a U.S. FDA-regulated drug product: No
• Studies a U.S. FDA-regulated device product: No