Status:
COMPLETED
Interhemispheric Connectivity and Compensation
Lead Sponsor:
Washington University School of Medicine
Collaborating Sponsors:
National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke (NINDS)
Conditions:
Peripheral Nerve Injury Upper Limb
Healthy
Eligibility:
All Genders
18+ years
Phase:
NA
Brief Summary
The goal of this study is to determine which parts of the brain make it possible for some people to move skillfully with their left non-dominant hand.
Detailed Description
This is a one-visit study, in which right-handed participants (individuals with unilateral peripheral nerve injury to the right upper limb, and healthy controls) will complete surveys and perform move...
Eligibility Criteria
Inclusion
- This study contains two groups: typical controls and patients. Participants will be matched by age and sex between the two groups. No randomization will occur.
- A. Inclusion criteria (all participants):
- Age ≥ 18
- English speaking and reading
- Able to fit in Prisma scanner bore (60 cm diameter)
- Right hand dominant (self report, and Edinburgh handedness ≥ +40)
- B. Inclusion criteria (patients only):
- Chronic unilateral upper extremity peripheral nerve injury to the right side
- "Chronic" defined as ≥ 6 months since injury
- "Upper extremity" defined as hand, arm, or shoulder (including e.g. brachial plexus)
- "Injury" defined as localized cause (e.g. mechanical/tumor, not distributed pathology), including compression
- Some impairment to writing, requiring both of:
- Difficulty writing, as determined by score 2+ (Mild+) on "How much difficulty have you had in the last week with writing?" (From Disabilities of the Arm, Shoulder, and Hand survey question #2)
- Box and Blocks motor performance ≥1 standard deviation below the mean of age-matched healthy adults (Mathiowetz et al. 1985, AJOT).
- C. Exclusion criteria (all participants)
- Currently intoxicated or otherwise non-compliant
- Chronic pain diagnosis unrelated to the nerve injury
- Uncorrected visual impairment that interferes with ability to see drawings in MRI
- Motor function diagnoses that affect function of the left hand, now or in past 2 years
- Motor function diagnoses currently affecting the right hand, unrelated to the nerve injury
- This is not meant to exclude a single event with complex consequences (e.g. nerve and tendon)
- This is not meant to exclude multiple nerve injuries in the same arm, if each one is eligible (II.B.1)
- This is meant to exclude e.g. injury and unrelated musculoskeletal disorder in same arm
- Upper extremity surgery, including peripheral nerve surgery, within last 2 months
- Contraindication for MRI
- Contraindication for transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS)
- May exclude from TMS only (since not all participants undergo TMS), or exclude from full study
- Amputation affecting any part of thumb, index, or middle fingers (including higher level, e.g. whole hand)
- History of chronic cocaine use (based on medical record or volunteered; will not actively inquire)
- Diagnosis of schizophrenia or other rare psychiatric disorder
- This is not meant to exclude depression or anxiety
- History of major neurological diagnosis, e.g. stroke, traumatic brain injury, Alzheimer's, Parkinson's
- This is not meant to exclude concussion UNLESS \< 6 months ago, or post-concussion syndrome (diagnosed or self-report)
- D. Exclusion criteria (controls only)
- 1\. Motor function diagnoses that affect function of either hand, now or in past 2 years
Exclusion
Key Trial Info
Start Date :
December 9 2021
Trial Type :
INTERVENTIONAL
Allocation :
ACTUAL
End Date :
August 1 2025
Estimated Enrollment :
120 Patients enrolled
Trial Details
Trial ID
NCT05207878
Start Date
December 9 2021
End Date
August 1 2025
Last Update
October 9 2025
Active Locations (1)
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1
Washington University School of Medicine
St Louis, Missouri, United States, 63108