Study of Brain Areas Involved in Learning Bimanual Motor Skills After Acute Stroke Using Robotics and Brain Imaging

What this Trial Is About

This research investigates how stroke affects bimanual motor skill learning bim-MSkL during the acute and subacute phases. It aims to understand how damage to different brain areas influences the ability to learn motor skills using both hands, focusing on proximal and distal movements. Researchers want to identify which brain pathways and behavioral components are involved in this learning process after a stroke. Participants will train over three consecutive days using two devices the REAplan rehabilitation robot for proximal bim-MSkL and the Dextrain Manipulandum for distal bim-MSkL. They will practice serious games designed to measure speed and accuracy in complex bimanual tasks. Patients are randomly assigned to one of two versions of the bimanual Circuit task on the REAplan robot. Healthy individuals will also participate as a control group but will not undergo MRI scans. During the study, participants will undergo assessments including detailed motor skill evaluations with the devices, brain MRI scans to map lesion locations and white matter integrity, and clinical scales measuring motor, sensory, and cognitive functions. Researchers will track changes in motor coordination, force, dexterity, and other performance measures from the first to the third day. The study extends to March 2028, with safety and progress monitored throughout.

Bimanual Motor Skill Learning in Acute Stroke