Saint Sebastien De Morsent

Stroke is a common and serious condition affecting many people, and it is a leading cause of cognitive disorders after Alzheimer's disease. Hemineglect, a cognitive impairment where individuals cannot respond to stimuli on one side, occurs in about 25-30% of stroke patients, mostly affecting the right hemisphere. This condition can persist long-term, impacting patients' ability to be independent and increasing rehabilitation needs. The goal of rehabilitation is to reduce these impairments and improve daily functioning by combining different approaches since no single method is best. This study evaluates an immersive virtual reality technique called the VirtySensae multisensory travel capsule, which stimulates four senses simultaneously to help patients with hemineglect after a right-sided stroke. The study involves repeated evaluation and rehabilitation sessions. After 3 to 5 weeks of weekly evaluations, participants undergo three weekly 45-minute rehabilitation sessions for 5 weeks, including 15 minutes of virtual reality-based multisensory experience. Each session also includes reviewing progress and assessing tolerance. Participants will attend weekly evaluation sessions lasting about 45 minutes for up to 12 weeks, where impact on autonomy will be measured using the Catherine Bergego Scale by both patient and therapist. Rehabilitation sessions are individual and led by an occupational therapist. Tolerance to the virtual reality experience will be monitored using a questionnaire. The total study participation spans approximately 10 to 12 weeks, focusing on functional improvements and safety during the rehabilitation process.

Researchers are evaluating the effect of equine-assisted therapy on the quality of life of children with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) and their families. This pilot study aims to measure changes in quality of life using the Pediatric Quality of Life Inventory 4.0 (PedsQL 4.0) for both children and parents, as well as a quality-of-life questionnaire for parents (PAR-DD-QOL). The study also includes a qualitative analysis of children's progress in communication, motor skills, and social connections during therapy sessions. It is designed to assess the feasibility of a larger, controlled trial in the future. Participants will receive 15 equine therapy sessions over 7 to 8 weeks, held twice a week. Each 60-minute session involves activities such as emotional expression, horse contact, grooming, riding or walking with the horse, and a debriefing period. The therapy takes place at a specialized equine therapy center within the La Musse Hospital facilities. The study includes detailed procedures for participant selection, informed consent, and withdrawal options. Throughout the study, quality-of-life evaluations will be conducted five times: before the first session, and after the 1st, 5th, 10th, and 15th sessions using the PedsQL 4.0 child and parent reports and the PAR-DD-QOL questionnaire. Equine therapists will complete tracking sheets to monitor behavioral progress. Measures to support adherence include reminders and appointment scheduling. The study plans to enroll 20 children aged 8 to 12 years with ASD, with data analysis performed using Excel and SPSS.

Parkinson's disease is a common neurodegenerative disorder often accompanied by swallowing difficulties known as dysphagia, which can affect all phases of swallowing and may appear early or later in the disease. This study examines the link between gait freezing, a walking difficulty, and oropharyngeal freezing, an involuntary tongue movement that disrupts swallowing. Researchers aim to understand how these two types of freezing relate and to evaluate the prevalence of oropharyngeal freezing in patients with Parkinson's disease. Participants will be grouped based on their experience of gait freezing using the New Freezing of Gait Questionnaire (NFOG-Q). The study focuses on assessing oropharyngeal freezing during swallowing through pharyngography performed while patients are in the OFF medication phase. There are no investigational treatments or interventions mentioned, as the study mainly observes and compares these symptoms. During the study, patients undergo swallowing assessments to identify the presence or absence of oropharyngeal freezing. The primary outcome measures the presence of this freezing during pharyngography. Additional evaluations include analyzing scores from the NFOG-Q and the Unified Parkinson's Disease Rating Scale (UPDRS) and examining patients' rhythmic abilities. The study aims to improve early detection and intervention strategies to help maintain swallowing function and reduce complications such as aspiration pneumonia.

Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) is a serious respiratory condition that reduces exercise tolerance and quality of life. Pulmonary rehabilitation helps improve symptoms like breathlessness and physical capacity, but many patients face barriers, such as transportation and limited access to centers. This research compares the effectiveness of a home-based telerehabilitation program to a traditional center-based pulmonary rehabilitation program for adults with COPD. The primary goal is to measure changes in exercise endurance time after completing the rehabilitation. The study involves two groups over eight weeks, each completing 24 rehabilitation sessions three times per week. The center-based group attends sessions at a facility including warm-up, endurance training on a cycle ergometer, muscle strengthening, balance exercises, and patient education. The home-based group performs similar sessions at home with equipment like a cycle ergometer, pulse oximeter, activity tracker, and a tablet app for guidance and monitoring. Both groups have initial and final assessment visits at the center and receive support from healthcare professionals throughout. Participants will be assessed before and after the program using endurance tests on a cycle ergometer. Evaluations include physical capacity, muscle strength, dyspnea, quality of life, and other health measures. Researchers will monitor adherence, safety, and any adverse effects such as muscle soreness or fatigue. The study also plans a one-year follow-up to track hospitalizations, exacerbations, and mortality. Total participation time is around eight weeks for the rehabilitation programs plus follow-up assessments.

Researchers are investigating how rhythmic auditory cues used during rehabilitation can affect the frequency of rolling, an involuntary tongue movement involved in swallowing, in patients with idiopathic Parkinson's disease who have swallowing difficulties. This pilot study focuses on whether introducing rhythmic cueing during therapy sessions reduces rolling frequency, which is measured using pharyngography. The study also aims to evaluate how this approach impacts swallowing abilities, physical health, and quality of life in these patients. Participants will attend three rehabilitation sessions per week for seven weeks at La Musse Hospital, led by a speech therapist. During each session, they will practice swallowing saliva and specially textured foods timed to a metronome rhythm that changes throughout the program to approximate the rhythm of a healthy swallow. Assessments including pharyngography and clinical swallowing exams will be conducted before the rehabilitation, immediately after, and three months later. Participants will undergo three complete evaluations spread over two days at each time point: before starting the sessions, after seven weeks of treatment, and again three months post-treatment. The evaluations will monitor the frequency of rolling during swallowing and assess clinical swallowing and rhythmic abilities. This thorough monitoring aims to measure the lasting effects of the rehabilitation on swallowing function and safety.