New Perspectives in the Rehabilitation of Children With Motor Disorders : the Role of the Mirror Neuron System

Study Overview
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Brief Summary
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Evidence exists that the activation of actions activates the same cortical motor areas that are involved in the performance of the observed actions. The neural substrate for this phenomena is the mirror neuron system. It is generally assumed that mirror neurons have a basic role in understanding the intentions of others and in imitation learning. There is evidence that action observation has a positive effect on rehabilitation of motor disorders after stroke. The aim of this study is to demonstrate that action observation followed by the repetition of the actions previously observed has a positive impact on rehabilitation of the upper limb in children affected by hemiplegia as a consequence of Cerebral Palsy. In particular, the purpose is to assess if mirror neurons could improve the amount, the quality and the velocity of movements and the cooperation between the two upper extremities.

Official Title
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Rehabilitation Strategies in Children With Neuro-motor Disorders Due to the Impairment of the Central Nervous System or the Peripheral Nervous System

Conditions
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Hemiplegia, Cerebral Palsy

Intervention / Treatment
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* Other: action observation therapy
* Other: repetition of gestures


Participation Criteria
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Eligibility Criteria
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Inclusion Criteria: children with hemiplegia and Melbourne assessment > 50 points Exclusion Criteria: inability to collaborate pharmacoresistant epilepsy inability to imitate gestures sensitivity disorders

Ages Eligible for Study
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Minimum Age: 6 Years
Maximum Age: 12 Years

Sexes Eligible for Study
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All

Accepts Healthy Volunteers
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No

Study Plan
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How is the study designed?
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Design Details

Primary Purpose: Treatment
Allocation: Randomized
Intervention Model: Parallel Assignment
Masking: Double


Arms and Interventions

| Participant Group/Arm | Intervention/Treatment |
| --- | --- |
| Experimental: Action observation plus repetition<br>Observation of actions and repetition of the same actions | Other: action observation therapy<br>* 15 consecutive sessions of 18 minutes, plus repetition<br>|
| Active Comparator: repetition only<br>repetition of gestures | Other: repetition of gestures<br>* 15 consecutive session of visual games, plus repetition of gestures<br>|

What is the study measuring?
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Primary Outcome Measures

| Outcome Measure | Measure Description | Time Frame |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Melbourne Assessment of unilateral limb function |  | T0=baseline, Tend (week three) , T2(two months) T6months (six months after the completion of the training) | 

Secondary Outcome Measures

| Outcome Measure | Measure Description | Time Frame |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Assisting Hand Assessment |  | T0, Tend, T2, T6 | 
| Jebsen-Taylor |  | T0, Tend, T2, T6 | 
| Abilhand emikids |  | T0, Tend, T2, T6 | 

 Terms related to the study
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Keywords Provided by Centre Hospitalier Valida
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Cerebral Palsy, Mirror neurons, hemiplegia, action observation therapy, children affected by hemiplegia as a consequence of Cerebral Palsy