Clinical trial NCT01016496: New Perspectives in the Rehabilitation of Children With Motor Disorders : the Role of the Mirror Neuron System
Official title: Rehabilitation Strategies in Children With Neuro-motor Disorders Due to the Impairment of the Central Nervous System or the Peripheral Nervous System
Study type: INTERVENTIONAL
Overall status: COMPLETED
Phase: NA
Conditions: Hemiplegia
Cerebral Palsy
Keywords: Cerebral Palsy
Mirror neurons
hemiplegia
action observation therapy
children affected by hemiplegia as a consequence of Cerebral Palsy
Lead sponsor: University of Modena and Reggio Emilia
Sponsor class: OTHER
Collaborators: name: University of Parma
name: IRCCS Fondazione Stella Maris
First posted: 2009-11-19
Enrollment: 20
Sex: ALL
Minimum age (years): 6
Maximum age (years): 12
Standard ages: CHILD
Accepts healthy volunteers: no
Allocation: RANDOMIZED
Intervention model: PARALLEL
Primary purpose: TREATMENT

Brief summary: 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.


Eligibility criteria: Inclusion Criteria:

* children with hemiplegia and
* Melbourne assessment \> 50 points

Exclusion Criteria:

* inability to collaborate
* pharmacoresistant epilepsy
* inability to imitate gestures
* sensitivity disorders

Primary outcomes:
measure: Melbourne Assessment of unilateral limb function
timeFrame: T0=baseline, Tend (week three) , T2(two months) T6months (six months after the completion of the training)
Secondary outcomes:
measure: Assisting Hand Assessment
timeFrame: T0, Tend, T2, T6
measure: Jebsen-Taylor
timeFrame: T0, Tend, T2, T6
measure: Abilhand emikids
timeFrame: T0, Tend, T2, T6
Other outcomes:
Locations:
city: Parma
country: Italy
facility: Hospital of Parma
city: Pisa
country: Italy
facility: IRCCS Stella Maris
city: Reggio Emilia
country: Italy
facility: Azienda Santa Maria Nuova -
Study officials:
affiliation: University of Parma
name: Rizzolatti Giacomo, Professor
role: PRINCIPAL_INVESTIGATOR
affiliation: University of Modena and Reggio Emilia
name: Ferrari Adriano, Professor
role: STUDY_DIRECTOR
References:
citation: Sgandurra G, Biagi L, Fogassi L, Ferrari A, Sicola E, Guzzetta A, Tosetti M, Cioni G. Reorganization of action observation and sensory-motor networks after action observation therapy in children with congenital hemiplegia: A pilot study. Dev Neurobiol. 2020 Sep;80(9-10):351-360. doi: 10.1002/dneu.22783. Epub 2020 Oct 28.
citation: Sgandurra G, Ferrari A, Cossu G, Guzzetta A, Biagi L, Tosetti M, Fogassi L, Cioni G. Upper limb children action-observation training (UP-CAT): a randomised controlled trial in hemiplegic cerebral palsy. BMC Neurol. 2011 Jun 28;11:80. doi: 10.1186/1471-2377-11-80.