Tracking a Tactile Signal Along the Nervous System

NCT06231810 | Recruiting

• 1 other identifier: 23-1256
• Study Type: interventional
• Target: 60
• Locations: 1 country
• Sites: 1

Brief Summary

Quantify the flow of a tactile signal from the stimulus at the finger at the peripheral nervous system (PNS), to the central nervous system (CNS), and to cognitive perception at the brain in young adults (Aim 1) and individuals with and without stroke (Aim 2).

Conditions

Stroke; Tactile Perception

Outcome Measures

Primary Outcomes (1)

• Conscious detection threshold

  The magnitude at which a force stimulus applied to the finger can be first consciously detected. Different force levels will be applied, and the participant will indicate which of these forces can be detected. The changes in force applied will be in the units of N.

  30 minutes during the first session of a one session protocol

Secondary Outcomes (1)

• Brain activation

  60 minutes during the first session of a one session protocol

Other Outcomes (1)

• Peripheral nerve function

  30 minutes during the first session of a one session evaluation protocol

Study Arms (1)

Stimulus magnitude

EXPERIMENTAL

Differing levels of tactile stimulus will be applied

Behavioral: Tactile stimulation

Interventions

Tactile stimulation BEHAVIORAL

Tactile stimuli of differing magnitudes will be applied

Stimulus magnitude

Eligibility Criteria

• Age: 18 Years+
• Sex: all
• Healthy Volunteers: Yes
• Age Groups: Adult (18-64), Older Adult (65+)

You may qualify if:

• right-hand dominance for participants who are neurotypical
• For Aim 1:
• age range of 18-23
• For Aim 2:
• participants who are neurotypical will be a similar age to the participants with stroke
• participants who are neurotypical will have no musculoskeletal and neurological conditions
• participants with stroke will have a single stroke incident resulting in a unilateral lesion (ischemic and hemorrhagic)
• participants with stroke will be in the chronic phase (\>1 year from stroke onset)
• participants with stroke will have an onset of stroke after the age of 18
• participants with stroke who meet the criteria of having the capacity to provide informed consent, regardless of aphasia

You may not qualify if:

• minors
• pregnant women
• prisoners
• adults not capable of consenting on their own behalf.
• For Aim 2:
• participants with stroke who have used antispastic injections in the past six months
• participants with stroke who have a lesion in the brainstem and/or cerebellum
• participants with stroke who have a stroke arising due to brain surgery
• participants with stroke who have hemineglect

Sponsors & Collaborators

• Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University: lead

Study Sites (1)

Virginia Tech

Blacksburg, Virginia, 24061, United States

RECRUITING

MeSH Terms

Conditions

Stroke

Condition Hierarchy (Ancestors)

Cerebrovascular Disorders; Brain Diseases; Central Nervous System Diseases; Nervous System Diseases; Vascular Diseases; Cardiovascular Diseases

Study Officials

• Netta Gurari, PhD

  Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University

  PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR

Central Study Contacts

Netta Gurari, PhD

CONTACT

540-231-3073; gurari@vt.edu

Study Design

• Study Type: interventional
• Phase: not applicable
• Allocation: NA
• Masking: NONE
• Purpose: BASIC SCIENCE
• Intervention Model: SINGLE GROUP
• Sponsor Type: OTHER
• Responsible Party: PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR
• PI Title: Assistant Professor

Study Record Dates

• First Submitted: January 8, 2024
• First Posted: January 30, 2024
• Study Start: February 29, 2024
• Primary Completion (Estimated): July 1, 2027
• Study Completion (Estimated): July 1, 2028
• Last Updated: November 6, 2025

Record last verified: 2025-03

Data Sharing

• IPD Sharing: Will not share

Locations

US (1)