Biomarkers of early stroke recovery (BEST) study. Version 1.
Research type
Research Study
Full title
Biomarkers of early stroke recovery (BEST)
IRAS ID
270598
Contact name
Nick Ward
Contact email
Sponsor organisation
University College London
Clinicaltrials.gov Identifier
Z6364106/2020/01/10, Data protection registration
Duration of Study in the UK
2 years, 6 months, 15 days
Research summary
Stroke survivors leave hospital with impairments such as hemiplegia, that decrease their independence and quality of life. Of those who leave hospital with severe upper limb impairments, about half of recover as expected, whereas the other half do not (Krakauer and Marshall, 2015). This study aims to identify biomarkers in the early stage of stroke that could help to predict upper limb recovery at 3-months. So far, studies suggest that structural integrity of motor areas (Rondina et al., 2017) and early plasticity mechanisms (Parkkonen et al., 2018) are important for upper limb recovery. In the current study, we will acquire anatomical information, from MRI scans, alongside neurophysiological information from magnetoencephalography (MEG) and transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS) in acute stroke survivors. TMS provides a measure of corticospinal tract function and MEG measure can detect the excitability in the sensorimotor cortex. Animal models have demonstrated that greater levels of excitability suggest greater plasticity and that this is essential for recovery. We predict that those with less anatomical damage and greater markers of functional plasticity will recover more over the 3-month period. The population of interest is acute first-time stroke survivors, who have severe upper limb impairments. Stroke survivors will be recruited from the HASU at UCLH and the ABIU at NHNN, 1 - 4 weeks post stroke. From here participants will be invited to the Wellcome Centre for Human Neuroimaging, 12 Queen Square, London to attend the first testing session. The 2.5-hour session will involve a behavioural assessment, a MEG scan (10 minutes of resting recording followed by a sensory stimulus protocol on either hand), a short TMS protocol and an MRI scan. Participants will be invited back at 3-months post stroke to have a second testing session, which involves the same protocol behavioural assessment and MEG scan.
REC name
London - Surrey Research Ethics Committee
REC reference
20/LO/0520
Date of REC Opinion
4 Jun 2020
REC opinion
Further Information Favourable Opinion