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Brain Activity During Movement in Cerebral Palsy Study

This observational study is looking at how the brain works during movement in people with cerebral palsy and healthy volunteers. Researchers will use special tools called near-infrared spectroscopy (NIRS) and electroencephalography (EEG) to measure blood flow and electrical activity in the brain while you move. These tools are safe and have been used for many years. The goal is to understand how the brain controls muscles in people with and without cerebral palsy. This knowledge could help develop new training methods to improve movement for those with cerebral palsy. You may be able to join if you are 5 years or older, have not had surgery in the past six months, and have not received botulinum toxin injections in the past four months. The study aims to see changes in brain activity and motor performance before and after a short training program. The current recruitment status is unclear.

Study design
This is an observational study planning to enroll 320 participants. It compares brain activity patterns between healthy individuals and those with childhood-onset brain injury.
What's involved
Not specified in the trial record.
Compensation
Not stated in the trial record.
Follow-up
Changes in brain activation and motor performance will be measured at real time.

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NCT01829724

Cerebral Palsy and the Study of Brain Activity During Motor Tasks

Recruiting
Not specifiedAges 5+Observational
National Institutes of Health Clinical Center (CC)
~320 participants
Updated 2026-08-18 on ClinicalTrials.gov

At a glance

Recruiting sites
1 of 1 listed site is recruiting right now
RecruitingSuspended, closed, or not yet open
What they're measuring
changes in brain activation and motor performance in childhood-onset brain injury before and after a short training program.
Measured over real time

Conditions

Cerebral Palsy
Children

Explore related trials

Brain InjuryCerebral PalsyPeripheral Nerve Injury

Where it's being run

1 sites across 1 states
Maryland1

Study leadership

  • Thomas C Bulea, Ph.D. · PRINCIPAL_INVESTIGATOR · National Institutes of Health Clinical Center (CC)

Who to contact

Functional & Applied Biomechanics Sectio
[email protected]
(301) 412-5989
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Eligibility criteria

Inclusion

Age 5 years and older
Surgery free for six months in either the upper or lower extremities.
Free from botulinum toxin injections within four months in either the upper or lower extremities.
Either a healthy volunteer or have a diagnosis of a childhood-onset (before 13 years of age) brain injury resulting in motor impairment of one arm and one leg on the same side of the body or motor impairment of both legs or have a diagnosis of childhood-onset (before 13 years of age) peripheral injury resulting in sensory or motor impairment of any limb or multiple limbs.
Able to understand and follow simple directions that include how to perform a repetitive task and when to start and stop doing the task, based on parent report if the subject is a child and physician observation during history and physical examination.
Able to walk at least 20 feet without stopping with or without a walking aid
Able to provide informed consent (Guardian or parent of child participants) or verbal/written assent as appropriate (for child participant).
Agreement to not drink caffeine or alcohol for 24 hours before each assessment session because both agents can modify brain activity and may confound outcome measures. This restriction does not apply to the training sessions in Objective 3.

Exclusion

Any neurological, musculoskeletal or cardiorespiratory injury, health condition, or diagnosis other than childhood-onset brain or peripheral injury that would affect the ability to mentally concentrate or move a body part repetitively for short periods of time. Examples of this include, but are not limited to, congestive heart failure, end stage cardiac disease, or fractures that have not completely healed.
Uncontrolled seizures.
Concurrent use of medicines for muscle tone (e.g., baclofen, trihexyphenedyl, dantrolene sodium, tizanidine, or carbidopa/levodopa). If patients are taking these medications daily, the treating physician will be contacted by the MAI to determine if it is acceptable for the subject to temporarily discontinue the medication(s) for 24 hours prior to participating in testing for this study for each of the first 2 objectives. If that is not deemed to be safe, the subject will be excluded. Subjects who are on these medications will not be allowed to participate in Objective 3.
Pregnancy: Childbearing potential will be determined during the history and physical exam and urine pregnancy test may be required
Adult who can t consent for themselves.
Inability to lie flat on the back for up to 45 minutes without sedation.
Discomfort being in small spaces for up to 45 minutes.
Cardiac pacemakers, implanted medication pumps, intracardiac lines, or acute, unstable cardiac disease, with intracranial implants (e.g. aneurysm clips, shunts, stimulators, cochlear implants, or electrodes) or any other metal object within or near the head, excluding the mouth that cannot be safely removed.
History of allergic reaction to water-based electrode gel

What this trial measures

  • changes in brain activation and motor performance in childhood-onset brain injury before and after a short training program.real time

    Objective 1 is the primary quantitative objective in this protocol, in which we will compare location, magnitude, volume and area of cortical activation across tasks and groups. Secondary outcomes include descriptive measures that will be used primarily to evaluate the two techniques or to monitor motion and muscle activation (EMG and ultrasound) data to help interpret task and group differences. Objective 3 will measure changes in brain activation and motor performance in childhood-onset brain injury before and after a short training program.