Portable device to improve post-stroke arm recovery

This pioneering study will examine whether transcutaneous (through the skin) vagus nerve stimulation can effectively address hand and arm weakness in stroke survivors when self-administered during stroke rehabilitation therapy.

In the UK, approximately 110,000 people experience a stroke each year, and one-third of stroke survivors grapple with permanent arm weakness, hindering their daily activities. Although rehabilitation therapy is a primary treatment for stroke recovery, its benefits are limited, with many survivors still experiencing persistent arm weakness, impacting their ability to self-care.

The £2 million TRICEPS trial builds on the promising results of a recent clinical trial that demonstrated improved arm recovery in stroke survivors by stimulating damaged areas of the brain through invasive vagus nerve stimulation combined with stroke therapy.

In TRICEPS, a portable, pacemaker-like device will trigger the stimulation via a wired earpiece as the participant performs arm exercises during therapy. This innovation eliminates the need for surgical implantation and hospital supervision, making it accessible for home-based treatment.

Prof. Arshad Majid, consultant neurologist at Sheffield Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust and chief investigator of the trial, expressed excitement about this study, which aims to validate and scale up their preliminary findings. “In our new trial we hope to establish if these findings can be replicated in larger numbers of patients, without the need for surgery, so that stroke survivors can access transcutaneous vagus nerve stimulation as part of their at-home rehabilitative therapy and care. By conducting this trial, we also hope to provide definitive answers as to whether this is an effective approach in improving recovery after stroke that can be rolled out at scale to large numbers of patients on the NHS.”

The trial will enroll up to 243 patients from 15 UK stroke centers over the next two years, involving researchers from multiple universities to better understand the mechanisms behind this stimulation.

Participants will wear the device for an hour, five times a week, during their stroke rehabilitation exercises at home, with the support of community physiotherapists and occupational therapists. Some participants will also wear the device during their daily activities for 12 weeks.

MEDICA-tradefair.com; Source: Sheffield Teaching Hospitals