Effect of a Camp-Based Upper Extremity Constraint-Induced Movement Therapy on Functional Mobility and Participation in Children with Unilateral Cerebral Palsy

Date Added
July 15th, 2025
PRO Number
Pro00145224
Researcher
Sally Morsy

List of Studies

Keywords
Cerebral Palsey
Summary

This study will evaluate whether a 5-day, 6-hours-per-day therapy camp called Camp Hand to Hands can help children with hemiplegic cerebral palsy improve their walking ability, stair climbing, and involvement in daily life. During the camp, children will wear a resting hand splint covered by a soft puppet glove on their stronger arm to encourage use of the more affected arm while participating in fun, play-based activities such as obstacle courses and crafts. The study team will conduct daily assessments of each child's walking endurance and stair navigation using the 6-Minute Walk Test (6MWT) and the Timed Up and Down Stairs (TuDS) test during the 5-day camp. Parents will also complete a brief questionnaire about their child's participation at home and in the community before and after the camp. The study seeks to determine whether this short CIMT program leads to improvements in mobility and daily function.

Institution
MUSC
Recruitment Contact
Sally Morsy
936-294-6224
morsy@musc.edu

Accelerated, Left Prefrontal Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation for Functional Seizures; An Open-Label Exploration of Feasibility, Tolerability, and Preliminary Efficacy

Date Added
September 2nd, 2025
PRO Number
Pro00144502
Researcher
Joseph Chasen

List of Studies

Keywords
Mental Health, Psychiatry
Summary

As growing research suggests noninvasive brain stimulation techniques have the potential to adjunct current treatments or treat Seizure-Type Functional Neurologic Disorder (FND-seiz), also known as Psychogenic Non-Epileptic Seizures (PNES), we aim to evaluate whether a form of accelerated intermittent theta burst transcranial magnetic stimulation (a-iTBS-rTMS), is a practical and well-tolerated treatment for people with this disorder. Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation or TMS uses magnetic pulses to stimulate a part of the brain involved in mood and thinking, the left dorsolateral prefrontal cortex, which has established benefits in disorders known to coincide in patients with FND-seiz, such as depression.

As an open-label, early feasibility study, enrolled participants will receive 6 to 10 treatment sessions each day over 3 to 5 days, with the goal of completing 30 total sessions. This approach was selected because similar protocols have already been shown to be safe and effective in other conditions, and the shortened treatment schedule in comparison to other protocols may make participation easier for people living with FND-seiz. The main goal of the study is to see how many participants can safely and comfortably complete at least 20 of the 30 TMS sessions.

The researchers will also evaluate changes in seizure frequency, quality of life, mood, post-traumatic stress symptoms, physical health, social functioning, and overall satisfaction with treatment. These outcomes will be measured before treatment and again four weeks afterward. The researchers also aim to explore whether people with overlapping conditions, such as depression or PTSD, respond differently to the treatment. Finally, given the overlap between epilepsy and FND-seiz, not all TMS providers are comfortable treating patients with FND-seiz when TMS is indicated for other conditions, thus the researchers aim to outline a protocol to ensure safety and increase TMS access for FND-seiz patients.

Institution
MUSC
Recruitment Contact
Joseph Chasen
(843) 637-1358
chasenj@musc.edu



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