Improving arm movement recovery after stroke using targeted therapy
Official title: Progressive Abduction Loading Therapy: A Phase IIb Stroke Rehabilitation Trial with Longitudinal Tracking
Funded at Northwestern University at Chicago · NIH-10694834 · Data updated 2026-11-12
This study is looking to help people who have had a stroke and struggle with moving their arms by using a special therapy that focuses on improving how their joints work together, making it easier for them to move their arms better.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R01 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Northwestern University at Chicago NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Chicago, United States) |
| Project start | September 6, 2019 |
| Project end | August 31, 2025 |
| Funding year | 2023 |
| Award (this year) | $547,953 |
| NIH project number | 5R01HD096071-05 |
| Project ID | NIH-10694834 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Ideal candidates for this research are individuals in the chronic phase of stroke recovery who have severe upper extremity impairments.
✕Less likely to help
Patients who have not experienced a stroke or those with mild impairments may not receive benefit from this research.
What this research studies
This research focuses on enhancing recovery of arm movement in individuals who have experienced a stroke, particularly those with severe impairments. It employs a therapy that targets independent joint control, aiming to reduce abnormal movement patterns through a data-driven intervention approach. The study builds on two decades of motor systems research and utilizes neuroimaging to understand how the brain's pathways can be optimized for better movement. Participants will engage in a structured rehabilitation program designed to improve their ability to move their arms against gravity.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this research could significantly improve the quality of life for stroke survivors by enhancing their ability to perform daily activities independently.
How similar studies have gone: Previous research has shown promising results in improving motor control in stroke patients using similar targeted rehabilitation approaches.
Where this research is happening
-
Northwestern University at Chicago
Chicago, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Ellis, Michael D. — Northwestern University at Chicago
- Study coordinator: Ellis, Michael D.
Related research
Other NIH-funded projects on the same topics.
-
Understanding how vagus nerve stimulation helps stroke recovery to guide better treatments
This NIH grant uses computer models to figure out how brief, task-timed vagus nerve stimulation affects the brain after stroke and helps movement recovery.
-
Calcium imaging guides deep brain stimulation to boost chronic stroke recovery in a rat model
A research team is testing how customizing deep brain stimulation parameters in rats with stroke can improve long-term motor recovery, with the goal of guiding future patient treatments.
-
Targeting synapse turnover to boost stroke recovery
Aims to find ways to shape brain rewiring after stroke by guiding how synapses grow, with the goal of helping adults recover upper-limb function.
-
Wearable EMG-FES System to Help Stroke Recovery and Find Biological Markers
A wearable sleeve that uses your own muscle signals to help arm movement after stroke, while researchers look for biological clues that track recovery.
-
Noradrenergic VNS to boost stroke rehab outcomes
A patient-oriented look at a therapy that combines brief vagus nerve stimulation with physical rehab to help people recover arm movement after a stroke.
-
How rehab changes the brain after stroke
This project will look at how rehabilitation training changes brain activity and connections after stroke to help people regain movement.
About this research
- This is an active NIH-funded research project — typically early-stage science, not a clinical trial accepting patient enrollment.
- Some NIH-funded labs run parallel clinical studies or seek volunteers for related work. To check, contact the principal investigator or institution listed above.
- For full project details, budget, and progress reports, visit the official NIH RePORTER page.