Combining motor imagery and tendon vibration to boost motor pathway activation
Official title: Comparison of Three Modalities of Combining Motor Imagery and Tendon Vibration on the Effectiveness of Motor Imagery
Run by Centre Hospitalier Universitaire de Saint Etienne · NCT06845176 · Data updated 2026-11-12
This project will test whether adding tendon vibration to imagined movements helps increase motor system activation in healthy adults.
Quick facts
| Study type | Interventional |
|---|---|
| Ages | 18 Years to 50 Years |
| Sex | All |
| Enrollment | 33 (estimated) |
| Sponsor | Centre Hospitalier Universitaire de Saint Etienne Academic / other |
| Locations | 1 site (Saint-Etienne, France) |
| Status | Recruiting |
| Started | March 27, 2026 |
| Main results expected | March 1, 2027 |
| Study ends | March 1, 2027 |
| Registry record updated | April 3, 2026 |
| Trial ID | NCT06845176 on ClinicalTrials.gov |
Is this trial a fit for you?
✓Likely a good fit
Ideal candidates are healthy adults aged 18–50 who have no recent upper-limb injury or chronic neurological/psychiatric disorders and who can safely undergo transcranial magnetic stimulation.
✕Probably not a fit
People with recent upper-limb surgery, chronic neurological or psychiatric conditions, contraindications to TMS, or those taking neuroactive medications are unlikely to benefit or be eligible.
A plain-English reading of the study's rules. Only the study team can confirm whether you qualify.
What this trial studies
Participants will perform kinesthetic motor imagery (imagining the sensations of movement) while researchers apply tendon vibration in different timing patterns: simultaneously with imagery, between imagery trials, or before imagery to precondition the nervous system. The team will measure corticospinal excitability using transcranial magnetic stimulation and record EEG to capture brain activity and imagery quality. Healthy adult volunteers will attend in-person sessions at a single site where interventions and measurements are delivered. Results in healthy participants are intended to guide optimized protocols for future rehabilitation work.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, the approach could lead to improved rehabilitation techniques to better maintain or restore movement in immobilized or mobility-reduced patients.
How similar studies have gone: Previous research shows motor imagery and tendon vibration separately can increase corticospinal excitability, but combining them with the specific timing strategies tested here is relatively novel.
Who can join: the full rules
Show full inclusion / exclusion criteria
Inclusion Criteria: * Men or women aged 18 to 50 years. * Affiliated with or beneficiaries of a social security system. * Provided written informed consent freely after being informed of the study's purpose, procedures, and potential risks. Exclusion Criteria: * History of pathology or surgery affecting upper limb motor function within 6 months prior to the study. * Chronic neurological, motor, or psychiatric disorders. * Use of neuroactive substances likely to alter corticospinal excitability (e.g., hypnotics, antiepileptics, psychotropics, muscle relaxants) during the study period. * Contraindications to transcranial magnetic stimulation * Simultaneous participation in another interventional study or participation in such a study within 30 days prior to this study.
Where it's running
-
IRMIS-Hôpital Nord
Saint-Etienne, France, France Recruiting
Study contacts
- Principal investigator: Léonard FEASSON, PhD — Centre Hospitalier Universiatire de SAINT-ETIENNE
- Study coordinator: Léonard FEASSON, PhD
- Email: leonard.feasson@univ-st-etienne.fr
- Phone: 04 77 12 03 83
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How to take part
- Review the eligibility criteria above with your treating physician.
- Check the official listing on ClinicalTrials.gov for the latest contact details and recruitment status.
- Contact the study coordinator or principal investigator to ask for pre-screening. Pre-screening is free and never obligates you to enroll.