Immersive multisensory action observation and motor imagery for children and young adults with cerebral palsy and typical development

Is this trial a fit for you?

A plain-English reading of the study's rules. Only the study team can confirm whether you qualify.

What this trial studies

This observational pilot uses immersive multisensory action observation treatment (AOT) and motor imagery that combine visual, auditory, and tactile cues—potentially using haptic gloves—to stimulate the mirror neuron system. Participants include children and young adults aged 7–25 with confirmed cerebral palsy and a control group of typically developing participants, all screened for adequate cognitive functioning. Neurophysiological measures will be recorded to compare brain activation patterns during multisensory versus standard observation paradigms. The protocol is conducted in-person at IRCCS Fondazione Stella Maris and focuses on feasibility and neurophysiological correlates rather than clinical outcomes.

Why it matters

Who can join: the full rules

Study Group: Inclusion Criteria:

* Confirmed diagnosis of cerebral palsy, documented by clinical history and instrumental examinations;
* Age between 7 and 25 years at the time of recruitment;
* At least one verbal or nonverbal intellectual functioning index \>= 70, to ensure understanding and compliance with the tasks required.

Exclusion Criteria:

* Severe sensory disorders that compromise the feasibility of the study;
* Neuropsychiatric comorbidity that precludes participation in the study.

Control group: Inclusion Criteria

* Age between 7 and 25 years at the time of recruitment;
* Absence of intellectual disability, assessed through age-appropriate versions of the Raven's Progressive Matrices (Coloured Progressive Matrices for children up to 11 years; Standard Progressive Matrices for participants aged 12 years and older), yielding scores within the normative range and used to estimate non-verbal fluid intelligence;
* Age-appropriate academic performance with no reports of significant learning difficulties, as verified through parental interview;
* Absence of known neurological or psychiatric disorders, confirmed through parental interview;
* Absence of motor impairments, defined as scoring above the 25th percentile on the Movement Assessment Battery for Children, Second Edition (MABC-2).

Where it's running

• IRCCS Fondazione Stella Maris
  Calambrone, Pisa, Italy Recruiting

Study contacts

• Principal investigator: Giuseppina Sgandurra, PhD, MD — IRCCS Fondazione Stella Maris
• Study coordinator: Giuseppina Sgandurra, PhD, MD
• Email: gsgandurra@fsm.unipi.it
• Phone: 050/886233

Similar studies

Other studies for the same condition or treatment. Recruiting studies are listed first.

• Manual Therapy Before Neuromotor Rehab in Children with Cerebral Palsy

  In this pilot study, researchers test whether 30 minutes of lower-limb manual therapy before functional neuromotor therapy helps improve gait and motor performance in children with spastic cerebral palsy.

  Recruiting LIFE - Research and Care Institute - Santa Lucia IRCCS · Roma, Roma · NCT07902466

• Co-designed wrist-hand orthosis for children with neuromotor disorders

  In children aged 6 to 14 with neuromotor conditions after brain injury, researchers are testing a wrist-hand brace designed with input from the kids to see if it fits better and is easier to use than their current orthosis.

  Recruiting IRCCS Eugenio Medea · Bosisio Parini · NCT07861958

• Outcomes of tone-management surgery in children with spastic/dystonic quadriplegia

  This study tests how well intrathecal baclofen pumps and dorsal/ventral rhizotomy help improve movement, comfort, and daily life for kids with severe CP and high muscle tone.

  Recruiting Boston Children's Hospital · Boston, Massachusetts · NCT07817745

• Wearable eye tracking during bimanual tasks in children with cerebral palsy

  This study tests whether wearable eye-tracking glasses can reliably record eye movements while children with CP and typically developing peers perform two-handed tasks.

  Recruiting Samsung Medical Center · Seoul, Seoul · NCT07806994

• Able Kids device: safer gait aid for kids with neurologic gait problems

  This study tests whether the ABLE Kids wearable exoskeleton can be safely used during a 10-session gait training program for children with neurological gait disorders or muscle weakness.

  Recruiting ABLE Human Motion S.L. · Girona, Girona · NCT07745712

• Dorsal Root Electrical Stimulation to Help Spasticity in Children with Cerebral Palsy

  This study tests whether adding dorsal root electrical stimulation during SDR surgery can lessen spasticity in children with cerebral palsy.

  Recruiting University of Pittsburgh · Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania · NCT07715006

How to take part

1. Review the eligibility criteria above with your treating physician.
2. Check the official listing on ClinicalTrials.gov for the latest contact details and recruitment status.
3. Contact the study coordinator or principal investigator to ask for pre-screening. Pre-screening is free and never obligates you to enroll.