Immersive virtual-reality music therapy to help thinking and arm recovery after subacute stroke
Effect of Immersive Virtual Reality-Based Music Therapy on Cognitive and Motor Skills in Subacute Stroke Patients
This trial will test whether adding immersive virtual-reality music games to regular physiotherapy helps people aged 50–75 regain thinking skills and arm movement after a subacute stroke.
Quick facts
| Phase | Not applicable |
|---|---|
| Study type | Interventional |
| Enrollment | 30 (estimated) |
| Ages | 50 Years to 75 Years |
| Sex | All |
| Sponsor | Bahçeşehir University Academic / other |
| Locations | 1 site (Istanbul, Istanbul) |
| Trial ID | NCT07010536 on ClinicalTrials.gov |
What this trial studies
This randomized, single-center, single-blind trial enrolls 30 patients aged 50–75 with unilateral subacute stroke (2 weeks to 6 months post-stroke) and randomizes them 1:1 to conventional physiotherapy alone or physiotherapy plus immersive VR-based music therapy for six weeks. Both groups receive conventional rehabilitation five days per week, while the experimental arm also gets two VR music sessions per week delivered via Oculus Quest 2 applications such as Ocean Rift and PianoVision. Outcomes measured at baseline and after six weeks include standardized cognitive tests, upper-extremity motor scales, balance, spatial neglect, stroke impact measures, and VR-related side effects monitored with the Virtual Reality Sickness Questionnaire. All treatments and assessments take place at Istanbul Aydın University VM Medical Park Hospital with ethics approval and written informed consent.
Who should consider this trial
Good fit: Ideal candidates are adults aged 50–75 with a single-sided subacute stroke occurring 2 weeks to 6 months earlier who can sit, hear, understand instructions, and tolerate VR experiences.
Not a fit: Patients with severe visual or hearing impairment, uncontrolled medical instability, wheelchair dependence or inability to sit, severe cognitive deficits, epilepsy, migraine with aura, or a history of motion sickness are unlikely to benefit or are excluded.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, adding immersive VR music therapy could improve cognitive function, upper-limb motor skills, and overall recovery for subacute stroke patients beyond conventional physiotherapy alone.
How similar studies have performed: Previous small trials of music therapy or VR in stroke rehab have reported promising but mixed results, so combining immersive VR and music remains a novel and exploratory approach.
Eligibility criteria
Show full inclusion / exclusion criteria
Inclusion Criteria: * Voluntary participation * Age between 50 and 75 years * Stroke onset more than 2 weeks and less than 6 months prior * Diagnosis of unilateral hemiplegic stroke * Preserved understanding, hearing, and speech abilities sufficient to engage with virtual reality games Exclusion Criteria: * Medically unstable condition * Wheelchair use or inability to sit in a chair * Cognitive impairment preventing comprehension of study procedures * Hearing loss * Severe visual impairment * Refusal to participate in the study * Epilepsy * Migraine with aura * History of motion sickness
Where this trial is running
Istanbul, Istanbul
- Istanbul Aydin University VM Medical Park Hospital — Istanbul, Istanbul, Turkey (Türkiye) (Recruiting)
Study contacts
- Study coordinator: Suzan Aydın, Ph.D. (c)
- Email: suzanaltnkeser@gmail.com
- Phone: +90 212 422 44 00
How to participate
- Review the eligibility criteria above with your treating physician.
- Visit the official trial page on ClinicalTrials.gov for the most current contact information and recruitment status.
- Contact the listed study coordinator or principal investigator to request pre-screening. Pre-screening is free and never obligates you to enroll.