Peripersonal space changes with upper limb segmental exclusion
Study of the Representation of Action Peripersonal Space in Participants With Unilateral Segmental Exclusion of the Upper Limb Compared to Asymptomatic Subjects
This study will test whether people with unilateral segmental exclusion of the upper limb perceive their reachable space differently than healthy people using a virtual-reality reachability test.
Quick facts
| Study type | Observational |
|---|---|
| Enrollment | 60 (estimated) |
| Ages | 18 Years and up |
| Sex | All |
| Sponsor | Union de Gestion des Etablissements des Caisses d'Assurance Maladie - Nord Est Academic / other |
| Locations | 1 site (Nancy) |
| Trial ID | NCT07349173 on ClinicalTrials.gov |
What this trial studies
This monocentric observational study compares adults with unilateral upper-limb segmental exclusion to matched healthy controls. Participants complete clinical questionnaires on pain, anxiety, body perception and kinesiophobia, then perform a roughly 40-minute virtual reality reachability judgment task where they indicate whether virtual objects are reachable without moving. Perceived reachable distance in VR (DMA-p) will be compared to each participant's real reachable distance (DMA-r) to quantify judgment error as a measure of peripersonal space representation. The study will explore correlations between reachability judgment errors and measures of body schema disturbance, pain, and functional impairment.
Who should consider this trial
Good fit: Adults (≥18) with unilateral upper-limb segmental exclusion lasting more than three months, able to stand for 40 minutes and use a VR headset, without central neurological disease, are ideal candidates.
Not a fit: Patients with central neurological disorders, significant visual impairments, unstable psychiatric illness, epilepsy, pregnancy, or other unrelated upper-limb pathology are unlikely to be eligible or to benefit from this protocol.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, the findings could help identify distorted body-space perception in affected patients and inform targeted rehabilitation approaches to restore limb use.
How similar studies have performed: Related research has shown altered peripersonal space in conditions such as CRPS and neglect and VR reachability tasks have detected such changes, but applying this method specifically to peripheral segmental exclusion is relatively novel.
Eligibility criteria
Show full inclusion / exclusion criteria
Inclusion Criteria (patients): * Age ≥ 18 years. * Presenting unilateral exclusion symptom of the upper limb or part of the hand evolving for \> 3 months. * No contraindication to force work in daily activities. * For patients with finger exclusion: at least 2 perturbed items related to exclusion on tests 3 and 4 of the "Bilan 400 points". * Affiliated to a social security scheme. * Able to understand simple orders. Inclusion Criteria (Controls): * Age ≥ 18 years. * No history of upper limb impairment with sequelae. Exclusion Criteria (All): * Visual impairments. * Central neurological pathology. * Unstabilized psychiatric pathology. * Communication or comprehension difficulties. * Under legal protection or unable to consent. * Pregnant or breastfeeding women. * Cervical pathology contraindicating VR headset use. * Epilepsy. * Upper limb pathology unrelated to exclusion. * Inability to stand for 40 minutes.
Where this trial is running
Nancy
- Institut Régional de Médecine Physique et de Réadaptation (IRR), Centre Louis Pierquin. — Nancy, France (Recruiting)
Study contacts
- Study coordinator: Amélie Touillet, MD
- Email: amelie.touillet@ugecam.assurance-maladie.fr
- Phone: +33 3 83 52 98 80
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.