Virtual reality hand displays to change tremor in functional movement disorder
Official title: The Effect of Virtual Hand Movements on Functional Tremor - a Pilot Study
Run by Medical University of Graz · NCT06393439 · Data updated 2026-11-12
This study tests whether changing how virtual hands are shown during a VR motor task can improve hand movement and reduce tremor in people with functional tremor compared with essential tremor patients and healthy volunteers.
Quick facts
| Study type | Interventional |
|---|---|
| Ages | 18 Years to 65 Years |
| Sex | All |
| Enrollment | 48 (estimated) |
| Sponsor | Medical University of Graz Academic / other |
| Locations | 1 site (Graz) |
| Status | Recruiting |
| Started | May 1, 2024 |
| Main results expected | December 31, 2025 |
| Study ends | March 30, 2026 |
| Registry record updated | September 29, 2025 |
| Trial ID | NCT06393439 on ClinicalTrials.gov |
Is this trial a fit for you?
✓Likely a good fit
Ideal candidates are adults diagnosed with functional tremor who can attend in-person visits and perform VR motor tasks, alongside comparator groups of essential tremor patients and healthy volunteers.
✕Probably not a fit
People with unclear or mixed tremor syndromes, implanted devices like pacemakers or DBS, skin conditions that interfere with EEG, or other exclusions listed are unlikely to benefit from participation.
A plain-English reading of the study's rules. Only the study team can confirm whether you qualify.
What this trial studies
Researchers will use virtual reality motor tasks with different virtual hand display modes and manipulated visual feedback to measure effects on hand movement performance, tremor amplitude, and subjective tremor perception. Three groups—patients with functional tremor, patients with essential tremor, and healthy controls—will complete one or two visits including clinical ratings and a 2.5-hour VR testing session at the University of Graz. Patients with tremor have an initial neurological exam with standardized severity scales (CGI-S, PGI-S, FTM, S-FMDRS) before the VR session; healthy controls attend only the VR session. Participants are asked to avoid tremor-influencing medications on the test day and those with medical or EEG-interfering conditions are excluded.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this approach could provide a noninvasive way to reduce functional tremor symptoms or inform personalized visual-feedback rehabilitation.
How similar studies have gone: Some small studies of visual feedback and VR in functional neurological disorders and tremor have shown promising preliminary results, but the specific manipulations of virtual hand displays used here are relatively novel.
Who can join: the full rules
Show full inclusion / exclusion criteria
Inclusion Criteria: * diagnosis of functional tremor (FT) or essential tremor (ET) or healthy control persons * In patients with FT and ET: presence of a constant or intermittent tremor during the neurological examination Exclusion Criteria: * unclear tremor syndrome * essential tremor plus (ET plus) * conditions that interfere with EEG diagnostic (skin conditions, skin infections, wounds) * reflex epilepsy * cervical degeneration or chronic pain syndrome of the cervical spine * severe somatic illness * previous cerebral or head surgery * implanted pacemaker or deep brain stimulation * persons who are unable to consent
Where it's running
-
Medical University of Graz, Department of Neurology
Graz, Austria Recruiting
Study contacts
- Principal investigator: Petra Schwingenschuh, MD — Medical University of Graz
- Study coordinator: Daniela Kern, MD
- Email: daniela.eibl@medunigraz.at
- Phone: 004331638516051
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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.