Chronic StrokeNCT07631182
Action Observation Therapy in Chronic Stroke Via Telerehabilitation
A study testing Conventional physiotherapy in people with Chronic Stroke, run by Karabuk University at 2 sites in Turkey (Türkiye).
Trial summary
Stroke, a leading cause of disability worldwide, particularly affects upper extremity function, rendering individuals dependent on others for daily living activities and reducing their quality of life. Read more about this study
- Who is it for?
- Ages 18 years and older
- Conditions the study is for
- Chronic Stroke
- What is being tested?
- Conventional physiotherapy
- Could I receive a placebo?
- No, everyone receives an active treatment
- How many people
- 30 participants
- Where
- 2 sitesTurkey (Türkiye)
- Study dates
- 15 Jun 2026to 1 Oct 2026
- Phase
- Interventional
- Are there results?
- Not yet: the study is under way
Key requirements
Who can take part, as listed by the sponsor. Only the study team can confirm whether you are eligible, so take this list to your doctor.
- Ages 18 years and older
- All sexes
- No healthy volunteers
- Adult, Older adult
Who may be able to join
- Being over 18 years of age,
- Diagnosis of left hemiparetic stroke,
- Having passed between 6 months since the onset of stroke,
- Being in stage 4 or 5 of the hand and stage 4, 5 or 6 of the upper extremity according to Brunnstrom staging,
- Being able to sit on a chair for 30 minutes without support (patients who scored 20 or more points in total from the Trunk Impairment Scale),
- Scoring 24 or more points from the Mini Mental Test
Who cannot join
- Unwillingness to participate in the study,
- Having spasticity that prevents grasping and releasing an object (levels 3 and 4 on the Modified Ashworth Scale),
- Having a contracture in any of the affected upper extremity joints,
- Having severe neglect disorder (scoring 21 or higher on the Catherine Bergego Scale),
- Having impaired cooperation, compliance, and behavior during the administration of tests used to obtain data,
- Having a mental impairment that prevents communication and following basic commands (scoring less than 24 on the Mini-Mental Test),
- Having additional neurological and/or orthopedic problems that may affect motor performance and sitting balance,
- Having severe visual and hearing problems (if any, these problems not corrected with assistive devices such as glasses, contact lenses, hearing aids, etc.)
Trial locations and contacts
2 sites in 1 country. Contact the study team or a site near you to ask about taking part.
Turkey (Türkiye)2 sites, 2 recruiting
- Recruiting
Karabuk University
Karabük, Merkez, 78100
Mustafa KAVAK, 05065089564, mustafakavak@karabuk.edu.tr
- Recruiting
Mustafa KAVAK
Karabük, Merkez, 78100
Mustafa KAVAK, Phd, +905065089564, mustafakavak@karabuk.edu.tr
Cihan Caner Aksoy, Assoc. Professor
About this study
Official title: Investigation of the Effect of Action Observation Therapy Via Telerehabilitation Method on Upper Extremity Functions, Daily Living Activities and Quality of Life in Chronic Stroke Patients
Stroke, a leading cause of disability worldwide, particularly affects upper extremity function, rendering individuals dependent on others for daily living activities and reducing their quality of life. To mitigate these effects, Action Observation Therapy (AOT), which has gained prominence in recent years, activates the mirror neuron system, triggering learning processes in the motor cortex and supporting functional recovery through the imitation of observed movements. Furthermore, telerehabilitation offers a significant advantage in facilitating access to rehabilitation services for these patients requiring long-term treatment, eliminating barriers such as transportation and cost. The absence of studies in the literature comparing the effectiveness of combining these two methods on hand skills and quality of life in individuals with chronic stroke with conventional physiotherapy makes investigating the clinical value of this approach academically unique and necessary.
Read the detailed description
Stroke is defined as a neurological condition caused by focal damage to the central nervous system due to vascular problems such as cerebral infarction, intracerebral or subarachnoid hemorrhage. Stroke is among the leading causes of death and disability worldwide.
Functional impairment in the upper extremities is frequently observed in stroke patients, significantly limiting their grasping and releasing functions, and consequently their daily living activities (ADL) such as eating, drinking, dressing, and self-care. Due to these limitations, stroke patients become dependent to varying degrees, negatively impacting their quality of life. Scientists are conducting various studies to find effective, low-cost, and easily applicable methods that can reduce the effects of stroke, which imposes a significant economic, physical, social, and psychological burden on patients and their families, and improve recovery.
Action Observation Therapy (AOT), which involves observing simple actions frequently used in ADL and then imitating those observed actions, is a rehabilitation approach applied in clinical settings in recent years to improve upper extremity function in the rehabilitation of stroke and various neurological diseases. The neural basis of AOT is the mirror neuron system, which is active not only when observing one's own movements but also when observing others' movements. Studies using Functional Magnetic Resonance Imaging have shown that mirror neuron activity increases when observing the movements of others. It is stated that observing an action and then trying to imitate it reduces interhemispheric inhibition, and as a result, it activates the primary motor cortex that causes the observed movement, facilitates the execution of the action, eliminates motor function disorders, and allows for the relearning of functions.
Telerehabilitation is the remote delivery of rehabilitation services through telecommunication technology. Telerehabilitation increases the accessibility of physiotherapy interventions in situations where face-to-face rehabilitation is not possible or difficult to access. In stroke patients with a lengthy rehabilitation process, telerehabilitation offers significant advantages, including reduced difficulties in transferring the patient to the healthcare center, shorter travel time, reduced transportation costs, and lower energy costs.
A literature review revealed no studies comparing the effects of AOT delivered via telerehabilitation on upper extremity function, hand skills, daily living activities, and quality of life in patients with chronic stroke compared with conventional physiotherapy.
- Conditions
- Chronic Stroke
- Being tested
- Conventional physiotherapy
What participants receive
What participants receive. In a randomised study each person is assigned to one group by chance.
Conventional physiotherapyOther
All participants will receive conventional physiotherapy, including stretching, strengthening, core mobility, balance, electrotherapy, and endurance exercises in the clinic. These traditional sessions will be administered by physiotherapists three times a week, each lasting 45 minutes.
| Study group | Role | What they receive |
|---|---|---|
| Action observation Therapy | Experimental | Participants will receive AOT via telerehabilitation in addition to conventional physiotherapy. They will receive 3 sessions per week for 5 weeks. Receives: Other: Conventional physiotherapy |
| control | No intervention | Participants will receive only conventional physiotherapy. They will receive 3 sessions per week for 5 weeks. |
What is being measured
The primary outcome is the main question the study is designed to answer.
Spasticity
Spasticity will assessed using the Modified Ashworth Scale. As the score increases, spasticity increases. The minimum score for this scale is 1 and the maximum score is 5.
Measured: Baseline
Stage of hemiplegia
"Brunnstrom Hemiplegia Recovery Staging" will be used to determine the hemiplegic stage of the patients. This scale is scored between 1 and 6. As the score increases, the patient improves.
Measured: Baseline
Motor function
The "Fugl-Meyer Upper Extremity Motor Assessment Scale" will be used to evaluate upper extremity motor functions. This scale ranges from 0 to 66 points. As the score increases, motor function improves.
Measured: Baseline, five week later (after intervention)
Dominant side
The "Edinburgh Hand Preference Test" will be used to determine the dominant side used by the patient in daily life. It will be used to determine which hand the patient uses more in daily life (Score range: -100 to +100; high positive scores indicate right-handedness, high negative scores indicate left-handedness).
Measured: Baseline
Upper extremity function
Evaluation of upper extremity functions (hand-arm) and motor speed will be done with the "Nine-Hole Peg Test". It is a widely used clinical test that evaluates upper extremity function (hand and arm) and motor performance. The test consists of nine wooden sticks with a diameter of 9 millimeters (mm) and a standard wooden block with nine holes of 10 mm diameter. The patient inserts the nine sticks one by one into the nine holes as quickly as possible, placing them randomly into the holes, and then removes them one by one in the same manner. The timer is started when the first stick is inserted and stopped when the last stick is removed and released from the hand. The time taken for the patient to insert and remove the sticks is recorded. A shorter time indicates better upper extremity function.
Measured: Baseline, five week later (after intervention)
Functional Independence
Evaluation of upper extremity functions will be done with the "Functional Independence Scale (FIS)". The is used to assess the change and development in ADL (Applications for Daily Living) depending on the degree of disability experienced by individuals and rehabilitation programs. Consisting of a total of 18 items, the FIS is divided into two main subcategories: motor domain (FIS-motor; 13 items) and cognitive domain (FIS-cognitive; 5 items). All activities are rated on a 7-point scale ranging from 1 (requires full assistance during activities) to 7 (performs the activity completely independently). The total FIS score ranges from 18 to 126 points. A decrease in the score indicates an increase in the individual's dependence during ADL.
Measured: Baseline, five week later (after intervention)
Cognitif Function
Mini Mental Test will be used to evaluate cognitive functions. In the evaluation, 24-30 points indicate that cognitive functions are normal, 18-23 points indicate mild cognitive impairment, and 17 points and below indicate that cognitive status is severely affected.
Measured: Baseline
Neglect
The Catherine Bergego Scale will be used to assess the impact of unilateral neglect after stroke on activities of daily living. 1-10 indicates mild neglect, 11-20 indicates moderate neglect, and 21-30 indicates severe neglect.
Measured: Baseline
Life Quality
The Stroke Specific Quality of Life Scale will be used to assess the quality of life of individuals with stroke. The higher the total score, the better the quality of life of the individual with stroke. This scale is scored between 49-245.As the score increases, the quality of life increases.
Measured: Baseline, five week later (after intervention)
Timeline
From the start of the study to its completion; the mark is today. Estimated dates are the sponsor’s plan.
- First posted5 Jun 2026
- Study start15 Jun 2026 (estimated)
- Primary completion1 Jul 2026 (estimated)
- Study completion1 Oct 2026 (estimated)
Resources
- Official record on ClinicalTrials.govThe registry entry this page is built from, with its full change history.
- Publications (2)Papers the sponsor has linked to this study.
- Other trials for Chronic StrokeStudies of the same condition, open and under way.
- What the trial phases meanHow a treatment moves from first tests in people to approval.
More details
For doctors and researchers: how the study is designed, who runs it, and its registry IDs.
Study design
- Study type
- Interventional
- Phase
- Phase N/A
- Primary purpose
- Treatment
- Allocation
- Randomised
- Intervention model
- Parallel groups
- Masking
- Double blind
- Who is masked
- Investigator, Outcomes assessor
- Enrolment
- 30 participants (estimated)
Sponsor and investigators
- Lead sponsor
- Karabuk University
- Sponsor type
- University, hospital or other
- Responsible party
- Principal investigator, Mustafa Kavak, Karabuk University
IDs, dates and publications
- ClinicalTrials.gov ID
- NCT07631182
- Sponsor's protocol ID
- Karabuk-02
- Status last verified
- Jun 2026
- First submitted
- 1 Jun 2026
- Last updated
- 9 Jun 2026
- Results posted
- No
- Data monitoring committee
- No
- FDA-regulated drug
- No
- FDA-regulated device
- No
- Individual data sharing
- No
Publications
Mancuso M, Tondo SD, Costantini E, Damora A, Sale P, Abbruzzese L. Action Observation Therapy for Upper Limb Recovery in Patients with Stroke: A Randomized Controlled Pilot Study. Brain Sci. 2021 Feb 26;11(3):290. doi: 10.3390/brainsci11030290.
PubMed 33652680Shamili A, Hassani Mehraban A, Azad A, Raissi GR, Shati M. Effects of Meaningful Action Observation Therapy on Occupational Performance, Upper Limb Function, and Corticospinal Excitability Poststroke: A Double-Blind Randomized Control Trial. Neural Plast. 2022 Sep 16;2022:5284044. doi: 10.1155/2022/5284044. eCollection 2022.
PubMed 36160327
Study at a glance
From the registry record, last updated by the sponsor on 9 Jun 2026. Recruitment status is as the sponsor reported it: confirm with the study team.
- Official title
- Investigation of the Effect of Action Observation Therapy Via Telerehabilitation Method on Upper Extremity Functions, Daily Living Activities and Quality of Life in Chronic Stroke Patients
- ClinicalTrials.gov ID
- NCT07631182
- Acronym / sponsor ID
- Karabuk-02
- Conditions
- Chronic Stroke
- Study type
- Interventional
- Recruitment status
- Recruiting
- Enrolment
- 30 participants (estimated)
- Lead sponsor
- Karabuk UniversityUniversity, hospital or other
- Study start
- 15 Jun 2026 (estimated)
- Primary completion
- 1 Jul 2026 (estimated)
- Study completion
- 1 Oct 2026 (estimated)
- First posted
- 5 Jun 2026 (actual)
- Results
- Not posted in the source record
Clinical summary
The research question as the sponsor registered it. This describes what the study plans to test, not what it found.
Stroke, a leading cause of disability worldwide, particularly affects upper extremity function, rendering individuals dependent on others for daily living activities and reducing their quality of life. To mitigate these effects, Action Observation Therapy (AOT), which has gained prominence in recent years, activates the mirror neuron system, triggering learning processes in the motor cortex and supporting functional recovery through the imitation of observed movements. Furthermore, telerehabilitation offers a significant advantage in facilitating access to rehabilitation services for these patients requiring long-term treatment, eliminating barriers such as transportation and cost. The absence of studies in the literature comparing the effectiveness of combining these two methods on hand skills and quality of life in individuals with chronic stroke with conventional physiotherapy makes investigating the clinical value of this approach academically unique and necessary.
Detailed description
Stroke is defined as a neurological condition caused by focal damage to the central nervous system due to vascular problems such as cerebral infarction, intracerebral or subarachnoid hemorrhage. Stroke is among the leading causes of death and disability worldwide.
Functional impairment in the upper extremities is frequently observed in stroke patients, significantly limiting their grasping and releasing functions, and consequently their daily living activities (ADL) such as eating, drinking, dressing, and self-care. Due to these limitations, stroke patients become dependent to varying degrees, negatively impacting their quality of life. Scientists are conducting various studies to find effective, low-cost, and easily applicable methods that can reduce the effects of stroke, which imposes a significant economic, physical, social, and psychological burden on patients and their families, and improve recovery.
Action Observation Therapy (AOT), which involves observing simple actions frequently used in ADL and then imitating those observed actions, is a rehabilitation approach applied in clinical settings in recent years to improve upper extremity function in the rehabilitation of stroke and various neurological diseases. The neural basis of AOT is the mirror neuron system, which is active not only when observing one's own movements but also when observing others' movements. Studies using Functional Magnetic Resonance Imaging have shown that mirror neuron activity increases when observing the movements of others. It is stated that observing an action and then trying to imitate it reduces interhemispheric inhibition, and as a result, it activates the primary motor cortex that causes the observed movement, facilitates the execution of the action, eliminates motor function disorders, and allows for the relearning of functions.
Telerehabilitation is the remote delivery of rehabilitation services through telecommunication technology. Telerehabilitation increases the accessibility of physiotherapy interventions in situations where face-to-face rehabilitation is not possible or difficult to access. In stroke patients with a lengthy rehabilitation process, telerehabilitation offers significant advantages, including reduced difficulties in transferring the patient to the healthcare center, shorter travel time, reduced transportation costs, and lower energy costs.
A literature review revealed no studies comparing the effects of AOT delivered via telerehabilitation on upper extremity function, hand skills, daily living activities, and quality of life in patients with chronic stroke compared with conventional physiotherapy.
Study design
- Primary purpose
- Treatment
- Allocation
- Randomised
- Intervention model
- Parallel groups
- Masking
- Double blind (investigator, outcomes assessor)
- Number of arms
- 2
| Arm | Type | Receives |
|---|---|---|
| Action observation Therapy | Experimental | Other: Conventional physiotherapyParticipants will receive AOT via telerehabilitation in addition to conventional physiotherapy. They will receive 3 sessions per week for 5 weeks. |
| control | No intervention | –Participants will receive only conventional physiotherapy. They will receive 3 sessions per week for 5 weeks. |
Who may qualify
- Ages
- 18 years and older
- Sex
- All
- Healthy volunteers
- Not accepted
- Age groups
- Adult, Older adult
Key inclusion criteria (6 listed)
- Being over 18 years of age,
- Diagnosis of left hemiparetic stroke,
- Having passed between 6 months since the onset of stroke,
- Being in stage 4 or 5 of the hand and stage 4, 5 or 6 of the upper extremity according to Brunnstrom staging,
- Being able to sit on a chair for 30 minutes without support (patients who scored 20 or more points in total from the Trunk Impairment Scale),
Key exclusion criteria (8 listed)
- Unwillingness to participate in the study,
- Having spasticity that prevents grasping and releasing an object (levels 3 and 4 on the Modified Ashworth Scale),
- Having a contracture in any of the affected upper extremity joints,
- Having severe neglect disorder (scoring 21 or higher on the Catherine Bergego Scale),
- Having impaired cooperation, compliance, and behavior during the administration of tests used to obtain data,
Eligibility is decided by the study team after screening; this overview does not establish that a patient qualifies. Full inclusion and exclusion criteria.
Interventions
| Intervention | Type | Arms |
|---|---|---|
| Conventional physiotherapyAll participants will receive conventional physiotherapy, including stretching, strengthening, core mobility, balance, electrotherapy, and endurance exercises in the clinic. These traditional sessions will be administered by physiotherapists three times a week, each lasting 45 minutes. | Other | Action observation Therapy |
Primary outcome
Spasticity
Time frame: Baseline
Spasticity will assessed using the Modified Ashworth Scale. As the score increases, spasticity increases. The minimum score for this scale is 1 and the maximum score is 5.
Stage of hemiplegia
Time frame: Baseline
"Brunnstrom Hemiplegia Recovery Staging" will be used to determine the hemiplegic stage of the patients. This scale is scored between 1 and 6. As the score increases, the patient improves.
Motor function
Time frame: Baseline, five week later (after intervention)
The "Fugl-Meyer Upper Extremity Motor Assessment Scale" will be used to evaluate upper extremity motor functions. This scale ranges from 0 to 66 points. As the score increases, motor function improves.
Dominant side
Time frame: Baseline
The "Edinburgh Hand Preference Test" will be used to determine the dominant side used by the patient in daily life. It will be used to determine which hand the patient uses more in daily life (Score range: -100 to +100; high positive scores indicate right-handedness, high negative scores indicate left-handedness).
Upper extremity function
Time frame: Baseline, five week later (after intervention)
Evaluation of upper extremity functions (hand-arm) and motor speed will be done with the "Nine-Hole Peg Test". It is a widely used clinical test that evaluates upper extremity function (hand and arm) and motor performance. The test consists of nine wooden sticks with a diameter of 9 millimeters (mm) and a standard wooden block with nine holes of 10 mm diameter. The patient inserts the nine sticks one by one into the nine holes as quickly as possible, placing them randomly into the holes, and then removes them one by one in the same manner. The timer is started when the first stick is inserted and stopped when the last stick is removed and released from the hand. The time taken for the patient to insert and remove the sticks is recorded. A shorter time indicates better upper extremity function.
Functional Independence
Time frame: Baseline, five week later (after intervention)
Evaluation of upper extremity functions will be done with the "Functional Independence Scale (FIS)". The is used to assess the change and development in ADL (Applications for Daily Living) depending on the degree of disability experienced by individuals and rehabilitation programs. Consisting of a total of 18 items, the FIS is divided into two main subcategories: motor domain (FIS-motor; 13 items) and cognitive domain (FIS-cognitive; 5 items). All activities are rated on a 7-point scale ranging from 1 (requires full assistance during activities) to 7 (performs the activity completely independently). The total FIS score ranges from 18 to 126 points. A decrease in the score indicates an increase in the individual's dependence during ADL.
Cognitif Function
Time frame: Baseline
Mini Mental Test will be used to evaluate cognitive functions. In the evaluation, 24-30 points indicate that cognitive functions are normal, 18-23 points indicate mild cognitive impairment, and 17 points and below indicate that cognitive status is severely affected.
Neglect
Time frame: Baseline
The Catherine Bergego Scale will be used to assess the impact of unilateral neglect after stroke on activities of daily living. 1-10 indicates mild neglect, 11-20 indicates moderate neglect, and 21-30 indicates severe neglect.
Life Quality
Time frame: Baseline, five week later (after intervention)
The Stroke Specific Quality of Life Scale will be used to assess the quality of life of individuals with stroke. The higher the total score, the better the quality of life of the individual with stroke. This scale is scored between 49-245.As the score increases, the quality of life increases.
Results and safety
This study is still under way. Results are not available in the source record yet.
Research links
- Official record on ClinicalTrials.govLast updated by the sponsor 9 Jun 2026.
- Results publication: PubMed 33652680Mancuso M, Tondo SD, Costantini E, Damora A, Sale P, Abbruzzese L. Action Observation Therapy for Upper Limb Recovery in Patients with Stroke: A Randomized Controlled Pilot Study. Brain Sci. 2021 Feb 26;11(3):290. doi: 10.3390/brainsci11030290.
- Results publication: PubMed 36160327Shamili A, Hassani Mehraban A, Azad A, Raissi GR, Shati M. Effects of Meaningful Action Observation Therapy on Occupational Performance, Upper Limb Function, and Corticospinal Excitability Poststroke: A Double-Blind Randomized Control Trial. Neural Plast. 2022 Sep 16;2022:5284044. doi: 10.1155/2022/5284044. eCollection 2022.
- Research studyLink provided by the sponsor.
- Individual participant dataSharing planned: No
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Referral and contact
AzTrials does not enrol participants or take referrals. Contact the study team or a site listed below; they decide who can take part.
2 sites in 1 country: see every site and its status.
Questions about this trial
What is this clinical trial studying?
A study testing Conventional physiotherapy in people with Chronic Stroke, run by Karabuk University at 2 sites in Turkey (Türkiye).
The full registered description is in the About this study section and the official record.
Who may be eligible to take part?
The sponsor lists 6 inclusion and 8 exclusion criteria. Eligibility is decided by the study team after screening, so read the full criteria and contact a listed site.
Is this clinical trial currently recruiting?
The record says: looking for participants now, as of the sponsor's last update on 9 Jun 2026. Status can change between updates, so confirm with the study contact before making plans.
Where is the study taking place?
The record lists 2 sites in Turkey (Türkiye). Whether a site is taking part right now should be confirmed with that site. See every site.
What are the possible benefits and risks?
They depend on the study and the treatment, and no study can promise a benefit. The study team explains the known risks during informed consent, before anyone joins; the record itself does not list them.
Are results available for this study?
This study is still under way. Results are not available in the source record yet.
How can a doctor refer a patient or contact the research team?
Contact Mustafa KAVAK, Phd (+905065089564, mustafakavak@karabuk.edu.tr), or a site near the patient. AzTrials does not enrol participants or take referrals.
What does the primary outcome measure?
Spasticity (time frame: Baseline). The study lists 9 primary outcomes in all. It is what the study was designed to measure, not a finding.
Where can I read the original study information?
On the ClinicalTrials.gov record for NCT07631182, which also lists 2 linked publications.
Does a listing mean the treatment is approved or proven to work?
No. A listing means the study is registered. It does not show that the treatment is safe, works, or is approved by a regulator.
How often is this information updated?
AzTrials copies changed records from ClinicalTrials.gov every night and reloads the whole registry every week. The sponsor last updated this record on 9 Jun 2026.