Evidence map›Paper›PMID 40380081›Full record

Trial reportBMC neurology2025

A feasibility study on the use of cranial nerve non-invasive neuromodulation to improve affected arm function in people in the chronic stage of a stroke.

Maureen Ahiatsi, Guillaume Léonard, Eléonor Riesco, Marie-Claude Girard, Marie-Hélène Milot

Registry-linked trialAbstract readClinical Trial
In one paragraph

Trial report in BMC neurology, 2025. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. It is linked to trial NCT05370274 (Cranial Nerve Non-invasive Neuromodulation to Improve Pain and Upper Extremity Function in Individuals in the Chronic Phase of Stroke), which is not on this map. Cited by 1 paper.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
1citing papers in PubMed
–field-weighted citation impact
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

NCT05370274 nacompletednot on this map

Cranial Nerve Non-invasive Neuromodulation to Improve Pain and Upper Extremity Function in Individuals in the Chronic Phase of Stroke: a Pilot Feasibility Study

TypeinterventionalSponsorUniversité de SherbrookeRan2022 to 2023Enrolled12ConditionsStrokeArmsStrength training intervention, Cranial nerve non-invasive neuromodulation (CN-NINM)
3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

1 citing paper in PubMed.

  1. Article
4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

5 authors.

Maureen AhiatsiResearch Centre on Aging, Centre intégré universitaire de santé et de services sociaux de l'Estrie - Centre hospitalier universitaire de Sherbrooke (CIUSSS de l'Estrie - CHUS), 1036 Rue Belvédère Sud, Sherbrooke, Québec, J1H4C4, Canada.
Guillaume LéonardResearch Centre on Aging, Centre intégré universitaire de santé et de services sociaux de l'Estrie - Centre hospitalier universitaire de Sherbrooke (CIUSSS de l'Estrie - CHUS), 1036 Rue Belvédère Sud, Sherbrooke, Québec, J1H4C4, Canada.
Eléonor RiescoResearch Centre on Aging, Centre intégré universitaire de santé et de services sociaux de l'Estrie - Centre hospitalier universitaire de Sherbrooke (CIUSSS de l'Estrie - CHUS), 1036 Rue Belvédère Sud, Sherbrooke, Québec, J1H4C4, Canada.
Marie-Claude GirardResearch Centre on Aging, Centre intégré universitaire de santé et de services sociaux de l'Estrie - Centre hospitalier universitaire de Sherbrooke (CIUSSS de l'Estrie - CHUS), 1036 Rue Belvédère Sud, Sherbrooke, Québec, J1H4C4, Canada.
Marie-Hélène MilotResearch Centre on Aging, Centre intégré universitaire de santé et de services sociaux de l'Estrie - Centre hospitalier universitaire de Sherbrooke (CIUSSS de l'Estrie - CHUS), 1036 Rue Belvédère Sud, Sherbrooke, Québec, J1H4C4, Canada. marie-helene.milot@usherbrooke.ca.

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

backgroundChronic stroke survivors are often left with residual arm muscle weakness impeding arm function, daily life activities and quality of life. Exercise is one of the main post-stroke interventions to improve arm function, with cranial nerve non-invasive neuromodulation (CN-NINM) emerging as a potentially interesting complementary therapy to enhance its benefits. Only one study has evaluated the impact of CN-NINM combined with a lower-limb training program on improved balance in subacute stroke survivors. The aim of this study was to assess the feasibility and explore the effects on motor function of an arm strengthening program combined with CN-NINM in chronic stroke survivors (> 6 months).

methodsTwelve (12) participants (69 ± 11 years) took part in this feasibility study. Recruitment and drop-out rates, number of people who elected not to participate, adherence and adverse events were collected to assess feasibility. The effects of CN-NINM + exercise on motor function were evaluated by changes in arm motor function, measured using the Fugl-Meyer Assessment (FMA), and functional performance, evaluated through the Wolf Motor Function Test (WMFT), following a 4-week arm strengthening program (60 min, 3 sessions/week) combined with CN-NINM (tongue stimulation, 20 min at a comfortable intensity). Descriptive and non-parametric statistics (Wilcoxon signed-ranks test) were used to describe feasibility data and explore CN-NINM effects.

resultsFeasibility was confirmed with a recruitment rate of 1.3 person/month, no dropout, a 100% adherence rate, and no serious adverse events. A significant gain in FMA (p = 0.003) with a trend for WMFT (P = 0.11) were noted post-intervention.

conclusionThis study suggests that CN-NINM combined with an arm strengthening program is feasible and may improve arm function in chronic stroke survivors. Further research is needed to validate the results.

trial registrationThis clinical trial was registered on ClinicalTrials.gov (NCT05370274) on April 27, 2022.

Indexed as

ArmCranial NervesElectric Stimulation TherapyStrokeStroke RehabilitationAgedAged, 80 and overChronic DiseaseExercise TherapyFeasibility StudiesFemaleHumansMaleMiddle AgedRecovery of FunctionTreatment OutcomeCranial nerve non-invasive neuromodulationMotor functionStrength training programStrokeUpper limb

Identifiers

PMID40380081
PMCPMC12082858

What OpenQuestion holds

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LicenceCC BY
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Registered trials

Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.