Exercise TherapyNCT05084690
Mirror Illusion Training and Cross-education
A study testing Unilateral resistance training and Illusionary mirror visual feedback in people with Exercise Therapy and Weight Lifting, run by Texas Christian University at 2 sites in United States.
Trial summary
Cross-education describes the transfer of motor performance to the opposite limb following unilateral training and is primarily explained by adaptations within the brain. The mirror training hypothesis suggests that illusionary mirror visual feedback may augment the cross-education of strength to the untrained… Read more about this study
- Who is it for?
- Ages 18 to 35 yearsHealthy volunteers can take part
- Conditions the study is for
- Exercise Therapy, Weight Lifting
- What is being tested?
- Unilateral resistance training and Illusionary mirror visual feedback
- Could I receive a placebo?
- No, everyone receives an active treatment
- How many people
- 20 participants
- Where
- 2 sitesUnited States
- Study dates
- 19 Jul 2021to 19 Aug 2023
- Phase
- Interventional
- Are there results?
- None posted in the registry
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 to 35 years
- All sexes
- Healthy volunteers accepted
- Adult
Who may be able to join
- right-hand dominance
- no previous strength training of upper body last 3 months
- no injuries or recent surgeries of the upper limbs
- willingness to adhere to the strength training requirements of the study
Who cannot join
- current use of hormone replacement therapy
- pregnancy/breastfeeding
Trial locations and contacts
2 sites in 1 country.
United States2 sites
TCU Neuromuscular Physiology Laboratory
Fort Worth, Texas, 76126
TCU RIC
Fort Worth, Texas, 76126
About this study
Official title: Mirror Illusion Training to Improve Contralateral Arm Strength
Cross-education describes the transfer of motor performance to the opposite limb following unilateral training and is primarily explained by adaptations within the brain. The mirror training hypothesis suggests that illusionary mirror visual feedback may augment the cross-education of strength to the untrained, contralateral limb. The purpose of this project is to examine how the use of illusionary mirror visual feedback shapes the neuromuscular adaptations that occur for both limbs during unilateral (single-limb) strength training. Our hypothesis is that mirror training will augment the level of cross-education for the untrained arm.
Read the detailed description
Recent empirical evidence shows a heightened level of strength transfer with the use of illusionary mirror visual feedback, but this was shown for the small muscles of the wrist during isokinetic training. It is unknown if larger, multi-joint muscles respond favorably to mirror training in practical settings. A randomized controlled study design will allocate approximately 20 participants into two groups. One group will perform unilateral strength training with illusionary mirror visual feedback (Mirror) and the other will perform the same unilateral strength training but without a mirror (No-Mirror). The intervention will involve four weeks of unilateral strength training performed twice weekly at high intensities (>80%1RM).
- Conditions
- Exercise Therapy, Weight Lifting
- Being tested
- Unilateral resistance training, Illusionary mirror visual feedback
- Keywords
- Strength training, Mirror visual feedback
What participants receive
What participants receive. In a randomised study each person is assigned to one group by chance.
Unilateral resistance trainingOther
Unilateral resistance training of the elbow flexors
Illusionary mirror visual feedbackOther
Modified Ramachandran's mirror box
| Study group | Role | What they receive |
|---|---|---|
| Resistance training control group | Active comparator | The resistance training control group will perform unilateral resistance training on their dominant arm. The training will be performed twice per week for four weeks totaling eight training sessions. Receives: Other: Unilateral resistance training |
| Resistance training with mirror illusion group | Experimental | The resistance training with mirror illusion group will perform unilateral resistance training on their dominant arm. During training, they will view a mirror illusion of their exercising arm over their opposite, non-exercising arm. The training will be performed twice per week for four weeks totaling eight training sessions. Receives: Other: Unilateral resistance training; Other: Illusionary mirror visual feedback |
What is being measured
The primary outcome is the main question the study is designed to answer.
Change in dynamic muscle strength for the trained and untrained arm
Dynamic 1-repetition maximum (lbs)
Measured: Baseline (week 0) post-training (week 5)
Change in isometric muscle strength for the trained and untrained arm
Isometric maximal voluntary contraction
Measured: Baseline (week 0) post-training (week 5)
Change in lean mass for the trained and untrained arm
DEXA (g)
Measured: Baseline (week 0), mid-training (week 2), post-training (week 5)
Change in muscle thickness for the trained and untrained arm
Ultrasound muscle thickness (cm)
Measured: Baseline (week 0), mid-training (week 2), post-training (week 5)
Change in muscle activation for the trained and untrained arm
Electromyographic amplitude (volts)
Measured: Baseline (week 0) post-training (week 5)
Timeline
From the start of the study to its completion; the mark is today. Estimated dates are the sponsor’s plan.
- First posted20 Oct 2021
- Study start19 Jul 2021
- Primary completion19 Aug 2023 (estimated)
- Study completion19 Aug 2023 (estimated)
Resources
- Official record on ClinicalTrials.govThe registry entry this page is built from, with its full change history.
- Other trials for Exercise TherapyStudies 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
- Basic science
- Allocation
- Randomised
- Intervention model
- Parallel groups
- Model description
- Randomized, two arm parallel experimental and control groups
- Masking
- Single blind
- Who is masked
- Outcomes assessor
- Enrolment
- 20 participants (estimated)
Sponsor and investigators
- Lead sponsor
- Texas Christian University
- Sponsor type
- University, hospital or other
- Responsible party
- Principal investigator, Joshua Carr, Texas Christian University
- Investigators
- Joshua C Carr, Principal investigator, Texas Christian University
IDs, dates and publications
- ClinicalTrials.gov ID
- NCT05084690
- Sponsor's protocol ID
- 2021-102
- Status last verified
- Oct 2021
- First submitted
- 7 Oct 2021
- Last updated
- 20 Oct 2021
- Results posted
- No
- Data monitoring committee
- No
- FDA-regulated drug
- No
- FDA-regulated device
- No
Study at a glance
From the registry record, last updated by the sponsor on 20 Oct 2021. Recruitment status is as the sponsor reported it: confirm with the study team.
- Official title
- Mirror Illusion Training to Improve Contralateral Arm Strength
- ClinicalTrials.gov ID
- NCT05084690
- Acronym / sponsor ID
- 2021-102
- Conditions
- Exercise Therapy, Weight Lifting
- Keywords
- Strength training, Mirror visual feedback
- Study type
- Interventional
- Recruitment status
- Unknown status
- Enrolment
- 20 participants (estimated)
- Lead sponsor
- Texas Christian UniversityUniversity, hospital or other
- Study start
- 19 Jul 2021 (actual)
- Primary completion
- 19 Aug 2023 (estimated)
- Study completion
- 19 Aug 2023 (estimated)
- First posted
- 20 Oct 2021 (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.
Cross-education describes the transfer of motor performance to the opposite limb following unilateral training and is primarily explained by adaptations within the brain. The mirror training hypothesis suggests that illusionary mirror visual feedback may augment the cross-education of strength to the untrained, contralateral limb. The purpose of this project is to examine how the use of illusionary mirror visual feedback shapes the neuromuscular adaptations that occur for both limbs during unilateral (single-limb) strength training. Our hypothesis is that mirror training will augment the level of cross-education for the untrained arm.
Detailed description
Recent empirical evidence shows a heightened level of strength transfer with the use of illusionary mirror visual feedback, but this was shown for the small muscles of the wrist during isokinetic training. It is unknown if larger, multi-joint muscles respond favorably to mirror training in practical settings. A randomized controlled study design will allocate approximately 20 participants into two groups. One group will perform unilateral strength training with illusionary mirror visual feedback (Mirror) and the other will perform the same unilateral strength training but without a mirror (No-Mirror). The intervention will involve four weeks of unilateral strength training performed twice weekly at high intensities (>80%1RM).
Study design
- Primary purpose
- Basic science
- Allocation
- Randomised
- Intervention model
- Parallel groups
- Masking
- Single blind (outcomes assessor)
- Number of arms
- 2
- Model description
- Randomized, two arm parallel experimental and control groups
| Arm | Type | Receives |
|---|---|---|
| Resistance training control group | Active comparator | Other: Unilateral resistance trainingThe resistance training control group will perform unilateral resistance training on their dominant arm. The training will be performed twice per week for four weeks totaling eight training sessions. |
| Resistance training with mirror illusion group | Experimental | Other: Unilateral resistance training, Other: Illusionary mirror visual feedbackThe resistance training with mirror illusion group will perform unilateral resistance training on their dominant arm. During training, they will view a mirror illusion of their exercising arm over their opposite, non-exercising arm. The training will be performed twice per week for four weeks totaling eight training sessions. |
Who may qualify
- Ages
- 18 to 35 years
- Sex
- All
- Healthy volunteers
- Accepted
- Age groups
- Adult
Key inclusion criteria (4 listed)
- right-hand dominance
- no previous strength training of upper body last 3 months
- no injuries or recent surgeries of the upper limbs
- willingness to adhere to the strength training requirements of the study
Key exclusion criteria (2 listed)
- current use of hormone replacement therapy
- pregnancy/breastfeeding
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 |
|---|---|---|
| Unilateral resistance trainingUnilateral resistance training of the elbow flexors | Other | Resistance training control group, Resistance training with mirror illusion group |
| Illusionary mirror visual feedbackModified Ramachandran's mirror box | Other | Resistance training with mirror illusion group |
Primary outcome
Change in dynamic muscle strength for the trained and untrained arm
Time frame: Baseline (week 0) post-training (week 5)
Dynamic 1-repetition maximum (lbs)
Change in isometric muscle strength for the trained and untrained arm
Time frame: Baseline (week 0) post-training (week 5)
Isometric maximal voluntary contraction
Change in lean mass for the trained and untrained arm
Time frame: Baseline (week 0), mid-training (week 2), post-training (week 5)
DEXA (g)
Change in muscle thickness for the trained and untrained arm
Time frame: Baseline (week 0), mid-training (week 2), post-training (week 5)
Ultrasound muscle thickness (cm)
Change in muscle activation for the trained and untrained arm
Time frame: Baseline (week 0) post-training (week 5)
Electromyographic amplitude (volts)
Results and safety
Results are not available in the source record.
Research links
- Official record on ClinicalTrials.govLast updated by the sponsor 20 Oct 2021.
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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. This study is not recruiting at the moment.
Joshua C Carr principal investigator
Texas Christian University
2 sites in 1 country: see every site and its status.
Questions about this trial
What is this clinical trial studying?
A study testing Unilateral resistance training and Illusionary mirror visual feedback in people with Exercise Therapy and Weight Lifting, run by Texas Christian University at 2 sites in United States.
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 4 inclusion and 2 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: status not confirmed, as of the sponsor's last update on 20 Oct 2021. 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 United States. 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?
Results are not available in the source record.
How can a doctor refer a patient or contact the research team?
The record lists no contact. The official record names the sponsor, who can be asked directly. AzTrials does not enrol participants or take referrals.
What does the primary outcome measure?
Change in dynamic muscle strength for the trained and untrained arm (time frame: Baseline (week 0) post-training (week 5)). The study lists 5 primary outcomes in all. It is what the study was designed to measure, not a finding.
Where can I read the original study information?
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 20 Oct 2021.