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Can imagining exercise boost brain power after spinal cord injury?

NCT ID NCT06708026

Symptom relief Sponsor: The Hong Kong Polytechnic University Source: ClinicalTrials.gov ↗

What the study statuses mean

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Recruitment status, easiest to join first

Recruiting now
This trial is taking on new participants right now.
Not yet recruiting
Registered, but not yet taking participants.
By invitation only
Not open to general applications. Only people the study team invites can take part.
Paused
Paused for now. It may or may not start again.
Ongoing
Running, but no longer taking on new participants.
Completed This study
The trial has finished. Results may not be published yet.
Stopped early
Stopped early, before it reached the end. That can be for many reasons, including safety.
Cancelled
Cancelled before anyone took part.

Expanded access (not trials)

Expanded access
Not a trial. This treatment can be requested outside a study, case by case, for people who qualify.
Expanded access (paused)
Not a trial. The treatment can normally be requested outside a study, but is unavailable right now.
Expanded access (ended)
Not a trial. The treatment could once be requested outside a study, but no longer can.
Approved
The treatment has been approved, so it is available normally rather than through this programme.

When the status isn't known

Details not published
The full record has not been published yet, so there is little to show here.
Status unknown
This status has not been confirmed recently, so it may be out of date.

First seen Sep 17, 2026 · Last updated Sep 18, 2026 · Updated 1 time

Summary

Researchers are testing a home-based program called action observation and motor imagery (AOMI) training for adults with spinal cord injury. Participants watch exercise videos and imagine themselves doing the movements without actually moving. The trial aims to see if this training is feasible and whether it improves cognitive function and depression. About 46 adults will take part.

What this could mean

Our plain-language read of the trial. This is informational only, not medical advice or a prediction.

Active substance
Action observation and motor imagery (AOMI) training, a home-based behavioral intervention where participants watch exercise videos and imagine performing the movements
What this could lead to
If it works, this could offer a low-cost, home-based way to support thinking skills and mood for people living with spinal cord injury.
What could go wrong
This is a small pilot study, so it may not show clear benefits or may not generalize to larger groups. Participants may experience dizziness, fatigue, or pain from the training.

This is an AI summary of the original study and may miss details. Read our disclaimer.

Study facts

What this study's own registry entry says, in plain language.

Phase

Not a phased trial

Phase numbers describe drug development. The registry uses this when they do not apply, as it does for trials of devices, procedures or behaviour changes, and for observational studies.

Participants

46 people

The number who actually took part.

Started

Jan 2025

Finished

Dec 2025

Lead sponsor

Other sponsor

The registry's catch-all category, for sponsors it does not file as a company, a government agency, or a research network.

Who can take part

This study's own entry requirements. Only the study team can say for certain whether you qualify.

Ages

18 years and older

Sex

Anyone

Healthy volunteers

Accepted

You do not need to have the condition being studied to take part.

Show the full entry requirements

Copied word for word from the study's registry entry, so the wording is the study team's rather than ours.

Inclusion Criteria: * Diagnosis of SCI according to the International Standards for the Neurological Classification of SCI with confirmation by computed tomography/magnetic resonance imaging; * At least 18 years old; * With stable spinal systems and good vital signs, and currently living in the community and having SCI for more than 6 months; * No contraindications to undergoing MRI examination (e.g., no metal or electronic devices in the body, not pregnant, and absence of claustrophobia); * Having a mobile Internet terminal (usually a smartphone) and proficient independent or caregiver-assisted usage; * Able to communicate in Cantonese and to provide informed consent. Exclusion Criteria: * Having severe problems in hearing, verbal communication, or vision; * Engaged in ongoing psychotherapy or any other physiotherapy/ exercise/ relaxation interventions; * Physically active for more than 150 minutes moderate-intensity exercise per week; * Diagnosis of mental disorders or substance misuse; * With severe cognitive impairment (Hong Kong Montreal Cognitive Assessment (HK-MoCA) score ≤ 18.

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Conditions

The condition(s) this trial relates to.

Depression depressive disorder spinal cord injury

As listed by the trial registrant

The condition terms exactly as the trial's registrant entered them.

Cognitive functions Depression Motor imagery Spinal cord injuries (SCI)

Contacts and locations

Locations

  • School of Nursing, The Hong Kong Polytechnic University

    Hong Kong, 999077, China

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