Significant Funding Secured for World’s Largest Stroke Therapy Trial

A university announced its intention to undertake the largest clinical trial globally for an innovative therapy designed to assist certain stroke survivors. This treatment, called Spatial Inattention Grasping Therapy (SIGHT), employs balancing rods to aid patients experiencing a loss of attention or awareness on one side of their body. The University of East Anglia (UEA), located in Norwich, received £1.26m in funding to evaluate the new therapy, building on the success of earlier “promising trials” of a smaller scale. Commencing in January, the study is scheduled to be conducted at eight prominent stroke centres throughout England, among them Cambridge University Hospitals and the Norfolk and Norwich University Hospital. Dr. Stephanie Rossit, affiliated with the UEA’s school of psychology, stated that approximately 390,000 of the 1.3 million stroke survivors in the UK are estimated to experience spatial inattention. Dr. Rossit, who is spearheading the trial, noted, “Currently there is no effective treatment.” She added, “This new trial is helping to fill the gap in the urgent search for successful treatments.” According to the UEA, prior SIGHT trials involved participants holding and balancing rods with their less impaired hand, which subsequently led to improvements in their coordination. Jim Waters, residing near Diss, Norfolk, experienced a stroke in 2021 while operating a vehicle. He participated in trials at the UEA and reported that after experiencing substantial improvement, his driving licence was reinstated. He elaborated, “Living around here and not being able to drive would have made life very difficult – in fact, we would have had to move.” He continued, “It’s meant I can live in this house comfortably, I don’t have to worry about moving at the moment and I can drive where I need to.” Waters concluded, “Without the help I’ve had I just don’t know what I would have done… It literally feels like getting your life back again.” A stroke occurs when the blood supply to a section of the brain is interrupted, resulting in the death of brain cells. The SIGHT trial is projected to continue until February 2028 and is anticipated to include 206 stroke survivors who suffer from spatial inattention. While all participants will undergo an MRI scan, only a portion will be administered SIGHT therapy. Funding for the study is provided by the Efficacy and Mechanism Evaluation Programme, a collaborative initiative between the National Institute for Health and Care Research and the Medical Research Council. Scientists indicated that the findings have the potential to assist in the treatment of stroke patients globally.