Cerebral palsy is a group of movement and posture disorders caused by brain injury before, during, or shortly after birth. It affects about 1 in 345 children in the United States. Treatment has traditionally focused on managing symptoms through physical therapy, medications for spasticity, and orthopedic surgeries, but no treatments address the underlying brain injury.
What's actually going on in research
Trials are testing stem cell therapies that aim to repair damaged brain tissue, drugs that may improve motor function and reduce spasticity, and intensive rehabilitation approaches that leverage neuroplasticity. Some studies are exploring whether early intervention in infants at high risk can prevent or reduce CP severity. Researchers are also working on brain-computer interfaces and robotic devices to improve movement and independence.
Stem cell therapy
Multiple trials are testing whether a person's own umbilical cord blood cells or other cell types can repair brain damage in young children with CP. Early studies suggest some improvement in motor function, though researchers are still determining which cell types work best and when to give them.
Early detection and intervention
New imaging and assessment tools can identify CP risk in the first months of life, well before traditional diagnosis. Studies are testing whether starting intensive therapy this early can rewire developing brains and reduce disability.
Neuroplasticity-based therapies
Constraint-induced movement therapy and other intensive approaches force the brain to create new movement pathways. Trials are testing these methods combined with brain stimulation or virtual reality to maximize results.
What to know before you search
Eligibility typically depends on CP type and severity (measured by systems like GMFCS), age, whether the child walks independently, and specific motor or cognitive abilities being studied.
What types of trials are currently open
- Stem cell trials — Testing whether infusions of umbilical cord blood, bone marrow cells, or other cell types can improve motor function in children with CP.
- Drug trials — Testing medications that may improve movement, reduce muscle stiffness, or address complications like seizures and pain. Some studies test new formulations of baclofen or botulinum toxin.
- Rehabilitation trials — Testing intensive physical therapy approaches, robotic devices, virtual reality training, or brain stimulation to improve motor skills.
- Prevention trials — Testing early interventions in high-risk infants to see if therapy started in the first months of life can prevent or reduce CP severity.
- Device studies — Testing assistive technologies like exoskeletons, orthotics, brain-computer interfaces, or communication devices to improve function and independence.
Recently added Cerebral Palsy trials
Receive spinal stimulation while walking to reduce muscle stiffness
This research study will examine the acute effects of non-invasive spinal stimulation on spasticity and walking in individuals with cerebral palsy. The hypothesis is that walking with spinal stimulation will lead to greater reductions in spasticity than walking without spinal stimulation. Additionally, it is hypothesized that the average step length and Gait Deviation Index will be higher while walking with spinal stimulation compared to walking without spinal stimulation.
Share your recovery outcomes after nerve surgery for muscle stiffness
Patients with spastic/dystonic quadriplegia (GMFCS IV/V) are often severely disabled by their tone, and require surgical tone management to improve quality of life, allow for better function, improve comfort, and range of motion. This has historically been limited to Intrathecal Baclofen (ITB) pumps, which are effective for up to 85% of patients but carry significant morbidity / complications and are not appropriate for many patients. More recently, combined dorsal/ventral rhizotomy (CR) has emerged as an alternative means for tone control, a one-time surgery with no required hardware implantation. However, more information is needed regarding long-term outcomes of this procedure in addition to comparative outcomes of ITB. This information will lead to improved patient selection, counseling, and care. This is a prospectively enrolled, single-center study, involving survey administration and clinical observation of outcomes pre- and post-surgery.
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