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Cortical Correlates of Gait in Parkinson's Disease: Impact of Medication and Cueing

Who can join

As published by the study on ClinicalTrials.gov. "Not stated" means the study hasn't said — ask the study team.

Age
45 Years to 85 Years
Sex
All sexes
Healthy volunteers
Not accepted
Compensation
Mentioned in the study description

Other requirements are listed under Eligibility below. Only the study team can confirm whether you can join.

What to expect

No one can promise a trial will help you personally — that is what the research is trying to find out.

What participation involves

  • Procedures mentioned: Wearing a device

Only what the study's summary and detailed description on ClinicalTrials.gov say. Time periods may describe the whole study or a part of it — ask the study team what applies to you.

Show the study's own words
  • "Here, for the first time, the researchers will use a full cap fNIRS system to monitor cortical activity in multiple brain areas and wearable, inertial sensors to determine how cognitive abilities, levodopa, and cueing influence gait automaticity."
Compensation
Mentioned in the study description
  • Study-related exams and procedures are typically provided at no cost. This is how many trials work in general — confirm the details for this study with the study team.
  • Participants are monitored closely by the research team throughout the study.
  • Some participants may receive access to an investigational treatment, which is still being studied.
  • Your participation helps researchers learn whether this approach could help future patients.

About this study

The purpose of the study is to determine the effects of a novel, personalized, tactile cueing system on gait automaticity. The researchers hypothesized that step-synchronized tactile cueing will reduce prefrontal cortex activity (improve automaticity) and improve gait variability (as well as gait speed). The researchers predict that improved automaticity with improved gait variability will be associated with increased activation of other than prefrontal cortical areas while walking (i.e., sensory-motor). To determine the effects of cueing, 60 participants with PD from will be randomized into one, of two, cueing interventions: 1) personalized, step-synchronized tactile cueing and 2) tactile cueing at fixed intervals as an active control group. In addition, the researchers will explore the feasibility and potential benefits of independent use of tactile cueing during a week in daily life for a future clinical trial. This project will characterize the cortical correlates of gait automaticity, the changes in gait automaticity with cueing in people with Parkinson's Disease, and how these changes translate to improvement in gait and turning. The long-term goal is to unravel the mechanisms of impaired gait automaticity in Parkinson's Disease.

Compensation is read from the study's own description and may be missing — always confirm with the study team.

Eligibility

Official eligibility criteria

Inclusion Criteria: * Diagnosis of idiopathic Parkinson's Disease from movement disorders neurologist with the United Kingdom Brain Bank criteria of bradykinesia with 1 or more of the following - rest tremor, rigidity, and balance problems not from visual, vestibular, cerebellar or proprioceptive conditions * Without musculoskeletal or peripheral or central nervous system disorders (other than PD) that could significantly affect their balance and gait * All subjects will be capable of following directions for the protocols and to give informed consent. * Hoehn \& Yahr Levels II-III. Exclusion Criteria: * Severe dyskinesia that may affect quality of fNIRS. * Major musculoskeletal or neurological disorders, structural brain disease, epilepsy, acute illness or health history, other than Parkinson's Disease, significantly affecting gait and turning i.e., peripheral neuropathy with proprioceptive deficits (detected as lack of toe proprioception assessed during the neurological exam at Day 1), musculoskeletal disorders, vestibular problem, head injury, stroke. * Montreal cognitive assessment (MoCA) score \< 21 or dementia that precludes consent to participate or ability to follow testing procedures * Inability to stand or walk for 2 minutes without an assistive device. * Idiopathic Parkinson's Disease exclusion criteria: Parkinson plus syndromes such as progressive supranuclear palsy, multiple system atrophy, or corticobasal syndrome or implanted electrodes for deep brain stimulation (DBS), possible vascular parkinsonism, current use of dopamine-blocking agents or cholinesterase inhibitor (as may affect Prefrontal cortical activity while walking).

Study sites (1)

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