Active clinical trials for "Gait Disorders, Neurologic"

The purpose of this research study is to compare two different exercise treatments for walking problems in older adults. The investigators want to determine if participation in the exercise programs will improve walking and thinking abilities.

Along with cognitive and psychobehavioural disorders, gait disorders represent a major problem in the treatment of advanced Parkinson's disease (PD). PD can be considered to be a hyperglutamatergic disease because dopaminergic depletion induces hyperactivity of the subthalamic nucleus (STN) and the internal pallidum (GPi), with glutamatergic hyperactivity of the STN's efferent pathway, i.e., the subthalamopallidal, subthalamonigral and subthalamo-entopeduncular pathways (projecting to the pedunculopontine nucleus (PPN)). Excess glutamate in the PPN has also been observed in the 6-OHDA rat model of PD. Reduction of this glutamatergic hyperactivity within the PPN via the systemic or intra-peduncular administration of glutamate antagonists improves akinesia in drug-induced murine and primate models of PD, via the NMDA and AMPA receptors. High doses of memantine (10 mg/kg) improve locomotion in reserpine- and alpha-methyl-p-tyrosine-treated rats. In humans, the PPN may play a key role in gait, posture control, axial rigidity and attention. It is also involved in the gating of sensory information involved in the startle reflex, which can be studied via prepulse inhibition (PPI) of the blink reflex. At present, two uncompetitive NMDA receptor antagonists are approved for use in humans: amantadine and memantine. Reviews of the recent literature on these drugs have identified no published studies specifically on severe gait and attention disorders in PD. Memantine is a partial blocker of open NMDA channels. The value of memantine relates to the fact that it decreases excessive glutamatergic transmission by lowering the synaptic noise due to excessive activation of NMDA receptors. In this double-blind study, the investigators shall seek to demonstrate the presence or absence of an effect of memantine on gait and attention disorders. In order to study the interaction between glutamatergic hyperactivity and the dopaminergic system, the investigators shall study the phenomena both in the absence of L-dopa and following acute administration of the latter. Twenty eight volunteer, non-demented, late-stage PD patients displaying severe gait disorders will receive memantine (20 mg/day) or placebo for 3 months. The investigators expect to see a reduction in gait and attention disorders, together with an improvement in the blink reflex with PPI under memantine. This pilot study could subsequently be turned into a double-blind, placebo-controlled multicenter study.

Patients referred to neurosurgery routinely and safely undergo deep brain stimulation (DBS) for treatment of symptoms related to neurodegenerative conditions, most commonly Parkinson's disease. In the investigators experience, and published evidence shows, that stimulation has effects on the autonomic nervous system. In patients undergoing therapeutic DBS for a particular subtype of Parkinsonism, Multiple System Atrophy, the further effects on autonomic parameters such as blood pressure and bladder symptoms as well as the originally intended indications (gait and movement disorder) will be investigated. The mechanisms of any effects will also be studied by using a number of techniques such as magnetoencephalography (MEG) and Muscle Sympathetic Nerve Activity (MSNA) recording. Key goals are to: Demonstrate that stimulation of the peduculopontine nucleus (PPN) improves autonomic function and has an attendant improvement on patients' quality of life Investigate the role of the PPN and how it interacts with other brain areas. This translational strategy will lead to a larger efficacy study of DBS for MSA as well as revolutionizing neural-based treatments in other autonomic disorders such as orthostatic hypotension and pure autonomic failure.

Phase II: Investigating the effects of additional robot-assisted gait training either initiated early (2 weeks post-stroke) or delayed (8 weeks post-stroke) after stroke onset.

Objective of the study: To test the efficacy of theta burst cerebellar stimulation on postural instability in progressive supranuclear palsy using a cross-over design and wearing sensors technology Design: Twenty probable PSP patients with no dementia and still able to walk will be recruited for a cross-over sham-controlled study. Each patient will undergo a sham stimulation or a single session of cerebellar theta burst stimulation with a wash out period of at least 14 days. Each patient will be evaluated before and after stimulation by berg balance tests (BBS), Tinetti scale, PSP-rating scale (PSP-RS), and a battery of gait and movement tests. Static balance was assessed by 30-seconds-trials in semitandem and tandem positions with eyes open and closed using wearing sensors technology.

The aging population is at an exceptionally high risk of debilitating falls, contributing significantly to reduced independence and quality of life. It remains extremely challenging to screen for falls risk, and programs designed to mitigate falls risk have only modestly influenced the sizeable portion of the aging population experiencing one or more falls annually. Balance control in standing and walking depends on integrating reliable sensory feedback and on planning and executing appropriate motor responses. Walking balance control is especially dynamic, requiring active and coordinated adjustments in posture (i.e., trunk stabilization) and foot placement from step to step. Accordingly, using a custom, immersive virtual environment, the investigators have shown that sensory (i.e., optical flow) perturbations, especially when applied during walking, elicit strong and persistent motor responses to preserve balance. Exciting pilot data suggest that these motor responses are remarkably more prevalent in old age, presumably governed by an increased reliance on vision for balance control. Additional pilot data suggest that prolonged exposure to these perturbations may effectively condition successful balance control strategies. Founded on these recent discoveries, and leveraging the increase reliance on vision for balance control in old age, the investigators stand at the forefront of a potentially transformative new approach for more effectively identifying and mitigating age-related falls risk. The investigator's overarching hypothesis is that optical flow perturbations, particularly when applied during walking, can effectively identify balance deficits due to aging and falls history and can subsequently condition the neuromechanics of successful balance control via training.

Stroke has severe debilitating neurological consequences for the victim. Within context of this study, gait disturbance is induced by disabilities in muscle weakness, abnormal muscle contraction, or postural control. Gait disturbance has an unfavorable effect on functional independence and prognosis of patients. Due to this reason, recovery in gait ability of stroke patients is considered as a very important goal in rehabilitation. Body weight supported treadmill training (BWSTT) is a task-oriented technique for gait restoration after stroke. The present study focused on the possibility of BWSTT as a special program for improving gait ability. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the effectiveness of a BWSTT intervention useful as a short-term intensive program for chronic stroke survivors.

Adults with diabetic peripheral neuropathy tend to fall more frequently than healthy population as a consequence of multiple sensorimotor and cognitive damages. In this protocol study, a randomized controlled trial is proposed using a sensorimotor intervention based on Feldenkrais method to improve somatosensory aspects and, therefore, postural control of participants.

This is a randomized clinical trial to study the effect of tDCS in participants with subacute ischemic stroke, the study participants will be randomly assigned into three groups; bihemispheric, unihemispheric and sham group.

It has been shown that movements of the upper extremity during walking are associated with lower extremity mobility. For example, when walking at a slow pace, the swing frequency of the arms is 2: 1 compared to the legs, while the limb frequency decreases to 1: 1 as the walking speed increases. That is, in order to walk fast, the lower extremity takes advantage of the acceleration of the upper extremity [1]. It is known that the muscles of the shoulder girdle also support this oscillating movement in the upper extremity during walking. Thus, it is thought that blocking or restricting shoulder girdle and arm movements during walking increases energy expenditure and heart rate, decreases gait stability, and decreases stride length and walking speed [2,3]. However, the possible effects that the upper limb can aid in movement include decreasing vertical displacement of the center of mass, decreasing angular momentum or decreasing ground reaction moment, and increasing walking stability [2-4]. In these studies that restrict arm swing, methods such as crossing the arms on the chest [5], holding the arm in a sling or pocket [6], or fixing the arms to the trunk with a bandage [7] were used. Studies have generally been conducted on healthy individuals or on the biomechanical model, and arm swing during walking has not been investigated in pathologies with only upper extremity involvement (upper extremity fractures, Juvenile Idiopathic Arthritis) without any problems with lower extremity and/or walking. This study is aimed to reveal the effects of decreased upper extremity functionality on walking and balance.