Active clinical trials for "Parkinson Disease"

This project is investigating whether a home-based exercise program will reduce depression in patients with Parkinson's disease.

Although Pilates has been proposed as a useful rehabilitation strategy in PD, research on its feasibility and potential effects on the motor symptoms and balance with this population is scarce. Some works have included Pilates as part of combined exercise session interventions, but information concerning their specific effects was not provided. Under these circumstances, this study aims at identifying the effects of adding Pilates as part of a conventional exercise rehabilitation program on the motor symptoms and static balance of PD persons. Participants (n=15) were assigned to a Pilates (PG) or to a conventional exercise group (CG) and performed one land-based and one water-based exercise session per week for 14 weeks. The MDS-UPDRS and a stabilometer were used to assess the impact of the intervention on the participant´s motor symptoms and static balance.

The investigators propose a randomized control trial to evaluate long term effects and effectiveness of Moore Balance Brace (MBB) ankle foot orthoses (AFO) in reducing risk of falling in older adults. Primary Endpoints • Characterize the impact of MBB AFO on balance, gait, risk of falling, frailty status, and adverse events Secondary Endpoints • Characterize the Impact of MBB AFO on spontaneous daily physical activities • Characterize the feasibility of the MBB AFO device on patient adherence, acceptability, user-friendliness, and perception of benefit for daily usage

This study evaluates the effect of body suspension and tilting exercises (performed in Chordata apparatus) on the balance and mobility of subjects with Parkinson disease. Half of patients will perform the exercise protocol while the other half will receive passive muscle stretching and maintain the usual routine.

The purpose of this study is to determine if deep brain stimulation can change brain oxygen levels in people with Parkinson's Disease. Measurements will be taken using a non-invasive device while subjects are both on and off their medications, and while their stimulator is in the on and off setting.

We aim to investigate the higher level mechanism of gait disorders in PD patients by ambulatory recording of electroencephalographic (EEG) and leg electromyographic (EMG) signals during unconstrained walking. Independent component analysis will be conducted for signal analysis. The connectivity among different brain regions will also be investigated. The PD patients received deep brain stimulation will be recruited for the study. The local field potentials recorded from sub-thalamic nuclei and/or PPN will be recorded concomitantly with EEG and leg EMG signals during unconstrained walking in PD patients to assess the roles of these deep structures in ambulation and their functional connectivity with other brain regions during walking.

The basal ganglia play an important role in motor learning, especially during the consolidation phase of motor learning. This raises the question whether it is possible to sustain learning increments in a neurodegenerative condition such as Parkinson's disease (PD). The aim of this study is to gain knowledge on whether it is possible to relearn skills which are actually affected by PD, such as writing, and determine whether neuroplasticity is possible. In this randomized controlled study, PD patients will either follow intensive writing training or a placebo treatment (stretch and relaxation training) during 6 weeks. The writing training will focus on automatization (withstanding dual task interference), transfer to an untrained task and retention. The placebo program is aimed to reduce stiffness in the upper limbs and has been shown to be ineffective in PD. To date, it is unknown how neural networks change as a result of consolidation after a prolonged period of motor learning in PD. Therefore the second arm of this study will investigate, for the first time, changes in neural connectivity using brain imaging data to elucidate which neuroanatomical regions are involved in consolidation of learning in PD. Finally, DTI and resting state fMRI-analysis will complement insights into the neural changes as a result of learning.

This project is investigating whether a home-based exercise program will reduce cognitive decline in patients with Parkinson's disease.

Using a within-subject cross-over design, we will include 20 patients with Parkinson disease (PD) and peak-of-dose dyskinesia. Patients will be studied after withdrawal from their normal dopaminergic medication. On two separate days, each patient will receive off-line, effective (high-intensity) or ineffective (low-intensity) 1 Hz repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation (rTMS) of the presupplementary motor area (preSMA) before functional magnetic resonance (fMRI). Immediately after the patient will perform a Go/No-Go task during fMRI in the the OFF state for 9 minutes. Then the scan is paused and the patient will receive 200 mg fast-acting oral levodopa and undergo whole-brain task-related fMRI at 3 Tesla until peak-of-dose dyskinesia will emerge. During task-related fMRI, patients has to click on a mouse with their right hand (Right-Go), left hand (Left-Go), or no action (No-Go) in response to arbitrary visual cues. The patients will also be tested for different aspects of impulsivity using neuropsychological questionnaires and computerized tests.

This study will assess the feasibility of using specific criteria to standardize the referral of individuals with Parkinson disease to a group of medical providers known as palliative care specialists. Palliative care specialists provide supportive care to individuals living with serious illnesses. The specialty focuses on providing relief from the symptoms and stress of serious illness.