The Use of Sensory or Motor Cues Using Electrical Stimulation to Reduce Gait Freezing in Patients With Parkinson Disease

Stopped early · Early Phase 1

Conditions studied: Parkinson Disease

In brief

Some individuals with Parkinson disease experience "freezing" during walking which results in their inability to move their feet. They often have difficulty starting to move once they have stopped. Freezing often results in loss of balance and falling. Oral medications for Parkinson disease aren't as effective in treating freezing as it is in reducing other symptoms. Another treatment for freezing is instruction in walking using visual targets or auditory cues (thinking of a rhythm or beat). These cues can be initially effective for some individuals, but the effects do not last. Other types of cues have not been studied. We want to examine the effects of two other cues, tactile (touch) or motor (muscle contraction), on the effects of freezing.

Key facts

Study ID

NCT00762814

Run by

Washington University School of Medicine

People needed

4

Starts

2008-05-01

Expected to finish

2009-06-01

Last updated by the study team

2018-05-11

Who can join

Age: 50 and older, up to 80. Sex: any. Healthy volunteers: not accepted.

You may qualify if…

• PD diagnostic criteria include those used for clinically defined "definite PD", as previously outlined22 based upon established criteria.22, 23
• history of consistent freezing with ambulation in a straight line and/or when turning.
• normal central and peripheral neurological function
• at least grade 4 strength and normal joint ranges of motion in both legs
• normal somatosensory function in the feet (joint position sense), except for their neurological diagnosis and use of levodopa.
• Each must have had clear benefit from levodopa for at least some of his/her PD symptoms
• All subjects with PD must be able to walk independently for 10 feet.

You may not qualify if…

• serious medical problem that would impair the ability to undergo testing.
• use of neuroleptic or other dopamine-blocking drug
• use of drugs that might affect balance
• history or evidence of other neurological deficit that could interfere, such as previous stroke or muscle disease
• participants who are unable to provide informed consent

Where it is running

• Washington University Program in Physical Therapy — St Louis, Missouri, United States

Full record on ClinicalTrials.gov

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