Parkinson Disease
Conditions
Brief summary
This study is designed to evaluate whether a specific visuospatial training task will change gait performance of Parkinson's disease (PD) patients in doorways, specifically freezing of gait.
Detailed description
This study is a randomized, prospective, single-blinded six-week study in PD patients with freezing of gait (FOG). This study will involve 2 study groups: Group A - training group; Group B - no training group/controls. Both groups will complete a gait evaluation and neuropsychological testing. Group A will also practice an in-home visuospatial task for 30 minutes, 4-6 days per week for six weeks. Group B will not complete the in-home tasks. Participation in this study is expected to last 6-8 weeks.
Interventions
DEVICETower of Hanoi
OTHERPlacebo group - non use of Tower of Hanoi
Sponsors
Duke University
Study design
Allocation
RANDOMIZED
Intervention model
PARALLEL
Primary purpose
TREATMENT
Masking
SINGLE (Outcomes Assessor)
Eligibility
Sex/Gender
ALL
Age
18 Years to No maximum
Healthy volunteers
No
Inclusion criteria
* Age: greater than 18 years old and without an upper age limit * diagnosis of idiopathic PD exhibiting at least 2 or 3 cardinal signs (bradykinesia, rigidity, and resting tremor) * Ambulate independently without an assistive device for at least 60 meters * Freezing of gait episodes confirmed through the FOG-Q and evaluation by a fellowship trained Movement Disorder neurologist * Willingness and ability to participate in training and complete training diary * Documented FOG-Q and Unified Parkinson's Disease Rating Scale (UPDRS) II * Ability to sign informed consent * Pregnant females will be included in the study and there are no known risks to the pregnant female or fetus
Exclusion criteria
* Inability to complete questionnaires * Unwillingness to participate in training, complete all questionnaires and training diary * Subjects with secondary causes of parkinsonism * Significant dementia (MOCA \<20) * Prior deep brain stimulation (DBS) surgery or pallidotomy * Subjects cannot participate in any form of Physical Therapy, Occupational Therapy or Speech Therapy during the study period * Subjects cannot start any new medications during the study period.
Design outcomes
Primary
| Measure | Time frame | Description |
|---|---|---|
| Double Limb Support (DLS) | 6 weeks | Primary outcome will be the percent of the gait cycle spent in DLS. This will be evaluated using a GaitRite via a continuous walk, with subjects walking an 18-20 meter oval loop three times continuously. |
Countries
United States
Outcome results
None listed