Parkinson Disease
Conditions
Brief summary
The purpose of this study is to determine how using auditory cues of a metronome and music at various frequencies impacts the gait mechanics in people with Parkinson's disease when walking over ground and on a treadmill. The investigators will enroll a total of 40 participants: 30 subjects with a diagnosis of Parkinson's disease (10 in Stage 1, 10 in Stage 2, and 10 in Stage 3) and 10 unimpaired subjects. Participants will complete 7 different treadmill walking conditions and overground walking conditions while the investigators measure step length, cadence, gait speed, and variability of movement.
Interventions
OTHERMetronome Normal
Steps are timed with the beat of the metronome set to the subject's cadence
OTHERMetronome Slow
Steps are timed with the beat of the metronome set to 85% of the subject's cadence
OTHERMetronome Fast
Steps are timed with the beat of the metronome set to 115% of the subject's cadence
OTHERMusic Normal
Steps are timed with the beat of the music by a rhythm consistent with the subject's cadence
OTHERMusic Slow
Steps are timed with the beat of the music by a rhythm consistent with 85% of the subject's cadence
OTHERMusic Fast
Steps are timed with the beat of the music by a rhythm consistent with 115% of the subject's cadence
OTHERNo Auditory cueing
Steps are not timed with any auditory cue.
Sponsors
University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill
Study design
Allocation
RANDOMIZED
Intervention model
CROSSOVER
Primary purpose
TREATMENT
Masking
NONE
Eligibility
Sex/Gender
ALL
Age
21 Years to 99 Years
Healthy volunteers
Yes
Inclusion criteria
10 unimpaired controls and 30 subjects with Parkinson's Disease (described in detail below - see inclusion/
Exclusion criteria
). The 30 subjects with Parkinson's Disease will be assigned into 3 groups (10 with H&Y Stage 1, 10 with H&Y Stage 2, and 10 with H&Y Stage 3). Inclusion Criteria: * Individuals with a diagnosis of Parkinson's Disease (made by movement disorders specialist) will be included in this study. Additional inclusion criteria include: self-reported ability to walk \>10 m overground as well as walk on a treadmill for a total of 14 minutes with rest breaks as needed, and be classified as Stage 1, 2, or 3 on the Hoehn and Yahr Scale since these stages have the most independence with mobility (Goetz et. al, 2004).
Design outcomes
Primary
| Measure | Time frame | Description |
|---|---|---|
| Step Length | The entire duration of each condition, approximately 2 minutes each. | The length of each step taken while walking on a treadmill or overground. It is the anteroposterior distance from one foot to the other at heel strike measured during walking under each condition. |
Secondary
| Measure | Time frame | Description |
|---|---|---|
| Cadence | The entire duration of each condition, approximately 2 minutes each. | The number of steps taken per minute measured while walking on a treadmill or overground under each condition. |
| Gait speed | The entire duration of each condition, approximately 2 minutes each. | The distance covered in a measured period of time (meters per second) while walking overground under each condition. |
| Movement variability | The entire duration of each condition, approximately 2 minutes each. | The coefficient of variation of spatiotemporal measures (step timing and step length) while walking overground and on a treadmill under each condition. |
Countries
United States
Outcome results
None listed