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Effects of Action Observation Training and Motor Imagery Delivered by Telerehabilitation in Patients with Parkinson's Disease

Effects of Action Observation Training and Motor Imagery Delivered by Telerehabilitation on Mobility, Posture and Brain Plasticity in Patients with Parkinson's Disease

Status
Not yet recruiting
Phases
NA
Study type
Interventional
Source
ClinicalTrials.gov
Registry ID
NCT06814782
Acronym
TeleAOTPD
Enrollment
60
Registered
2025-02-07
Start date
2025-03-01
Completion date
2026-09-30
Last updated
2025-02-07

For informational purposes only — not medical advice. Sourced from public registries and may not reflect the latest updates. Terms

Conditions

Parkinson Disease

Keywords

Action Observation, Motor Imagery, Telerehabilitation, Parkinson disease

Brief summary

The goal of this clinical trial is to investigate the efficacy on motor and postural tasks of Action Observation Training (AOT) and Action Observation combined with Motor Imagery (AOMI) delivered by telerehabilitation in patients with Parkinson Disease. * The primary endpoint will be mobility measured with the Timed Up and Go (TUG) test (differences before and after telerehabilitation treatment period). * In addition, clinical and functional measures, instrumental analysis of gait and posture, and Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) correlates will be assessed. Participants will be asked to undergo 24 telerehabilitation sessions, cadenced 3 per week, over an 8-week period. In the two experimental groups (AOT and AOMI), each telerehabilitation session will encompass 4 motor tasks, each containing the observation of a video clip immediately followed by the patient's execution or imagination of the same exercises. Patients in the control group will be instructed to perform the same exercises after watching videos showing landscapes

Detailed description

The project is a a single center randomised controlled trial and aims to investigate the efficacy of Action Observation Training (AOT) and Action Observation with Motor Imagery (AOMI) delivered via telerehabilitation for improving motor and postural functions in patients with Parkinson's Disease (PD). Additionally, the study seeks to explore the cortical plasticity induced by AOMI using neuroimaging techniques. The primary outcome measure will be the Timed Up and Go (TUG) test, evaluating changes in mobility before and after the 8-week telerehabilitation intervention. Secondary outcomes include clinical and functional assessments, gait and gait initiation analysis and posture analysis. For gait and gait initiation analysis and posture analysis a sex and age matched healthy subjects cohort will be included. It will be also assessed postural motor resonance in AOT group and control group during action observation at all time point and results compared to sex and age match healthy cohort. Finally last 15 recruited patients of AOMI and control group will undergo fMRI investigation. The study will enroll 60 PD patients, each meeting specific criteria. Participants will be randomly assigned to one of three groups: 1) AOT, 2) AOMI, or 3) a control group. The intervention will consist of 24 telerehabilitation sessions over 8 weeks (3 sessions per week). Each AOT and AOMI session will include four motor tasks, where patients will watch 3-minute video clips, followed by either performing (AOT) or imagining (AOMI) the exercise for 1 minute. Each task will be repeated twice, resulting in a 32-minute session. Exercises will focus on gait and balance, commonly used in PD rehabilitation. The control group will perform similar exercises after watching videos of neutral content, such as landscapes. Assessments will be conducted by blinded evaluators at three time points: baseline (T0), immediately after the intervention period (T8W), and three months post-intervention (T5M).

Interventions

Action Observation Training (AOT) consists of patients observing videos of specific movements, followed by practice of those movements

Action Observation and Motor Imagery (AOMI) consists of patients observing videos of specific movements, followed by mental rehearsal of those movements

OTHERExercise

After watching a landscape video, patients will have to perform specific postural and balance exercises

Sponsors

Istituto Clinico Humanitas
Lead SponsorOTHER

Study design

Allocation
RANDOMIZED
Intervention model
PARALLEL
Primary purpose
TREATMENT
Masking
DOUBLE (Investigator, Outcomes Assessor)

Eligibility

Sex/Gender
ALL
Healthy volunteers
Yes

Inclusion criteria

* diagnosis of clinically definite PD according to the Movement Disorders Society criteria * Hoehn and Yahr scale \<4 * Montreal Cognitive Assessment, MoCA ≥ 26 * a stable medication regimen for at least 4 weeks.

Exclusion criteria

* Systemic, psychiatric, or other neurological illnesses influencing motor or functional performance * a history of substance abuse influencing cognition or compliance * visual disturbances * head tremor

Design outcomes

Primary

MeasureTime frameDescription
Timed Up and Go testFrom enrollment to the end of treatment at 8 weeksPatients will be instructed to stand up from a chair, walk 3 meters, turn, and return to sit down. The time taken to complete the task will be recorded.

Secondary

MeasureTime frameDescription
Parkinson's disease Questionnaire - 39 items (PDQ-39)From enrollment to the end of treatment at 8 weeksParkinson's disease Questionnaire - 39 items (PDQ-39) investigates quality of life in PD patients.
10-Meter Walking testFrom enrollment to the end of treatment at 8 weeks10-Meter Walking test investigates spontaneous and maximum walking speed.
6-Minute Walking testFrom enrollment to the end of treatment at 8 weeks6-Minute Walking test investigates walking endurance.
Freezing of Gait QuestionnaireFrom enrollment to the end of treatment at 8 weeksFreezing of Gait Questionnaire investigates freezing of gait episodes during daily life
Timed Up and Go testFrom enrollment to the end of follow-up at 3 months after end of trainingPatients will be instructed to stand up from a chair, walk 3 meters, turn, and return to sit down. The time taken to complete the task will be recorded.
Movement Disorders Society Unified PD Rating ScaleFrom enrollment to the end of treatment at 8 weeksIt's a scale that invenstigates behavioural, motor and functional status of PD patients. The scale is divided in 4 parts and higher score represents worsebehavioural, motor and functional status.
Functional Independence Measure (FIM)From enrollment to the end of treatment at 8 weeksFunctional Independence Measure quantifies autonomy during daily activities
Mini-BEST TestFrom enrollment to the end of treatment at 8 weeksMini-BEST Test investigates dynamic balance control.

Other

MeasureTime frameDescription
Functional Magnetic Resonance ImagingFrom enrollment to the end of treatment at 8 weeksfMRI investigates brain plasticity and functional reorganization
Posture analysisFrom enrollment to the end of treatment at 8 weeksChange of postural motor resonance of the mirror neuron system during Action Observation through H-reflex assessment
Gait and gait initiation analysisFrom enrollment to the end of treatment at 8 weeksGait and gait initiation analysis measure the kinematic parameters of gait and the Anticipatory Postural Adjustments

Countries

Italy

Contacts

Primary ContactRoberto Gatti
roberto.gatti@hunimed.eu0282245610

Outcome results

None listed

Source: ClinicalTrials.gov · Data processed: Feb 4, 2026