View clinical trials related to Parkinson Disease.
Filter by:For the last decades, many aspects of human life have been altered by digital technology. For health care, this have opened a possibility for patients who have difficulties travelling a long distance to a hospital to meet with their health care providers over different digital platforms. With an increased digital literacy, and an aging population often living in the countryside, far from hospitals or other health care settings, an increasing need for digitalization of meetings between patients and health care personnel is inevitable. However, neuropsychological assessment is one sort of health care not possible to directly transfer into digital form. These evaluations are most often performed with well validated tests, only to be used in a paper-pencil form with a specially trained psychologist during physical meetings. The aim of this project is to investigate whether a newly developed digital neuropsychological test battery can be used to perform remote assessments of cognitive function in patients with neurological injuries and impairments. To this date, there are no such test batteries available in the Swedish language. Mindmore (www.mindmore.com) is a test system developed in Sweden, performing neuropsychological tests on a tablet, but still with the psychologist present in the room. This system is now evolving into offering the possibility for the patient to perform the test in their own home, using their own computer or tablet. The aim of the present research project is to validate this latter system (Mindmore Distance), using the following research questions: 1. Are the tests in Mindmore Distance equivalent to traditional neuropsychological tests in patients with traumatic brain injury, stroke, multiple sclerosis, Parkinson's Disease, epilepsy, and brain tumor? 2. Can the results from Mindmore Distance be transferred into neuropsychological profiles that can be used in diagnostics for specific patient groups? 3. How do the patients experience undergoing a neuropsychological evaluation on their own compared to traditional neuropsychological assessment in a physical meeting with a psychologist?
The purpose of the study is to determine the effects of a novel, personalized, tactile cueing system on gait automaticity. The researchers hypothesized that step-synchronized tactile cueing will reduce prefrontal cortex activity (improve automaticity) and improve gait variability (as well as gait speed). The researchers predict that improved automaticity with improved gait variability will be associated with increased activation of other than prefrontal cortical areas while walking (i.e., sensory-motor). To determine the effects of cueing, 60 participants with PD from will be randomized into one, of two, cueing interventions: 1) personalized, step-synchronized tactile cueing and 2) tactile cueing at fixed intervals as an active control group. In addition, the researchers will explore the feasibility and potential benefits of independent use of tactile cueing during a week in daily life for a future clinical trial. This project will characterize the cortical correlates of gait automaticity, the changes in gait automaticity with cueing in people with Parkinson's Disease, and how these changes translate to improvement in gait and turning. The long-term goal is to unravel the mechanisms of impaired gait automaticity in Parkinson's Disease.
The primary aim of this study is to compare maximum and functional exercise capacity and muscle oxygenation during exercise test in patients with Parkinson's disease. The secondary aim is to evaluate respiratory functions, respiratory muscle strength and endurance, peripheral muscle strength, physical activity level, shortness of breath and fatigue in Parkinson's patients and compare with healthy individuals.
Parkinson's disease (PD) is a neurodegenerative disease characterized by bradykinesia, rigors, and tremor at rest. Distinctive neuropathological signs include progressive loss of dopaminergic neurons in the Substantia nigra pars compacta (SNpc) and the presence of immunoreactive protein inclusions for α-syn, Lewy bodies (LB). The clinical phenotype is heterogeneous, both from a motor and non-motor point of view. Furthermore, the prognosis and response to drugs are highly variable and poorly predictable. To date, there are no biomarkers capable of early identification of clinical phenotypes and of predicting response to therapy. This constitutes a serious limit that probably represents one of the causes of the failure of the experimentation of the disease modifying therapies tested up to now (for example the anti-α-sin antibodies). Certainly, a deeper understanding of disease pathogenesis is needed to address these unsolved problems. Oxidative stress and inflammation have critical roles in PD, especially in the prodromal and early stages of PD, as they contribute to pathological progression and also trigger potentially devastating neuroprotective responses, especially in the early stages. Consequently, soluble mediators of these processes may represent potential markers of prodromal phases of the disease. Inflammation is a key factor in the initiation and propagation of a-syn aggregates and the contribution of microglial activation to a-syn pathology has been highlighted recently. Elevated a-syn specific T cell responses may be present years before the diagnosis of motor PD, suggesting a role of neuroinflammation in PD pathogenesis and early diagnosis. Furthermore, studies in rats overexpressing a-syn support the idea that reducing neuroinflammation could improve symptoms in early Parkinson's disease. In particular, drug-targeted anti-inflammatory approaches in a-syn rats prevent central and peripheral inflammation, as well as neuronal dysfunction and motor motor impairment. It is also increasingly evident that panels that combine different biomarkers, with a multimodal approach, are more sensitive and specific, better reflecting the complexity of pathophysiological mechanisms. In fact, the diagnostic sensitivity of some CSF biomarker panels of neurodegeneration in distinguishing between atypical parkinsonisms and Parkinson's disease has been demonstrated. These markers, as well as in the cerebrospinal fluid, can be measured in the serum, albeit with reduced specificity, and in exosomes of central origin, which have recently been described and analyzed also in cohorts of patients with Parkinson's disease. In addition to pharmacological approaches, attention has recently been paid to non-pharmacological therapeutic approaches, such as physical activity. In particular, studies on PD patients show that aerobic exercise improves motor performance by increasing BDNF levels and reducing inflammation. Retrospective studies have found that moderate to vigorous exercise in midlife may protect against PD. In 2018, a phase 2 study investigated the response to treadmill exercise performed at two different intensities (high and moderate) by de novo PD patients, reporting a beneficial effect of moderate treadmill exercise. Although aerobic exercise appears to be the most effective, several studies have used a variety of exercise programs to demonstrate options available for those who cannot physically perform aerobic exercise. In PD patients, physical activity also appears to have beneficial effects on cognition, mood, and sleep quality. Preclinical findings support the hypothesis that physical activity exerts its beneficial effect by increasing levels of BDNF and anti-inflammatory cytokines and inhibiting pro-inflammatory factors. In this study the investigators will measure changes in clinical scales and biomarkers in patients who undergo either an intensive physical activity protocol or continue their routine sedentary life.
The goal of this clinical trial is to compare the effect of pelvic physical therapy with different types of electrical stimulation(ES) for bladder complaints in people with Parkinson's disease. The main question it aims to answer is: What is the effect of pelvic physical therapy with ES for bladder complaints in people with Parkinson's disease. Secondary question: What is the most effective type of ES on bladder complaints in people with Parkinson's disease. Participants will be randomized into three groups. Two different kinds of ES and a sham group. Participants will receive eight session of pelvic physical therapy. Pelvic physical therapy consists of e.g. bladder training, pelvic floor muscle exercises and biofeedback.
The primary purpose of this study is to attempt to replicate and extend promising pilot findings regarding the cognitive benefits of in-home neuro-exergaming with iPACES (interactive Physical and Cognitive Exercise System v3) for persons with mild cognitive impairment (MCI), to evaluate effects for persons with Parkinson's Disease (PD). Participants will include persons with PD, and potentially, also their co-residing partner, who will exercise at home or accessible location, 3-5 times per week for at least 6 months, with follow-up one month after the main intervention. All participation is "remote" (completed at home, or location of choice), utilizing either one's own equipment ("bring-your-own-devices" BYODs: pedaler, phone/tablet, smart-watch) or some equipment which may be supplied by the grant-funded study and shipped directly to the home; all study measures are completed remotely (e.g., via phone app, website, biometric device, videoconference, email, snail mail, etc.).
Parkinson's disease is the second most common neurodegenerative disease after Alzheimer's disease. It is mostly characterized by the presence of motor difficulties. However, it can also be accompanied by cognitive disorders which have an equally significant impact on the quality of life of patients and which are not relieved by any treatment. Among the functions affected by Parkinson's disease, inhibition is an essential process for adapting our behaviors in daily life. Inhibition allows us to stop an action that is no longer required or appropriate to the situation in which we find ourselves in. For example, it comes into play when we have to stop at a "stop" sign while driving. Recent studies suggest that it could be possible to improve the functioning of these processes by using non-invasive brain stimulation tools. Transcranial alternating current electrical stimulation has thus showed promising results in improving functions such as working memory. This technique is completely painless and non-invasive and consists in applying an electric current of very low intensity (barely perceptible) at the level of the scalp, using electrodes. The investigators are conducting a study to test whether transcranial alternating current electrical stimulation could improve the functioning of the inhibition process which is altered in patients. For this, the investigators will measure this process using a task performed on a computer (the Stop Signal Reaction Time Task), as well as brain activity using a method called "electroencephalography", before and after stimulation. For this study, the investigators will include 50 patients and 40 healthy participants to investigate the effect of the stimulation on inhibition.
In Parkinson's disease (PD), direct evidence linking inflammation to the harmful activities of alpha-synuclein (a-syn) aggregates, the disease onset, and its progression is still lacking. This translational project aims to reveal the causal relationship between a-syn and inflammation. The investigators will also investigate the mechanisms underlying the beneficial effects of two non-pharmacological approaches, motor exercise and neuromodulation, with particular focus on neuroinflammation and brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) production. the investigators will investigate the molecular pathways and synaptic alterations underlying disease progression. This will be paralleled by a clinical study, in which clinical assessment will be associated with cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) and blood neurodegeneration and inflammatory biomarkers measures. Then, the investigators will test the hypothesis that intensive exercise and neuromodulation may reduce neuroinflammation and a-syn spreading via the activation of BDNF-related pathways.
Parkinson's disease (PD) is the second most common neurodegenerative disease. Multiple system atrophy (MSA) is a relentlessly progressing rare neurodegenerative disease of unknown etiology. The differential diagnosis between the MSA-Parkinsonism (MSA-P) subtype and PD can be very challenging in early disease stages, while early diagnostic certitude is important for the patient because of the diverging prognosis. At the time being, there exists no validated objective biomarker to guide the clinician. Dysarthria is a common early symptom in both diseases and of different origin. The ambition and the originality of this project are to develop a digital voice-based tool for objective discrimination between PD and MSA-P.
Mild cognitive impairment (PD-MCI) is one of the greatest risk factors for future Parkinson's disease dementia (PDD). A recent meta-analysis found that, on average, 31% of patients with PD-MCI converted to PDD within seven years; however, 24% of patients with PD-MCI reverted back to normal cognitive function. Consequently, the false positive rate for predicting PDD among patients with PD-MCI is high, and better predictive markers to define patients at high risk for PDD development are urgently needed. Therefore, a combination of different markers, including clinical, genetic, and other biomarker data, are proposed to increase ability to predict cognitive worsening and dementia. Based on data of the first follow-up of this cohort results indicated that presence of both mild cognitive instrumental activities of daily living (IADL) impairment and PD-MCI dramatically increases the risk for PDD (PubMed ID: 36240089). This study evaluates markers predicting cognitive and IADL long-term outcome in our sample. Additionally, focus of the study is the investigation whether ratings of patients or informants best predicted decline of cognitive impairment and/or everyday function. Clinical data along with other clinical marker and biomarker status will be investigated.