Training Based On Declarative Memory Cues Improved Gait In Patients With Parkinson's Disease

Parkinson Disease Clinical Trial

Official title: Improvement In Gait Performance After Training Based On Declarative Memory Cues In Patients With Parkinson's Disease: A Randomized Clinical Trial

Status Completed

Clinical Trial Summary

Deficits in automatic motor control, characteristic of Parkinson's disease (PD), contribute to progressive impairment in gait performance. The use of declarative memory cues in order to promote the engagement of attention and activation of the next movement in gait may minimize the consequences of lack of automatic control. The purpose of this study is to verify the long-term efficiency of a new strategy based on declarative memory cue to improve the gait performance and independence in daily life activities (DLA) in patients with PD.

Clinical Trial Description

Background: Deficits in automatic motor control, characteristic of Parkinson's disease (PD), contribute to progressive impairment in gait performance. The use of declarative memory cues in order to promote the engagement of attention and activation of the next movement in gait may minimize the consequences of lack of automatic control.

Objectives: To verify the long-term efficiency of a new strategy based on declarative memory cue to improve the gait performance and independence in daily life activities (DLA) in patients with PD.

Design: Parallel prospective, single blind, randomized clinical trial. Setting: Brazilian Parkinson Association. Participants: Forty-four patients with PD in stages 2-3 of disease evolution according to Hoehn and Yahr Classification Interventions: The experimental training (ET) consisted of eight gait training sessions, twice a week, using the declarative memory cues strategy (DMCS). The control training (CT) consisted of a similar gait training without DMCS.

Primary outcome measure: Gait performance in terms of speed and stride length. Secondary outcome measure: Independence in DLA according to Section II of the Unified Parkinson's Disease Rating Scale.

Randomization: Participants were randomized into a control group (CG), which performed the CT, and an experimental group (EG), which performed the ET, through blinded drawing of names.

Statistical analysis: The gait performance and ADL independence before, 2 and 60 days after the end of training were compared for CG and EG using Repeated-measures analysis of variance (RM-ANOVA). ;

Study Design

Allocation: Randomized, Endpoint Classification: Safety Study, Intervention Model: Parallel Assignment, Masking: Single Blind (Investigator), Primary Purpose: Treatment

Related Conditions & MeSH terms

• Parkinson Disease

• NCT number: NCT02600728
• Study type: Interventional
• Source: University of Sao Paulo General Hospital
• Status: Completed
• Phase: N/A
• Start date: March 2014
• Completion date: October 2015