Effect of Adding Computerized Executive Training on Balance, Motor Symptoms and Gait in Parkinson's Disease

Parkinson Disease Clinical Trial

Official title: Adding Computer-based Executive Training to Conventional Rehabilitation Can Affect Postural Stability , Motor Symptoms and Gait in Parkinson's Disease Patients

Status Recruiting

Clinical Trial Summary

BACKGROUND: Postural instability is one of the cardinal signs in Parkinson's disease (PD). It represents one of the most disabling symptoms in the advanced stages of the disease.

The purpose of this study was to evaluate the immediate and long-term effects of adding computer-based cognitive training to physical therapy interventions on postural stability, Parkinson's motor symptoms, and gait performance in Parkinson's disease patients.

Clinical Trial Description

Study design: A randomized control clinical trial among sixty-eight Egyptian Parkinson's Disease patients of both sexes participated in the study; their ages ranged from 55 to 68 years. They were selected from the Neurology Clinics and from the Movement Disorder Clinic, Neurology Department, Faculty of Medicine, Cairo University, in the period from November 2023 to April 2024.

The patients will be divided into two equal groups: the control group (GA) and the study group (GB). Patients in GA will be treated by a designed physiotherapy program consisting of aerobic exercise on a treadmill, stretching exercises, proprioceptive neuromuscular facilitation (PNF) techniques, graduated active exercises, gait training, reciprocal, and weight-shifting exercises, in addition to sham computerized cognitive training. Patients in (GB) will be treated with computer-based cognitive training using REHACOM in addition to the same physiotherapy program as GA. Rehacom software will be used for the real computerized cognitive sessions, Cognitive training targets four main cognitive domains; attention/concentration, figural memory, auditory response control, and visual response control. . The treatment protocol will include 24 sessions, three sessions per week, for two successive months.

Primary Outcomes:

1. Postural stability:

• Biodex balance system was used to assess dynamic balance indices ( Overall stability index, mediolateral stability & anteroposterior stability)

2. Spatio-temporal gait parameters:

• Digital video camera and kinovea (video motion analysis software) was used to assess spatiotemporal gait parameters (Stride length, velocity & Cadence).

Secondary Outcomes:

1. Overall cognitive functions:

• Parkinson's Disease - Cognitive Rating Scale (PD-CRS).

2. Severity of Parkinson's motor symptoms:

• Using Unified Parkinson's disease rating scale (UPDRS)- motor subscale ;

Related Conditions & MeSH terms

• Parkinson Disease

• NCT number: NCT06104072
• Study type: Interventional
• Source: Cairo University
• Contact: Engy B Saleh, PhD
• Phone: 00201099445112
• Email: engybm.saleh@yahoo.com
• Status: Recruiting
• Phase: N/A
• Start date: November 3, 2023
• Completion date: May 30, 2024