Trial Outcomes & Findings for Motor Training in PD (NCT NCT02457832)
NCT ID: NCT02457832
Last Updated: 2025-10-15
Results Overview
Percentage of baseline BOLD signal across activated brain regions. Activation values that remain significant after type-I error control in imaging software are averaged across brain regions, converted to Percent Signal Change, and presented as Mean (%) ± SD (%) across brain regions investigated.
Recruitment status
COMPLETED
Study phase
NA
Target enrollment
87 participants
Primary outcome timeframe
12 weeks
Results posted on
2025-10-15
Participant Flow
Participant milestones
| Measure |
Internally Guided Training (IG)
Adapted tango dancing is a sophisticated, yet accessible system of tactile communication that conveys motor intentions and goals between a leader and follower. Those in IG training will choose direction, timing and amplitude of each successive step, and will communicate this information to their partner through moving their frame and center of mass.
Adapted Tango Dancing: Composed of simple steps, tango involves frequent movement initiation and cessation, multi-directional perturbations and varied rhythms. Participants focus on trunk control and stepping strategies, coordination, somatosensory awareness, attention to partner, path of movement, and aesthetics. Sessions will begin with a typical dance class warm-up consisting of breathing, limbering and postural alignment to upbeat music. Novel step elements will be introduced every class period. Those with PD will partner with an individual without PD. After novel step introduction, the instructor will present rhythmic training, which is indispensable to partnered dancing. Participants will learn 'typical' rhythms from tango and Latin dances, based upon the system of quicks (Q) and slows (S), ubiquitously used in ballroom dance training to understand the temporal relationship of movement to music.
|
Externally Guided Training (EG)
Those in EG will learn to attend to sensory cues for movement direction, timing and amplitude of steps, communicated from their partner to them via the frame and center of mass. The 'follower' will wait to receive the movement cue before moving.
Adapted Tango Dancing: Composed of simple steps, tango involves frequent movement initiation and cessation, multi-directional perturbations and varied rhythms. Participants focus on trunk control and stepping strategies, coordination, somatosensory awareness, attention to partner, path of movement, and aesthetics. Sessions will begin with a typical dance class warm-up consisting of breathing, limbering and postural alignment to upbeat music. Novel step elements will be introduced every class period. Those with PD will partner with an individual without PD. After novel step introduction, the instructor will present rhythmic training, which is indispensable to partnered dancing. Participants will learn 'typical' rhythms from tango and Latin dances, based upon the system of quicks (Q) and slows (S), ubiquitously used in ballroom dance training to understand the temporal relationship of movement to music.
|
Behavioral Control (BC)
BC participants will attend group health education sessions adapted to the needs of individuals with PD, about pharmacological management, nutrition, sleep disorders, cognitive deficits, bereavement coping, mobility, balance and home safety. Participants in this training will be instructed not to change their habitual exercise routines. After completing health education, participants will be assigned to an IG or EG training class but will not undergo evaluations.
Behavioral Control (BC) Condition: Group health education sessions adapted to the needs of individuals with PD, about pharmacological management, nutrition, sleep disorders, cognitive deficits, bereavement coping, mobility, balance and home safety.
|
|---|---|---|---|
|
Training
STARTED
|
34
|
31
|
22
|
|
Training
COMPLETED
|
24
|
25
|
19
|
|
Training
NOT COMPLETED
|
10
|
6
|
3
|
|
One Month Washout
STARTED
|
24
|
25
|
19
|
|
One Month Washout
COMPLETED
|
24
|
24
|
18
|
|
One Month Washout
NOT COMPLETED
|
0
|
1
|
1
|
Reasons for withdrawal
| Measure |
Internally Guided Training (IG)
Adapted tango dancing is a sophisticated, yet accessible system of tactile communication that conveys motor intentions and goals between a leader and follower. Those in IG training will choose direction, timing and amplitude of each successive step, and will communicate this information to their partner through moving their frame and center of mass.
Adapted Tango Dancing: Composed of simple steps, tango involves frequent movement initiation and cessation, multi-directional perturbations and varied rhythms. Participants focus on trunk control and stepping strategies, coordination, somatosensory awareness, attention to partner, path of movement, and aesthetics. Sessions will begin with a typical dance class warm-up consisting of breathing, limbering and postural alignment to upbeat music. Novel step elements will be introduced every class period. Those with PD will partner with an individual without PD. After novel step introduction, the instructor will present rhythmic training, which is indispensable to partnered dancing. Participants will learn 'typical' rhythms from tango and Latin dances, based upon the system of quicks (Q) and slows (S), ubiquitously used in ballroom dance training to understand the temporal relationship of movement to music.
|
Externally Guided Training (EG)
Those in EG will learn to attend to sensory cues for movement direction, timing and amplitude of steps, communicated from their partner to them via the frame and center of mass. The 'follower' will wait to receive the movement cue before moving.
Adapted Tango Dancing: Composed of simple steps, tango involves frequent movement initiation and cessation, multi-directional perturbations and varied rhythms. Participants focus on trunk control and stepping strategies, coordination, somatosensory awareness, attention to partner, path of movement, and aesthetics. Sessions will begin with a typical dance class warm-up consisting of breathing, limbering and postural alignment to upbeat music. Novel step elements will be introduced every class period. Those with PD will partner with an individual without PD. After novel step introduction, the instructor will present rhythmic training, which is indispensable to partnered dancing. Participants will learn 'typical' rhythms from tango and Latin dances, based upon the system of quicks (Q) and slows (S), ubiquitously used in ballroom dance training to understand the temporal relationship of movement to music.
|
Behavioral Control (BC)
BC participants will attend group health education sessions adapted to the needs of individuals with PD, about pharmacological management, nutrition, sleep disorders, cognitive deficits, bereavement coping, mobility, balance and home safety. Participants in this training will be instructed not to change their habitual exercise routines. After completing health education, participants will be assigned to an IG or EG training class but will not undergo evaluations.
Behavioral Control (BC) Condition: Group health education sessions adapted to the needs of individuals with PD, about pharmacological management, nutrition, sleep disorders, cognitive deficits, bereavement coping, mobility, balance and home safety.
|
|---|---|---|---|
|
Training
Lost to Follow-up
|
10
|
6
|
3
|
|
One Month Washout
Lost to Follow-up
|
0
|
1
|
1
|
Baseline Characteristics
Motor Training in PD
Baseline characteristics by cohort
| Measure |
Internally Guided Training (IG)
n=34 Participants
Adapted tango dancing is a sophisticated, yet accessible system of tactile communication that conveys motor intentions and goals between a leader and follower. Those in IG training will choose direction, timing and amplitude of each successive step, and will communicate this information to their partner through moving their frame and center of mass.
Adapted Tango Dancing: Composed of simple steps, tango involves frequent movement initiation and cessation, multi-directional perturbations and varied rhythms. Participants focus on trunk control and stepping strategies, coordination, somatosensory awareness, attention to partner, path of movement, and aesthetics. Sessions will begin with a typical dance class warm-up consisting of breathing, limbering and postural alignment to upbeat music. Novel step elements will be introduced every class period. Those with PD will partner with an individual without PD. After novel step introduction, the instructor will present rhythmic training, which is indispensable to partnered dancing. Participants will learn 'typical' rhythms from tango and Latin dances, based upon the system of quicks (Q) and slows (S), ubiquitously used in ballroom dance training to understand the temporal relationship of movement to music.
|
Externally Guided Training (EG)
n=31 Participants
Those in EG will learn to attend to sensory cues for movement direction, timing and amplitude of steps, communicated from their partner to them via the frame and center of mass. The 'follower' will wait to receive the movement cue before moving.
Adapted Tango Dancing: Composed of simple steps, tango involves frequent movement initiation and cessation, multi-directional perturbations and varied rhythms. Participants focus on trunk control and stepping strategies, coordination, somatosensory awareness, attention to partner, path of movement, and aesthetics. Sessions will begin with a typical dance class warm-up consisting of breathing, limbering and postural alignment to upbeat music. Novel step elements will be introduced every class period. Those with PD will partner with an individual without PD. After novel step introduction, the instructor will present rhythmic training, which is indispensable to partnered dancing. Participants will learn 'typical' rhythms from tango and Latin dances, based upon the system of quicks (Q) and slows (S), ubiquitously used in ballroom dance training to understand the temporal relationship of movement to music.
|
Behavioral Control (BC)
n=22 Participants
BC participants will attend group health education sessions adapted to the needs of individuals with PD, about pharmacological management, nutrition, sleep disorders, cognitive deficits, bereavement coping, mobility, balance and home safety. Participants in this training will be instructed not to change their habitual exercise routines. After completing health education, participants will be assigned to an IG or EG training class but will not undergo evaluations.
Behavioral Control (BC) Condition: Group health education sessions adapted to the needs of individuals with PD, about pharmacological management, nutrition, sleep disorders, cognitive deficits, bereavement coping, mobility, balance and home safety.
|
Total
n=87 Participants
Total of all reporting groups
|
|---|---|---|---|---|
|
Age, Continuous
|
70.7 years
STANDARD_DEVIATION 7.0 • n=5 Participants
|
68.6 years
STANDARD_DEVIATION 8.5 • n=7 Participants
|
68.0 years
STANDARD_DEVIATION 9.5 • n=5 Participants
|
69.36 years
STANDARD_DEVIATION 8.29 • n=4 Participants
|
|
Sex: Female, Male
Female
|
13 Participants
n=5 Participants
|
14 Participants
n=7 Participants
|
6 Participants
n=5 Participants
|
33 Participants
n=4 Participants
|
|
Sex: Female, Male
Male
|
21 Participants
n=5 Participants
|
17 Participants
n=7 Participants
|
16 Participants
n=5 Participants
|
54 Participants
n=4 Participants
|
|
Ethnicity (NIH/OMB)
Hispanic or Latino
|
0 Participants
n=5 Participants
|
1 Participants
n=7 Participants
|
0 Participants
n=5 Participants
|
1 Participants
n=4 Participants
|
|
Ethnicity (NIH/OMB)
Not Hispanic or Latino
|
0 Participants
n=5 Participants
|
0 Participants
n=7 Participants
|
0 Participants
n=5 Participants
|
0 Participants
n=4 Participants
|
|
Ethnicity (NIH/OMB)
Unknown or Not Reported
|
34 Participants
n=5 Participants
|
30 Participants
n=7 Participants
|
22 Participants
n=5 Participants
|
86 Participants
n=4 Participants
|
|
Race (NIH/OMB)
American Indian or Alaska Native
|
0 Participants
n=5 Participants
|
0 Participants
n=7 Participants
|
0 Participants
n=5 Participants
|
0 Participants
n=4 Participants
|
|
Race (NIH/OMB)
Asian
|
0 Participants
n=5 Participants
|
0 Participants
n=7 Participants
|
1 Participants
n=5 Participants
|
1 Participants
n=4 Participants
|
|
Race (NIH/OMB)
Native Hawaiian or Other Pacific Islander
|
0 Participants
n=5 Participants
|
1 Participants
n=7 Participants
|
0 Participants
n=5 Participants
|
1 Participants
n=4 Participants
|
|
Race (NIH/OMB)
Black or African American
|
6 Participants
n=5 Participants
|
6 Participants
n=7 Participants
|
4 Participants
n=5 Participants
|
16 Participants
n=4 Participants
|
|
Race (NIH/OMB)
White
|
26 Participants
n=5 Participants
|
22 Participants
n=7 Participants
|
16 Participants
n=5 Participants
|
64 Participants
n=4 Participants
|
|
Race (NIH/OMB)
More than one race
|
2 Participants
n=5 Participants
|
1 Participants
n=7 Participants
|
1 Participants
n=5 Participants
|
4 Participants
n=4 Participants
|
|
Race (NIH/OMB)
Unknown or Not Reported
|
0 Participants
n=5 Participants
|
1 Participants
n=7 Participants
|
0 Participants
n=5 Participants
|
1 Participants
n=4 Participants
|
PRIMARY outcome
Timeframe: 12 weeksPopulation: The number of patients included in analyses is smaller than the total number of study participants due to study attrition and inability to tolerate the scanner.
Percentage of baseline BOLD signal across activated brain regions. Activation values that remain significant after type-I error control in imaging software are averaged across brain regions, converted to Percent Signal Change, and presented as Mean (%) ± SD (%) across brain regions investigated.
Outcome measures
| Measure |
Internal Guidance Training (IG)
n=19 Participants
Adapted tango dancing is a sophisticated, yet accessible system of tactile communication that conveys motor intentions and goals between a leader and follower. Those in IG training will choose direction, timing and amplitude of each successive step, and will communicate this information to their partner through moving their frame and center of mass.
Adapted Tango Dancing: Composed of simple steps, tango involves frequent movement initiation and cessation, multi-directional perturbations and varied rhythms. Participants focus on trunk control and stepping strategies, coordination, somatosensory awareness, attention to partner, path of movement, and aesthetics. Sessions will begin with a typical dance class warm-up consisting of breathing, limbering and postural alignment to upbeat music. Novel step elements will be introduced every class period. Those with PD will partner with an individual without PD. After novel step introduction, the instructor will present rhythmic training, which is indispensable to partnered dancing. Participants will learn 'typical' rhythms from tango and Latin dances, based upon the system of quicks (Q) and slows (S), ubiquitously used in ballroom dance training to understand the temporal relationship of movement to music.
|
Externally Guided Training (EG)
n=19 Participants
Those in EG will learn to attend to sensory cues for movement direction, timing and amplitude of steps, communicated from their partner to them via the frame and center of mass. The 'follower' will wait to receive the movement cue before moving.
Adapted Tango Dancing: Composed of simple steps, tango involves frequent movement initiation and cessation, multi-directional perturbations and varied rhythms. Participants focus on trunk control and stepping strategies, coordination, somatosensory awareness, attention to partner, path of movement, and aesthetics. Sessions will begin with a typical dance class warm-up consisting of breathing, limbering and postural alignment to upbeat music. Novel step elements will be introduced every class period. Those with PD will partner with an individual without PD. After novel step introduction, the instructor will present rhythmic training, which is indispensable to partnered dancing. Participants will learn 'typical' rhythms from tango and Latin dances, based upon the system of quicks (Q) and slows (S), ubiquitously used in ballroom dance training to understand the temporal relationship of movement to music.
|
Behavioral Control (BC)
n=17 Participants
BC participants will attend group health education sessions adapted to the needs of individuals with PD, about pharmacological management, nutrition, sleep disorders, cognitive deficits, bereavement coping, mobility, balance and home safety. Participants in this training will be instructed not to change their habitual exercise routines. After completing health education, participants will be assigned to an IG or EG training class but will not undergo evaluations.
Behavioral Control (BC) Condition: Group health education sessions adapted to the needs of individuals with PD, about pharmacological management, nutrition, sleep disorders, cognitive deficits, bereavement coping, mobility, balance and home safety.
|
|---|---|---|---|
|
Percent Signal Change
|
0 percentage of baseline BOLD signal
Standard Deviation 0
|
23 percentage of baseline BOLD signal
Standard Deviation 68
|
35 percentage of baseline BOLD signal
Standard Deviation 44
|
PRIMARY outcome
Timeframe: 12 weeksPopulation: Sample size reflects study attrition and inability to tolerate fMRI scanning
Changes in average connectivity strength across striatal-thalamo-cortical (STC) and cerebello-thalamo-cortical (CTC) circuits, as measured by average cross correlation coefficient between the seed regions of the circuits.
Outcome measures
| Measure |
Internal Guidance Training (IG)
n=20 Participants
Adapted tango dancing is a sophisticated, yet accessible system of tactile communication that conveys motor intentions and goals between a leader and follower. Those in IG training will choose direction, timing and amplitude of each successive step, and will communicate this information to their partner through moving their frame and center of mass.
Adapted Tango Dancing: Composed of simple steps, tango involves frequent movement initiation and cessation, multi-directional perturbations and varied rhythms. Participants focus on trunk control and stepping strategies, coordination, somatosensory awareness, attention to partner, path of movement, and aesthetics. Sessions will begin with a typical dance class warm-up consisting of breathing, limbering and postural alignment to upbeat music. Novel step elements will be introduced every class period. Those with PD will partner with an individual without PD. After novel step introduction, the instructor will present rhythmic training, which is indispensable to partnered dancing. Participants will learn 'typical' rhythms from tango and Latin dances, based upon the system of quicks (Q) and slows (S), ubiquitously used in ballroom dance training to understand the temporal relationship of movement to music.
|
Externally Guided Training (EG)
n=21 Participants
Those in EG will learn to attend to sensory cues for movement direction, timing and amplitude of steps, communicated from their partner to them via the frame and center of mass. The 'follower' will wait to receive the movement cue before moving.
Adapted Tango Dancing: Composed of simple steps, tango involves frequent movement initiation and cessation, multi-directional perturbations and varied rhythms. Participants focus on trunk control and stepping strategies, coordination, somatosensory awareness, attention to partner, path of movement, and aesthetics. Sessions will begin with a typical dance class warm-up consisting of breathing, limbering and postural alignment to upbeat music. Novel step elements will be introduced every class period. Those with PD will partner with an individual without PD. After novel step introduction, the instructor will present rhythmic training, which is indispensable to partnered dancing. Participants will learn 'typical' rhythms from tango and Latin dances, based upon the system of quicks (Q) and slows (S), ubiquitously used in ballroom dance training to understand the temporal relationship of movement to music.
|
Behavioral Control (BC)
n=17 Participants
BC participants will attend group health education sessions adapted to the needs of individuals with PD, about pharmacological management, nutrition, sleep disorders, cognitive deficits, bereavement coping, mobility, balance and home safety. Participants in this training will be instructed not to change their habitual exercise routines. After completing health education, participants will be assigned to an IG or EG training class but will not undergo evaluations.
Behavioral Control (BC) Condition: Group health education sessions adapted to the needs of individuals with PD, about pharmacological management, nutrition, sleep disorders, cognitive deficits, bereavement coping, mobility, balance and home safety.
|
|---|---|---|---|
|
Connectivity Strength
|
-0.04 correlation coefficient
Standard Deviation 0.51
|
-0.03 correlation coefficient
Standard Deviation 0.43
|
0.14 correlation coefficient
Standard Deviation 0.34
|
Adverse Events
Internal Guidance Training (IG)
Serious events: 0 serious events
Other events: 0 other events
Deaths: 0 deaths
Externally Guided Training (EG)
Serious events: 0 serious events
Other events: 0 other events
Deaths: 0 deaths
Behavioral Control (BC)
Serious events: 0 serious events
Other events: 0 other events
Deaths: 0 deaths
Serious adverse events
Adverse event data not reported
Other adverse events
Adverse event data not reported
Additional Information
Madeleine E. Hackney, Ph.D.
Associate Professor of Medicine Emory University School of Medicine, Department of Medicine, Division of Geriatrics and Gerontology; Research Health Scientist Atlanta VA Health Care System, Center for Visual and Neurocognitive Rehabilitation
Phone: 404-315-4100
Results disclosure agreements
- Principal investigator is a sponsor employee
- Publication restrictions are in place