Facilitating Motor Skill Learning in Parkinson's Disease III

NCT ID: NCT04653285

Last Updated: 2024-12-10

Study Results

Results pending

The study team has not published outcome measurements, participant flow, or safety data for this trial yet. Check back later for updates.

Basic Information

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Recruitment Status

COMPLETED

Clinical Phase

NA

Total Enrollment

24 participants

Study Classification

INTERVENTIONAL

Study Start Date

2022-07-01

Study Completion Date

2024-04-15

Brief Summary

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The study is designed to assess the effects of cardiovascular (aerobic) exercise on motor skill learning in Parkinson patients. Specifically, the investigators examine whether moderate-intense aerobic exercise, performed immediately following motor skill practice over the course of a six week intervention period, facilitates motor memory consolidation. In this experimental trial, participants will be randomly allocated to either an intervention group (motor skill practice + aerobic exercise) or control group (motor skill practice + seated rest).

Detailed Description

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Parkinson's disease (PD) is a progressive neurodegenerative disorder that is characterized by motor control impairments, such as gait disturbances and postural instability. Beneficial effects of exercise are attributed to mechanisms of neuroplasticity, and task-specific motor training (repeated practice of a skill) is consequently considered to be a motor learning process. Importantly, the formation (acquisition) and consolidation of motor memories is impaired in PD compared to healthy individuals of similar age.

Thus, it is crucial to identify strategies to enhance motor learning in people with PD. Recent studies have accumulated evidence to show that acute (single bouts of) and chronic (multiple bouts of) cardiovascular exercise can facilitate motor skill learning. However, this evidence is mainly derived from studying healthy individuals. In a first study including PD patients, the investigators recently found improved motor memory consolidation, but not improved skill acquisition, when practice was preceded by a single bout of cardiovascular exercise.

These results suggested that acute exercise may enhance motor memory formation processes, but could potentially interfere with motor skill acquisition when performed prior to practice. Consequently, in a second study the investigators examined whether performing a single bout of cardiovascular exercise immediately following skill practice would enhance motor memory consolidation without affecting skill acquisition in PD. The results of this second study suggested that even a single moderate intense bout performed immediately following skill practice improves motor memory consolidation in PD patients.

Going onward from the previous two studies, the present study will investigate the effects of performing cardiovascular exercise immediately following skill practice over the course of a six week intervention period on motor memory consolidation. It will be examined how the regular direct coupling of motor learning skill practice and cardiovascular exercise influences the consolidation and automation of the practiced movements.

In an experimental trial, participants will be randomly allocated to one of two groups. Both groups will practice balancing on a stability platform (motor learning task). The experimental group will additionally perform a bout of aerobic exercise (cycle ergometer) immediately following motor practice, while the control group will rest. This intervention will be held over a period of six weeks. Subsequently, motor skill retention will be tested seven days after the last training session.

Conditions

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Parkinson Disease

Keywords

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Parkinson's Disease motor learning neuroplasticity aerobic exercise cardiovascular exercise balance postural instability motor memory consolidation

Study Design

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Allocation Method

RANDOMIZED

Intervention Model

PARALLEL

Primary Study Purpose

TREATMENT

Blinding Strategy

NONE

Study Groups

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motor skill practice + aerobic exercise

bout of aerobic exercise following motor skill practice

Group Type EXPERIMENTAL

motor skill practice

Intervention Type BEHAVIORAL

Motor learning task on a stability platform (stabilometer). Participants try to keep the tiltable platform in a horizontal position in trials of 30s.

aerobic exercise

Intervention Type BEHAVIORAL

A bout of moderate intensity aerobic exercise on a cycle ergometer following motor skill practice.

motor skill practice + rest

seated rest following motor skill practice

Group Type ACTIVE_COMPARATOR

motor skill practice

Intervention Type BEHAVIORAL

Motor learning task on a stability platform (stabilometer). Participants try to keep the tiltable platform in a horizontal position in trials of 30s.

rest

Intervention Type BEHAVIORAL

Seated rest following motor skill practice.

Interventions

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motor skill practice

Motor learning task on a stability platform (stabilometer). Participants try to keep the tiltable platform in a horizontal position in trials of 30s.

Intervention Type BEHAVIORAL

aerobic exercise

A bout of moderate intensity aerobic exercise on a cycle ergometer following motor skill practice.

Intervention Type BEHAVIORAL

rest

Seated rest following motor skill practice.

Intervention Type BEHAVIORAL

Eligibility Criteria

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Inclusion Criteria

* Parkinson's disease stage 1-3,5 on Hoehn \& Yahr scale
* Ability to stand unaided and walk without an assistive device
* Stable medication during the study period
* Unfamiliar to the motor task (stabilometer)

Exclusion Criteria

* On-off and wearing-off phenomena
* Unstable medical or psychiatric illness
* Clinically relevant cardiovascular or orthopaedic disease
* Severe polyneuropathy
* Cognitive impairment
* Smoking \> 10 cigarettes/day
* Caffeine \> 6 cups of coffee/day
* Alcohol \> 50 g (two glasses)/day
Minimum Eligible Age

18 Years

Maximum Eligible Age

85 Years

Eligible Sex

ALL

Accepts Healthy Volunteers

No

Sponsors

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German Foundation for Neurology

OTHER

Sponsor Role collaborator

Klinik für Neurologie, Klinikum Würzburg Mitte, Standort Juliusspital

UNKNOWN

Sponsor Role collaborator

University of Erlangen-Nürnberg

OTHER

Sponsor Role lead

Responsible Party

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Simon Steib, PhD

Principal Investigator

Responsibility Role PRINCIPAL_INVESTIGATOR

Principal Investigators

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Simon Steib, Dr.

Role: PRINCIPAL_INVESTIGATOR

Institute of Sport and Sport Science, Heidelberg University

Locations

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Heidelberg University, Institute of Sport and Sport Science, Im Neuenheimer Feld 720

Heidelberg, Bade-Wuerttemberg, Germany

Site Status

Countries

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Germany

Provided Documents

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Document Type: Study Protocol and Statistical Analysis Plan

View Document

Other Identifiers

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DSN-2020

Identifier Type: -

Identifier Source: org_study_id