Provocation of Freezing of Gait in Parkinson's Disease

NCT ID: NCT04799613

Last Updated: 2024-07-18

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

Get a concise snapshot of the trial, including recruitment status, study phase, enrollment targets, and key timeline milestones.

Recruitment Status

COMPLETED

Clinical Phase

NA

Total Enrollment

20 participants

Study Classification

INTERVENTIONAL

Study Start Date

2021-03-15

Study Completion Date

2022-06-15

Brief Summary

Review the sponsor-provided synopsis that highlights what the study is about and why it is being conducted.

Sample Size N= 10 Parkinson's disease patients with self-reported freezing of gait and 10 without self-reported freezing of gait (in total, 20 Parkinson's disease patients)

Accrual Period Single visit for 2 hours

Study Design This is a cross-sectional study with an intervention to provoke freezing of gait using split-belt treadmill in Parkinson's disease patients with a randomized cross-over design.

After baseline evaluation (a), interventions to induce freezing of gait will be performed in a randomized order to avoid a practice/fatigue effect in the following conditions using combination of 4 interventions: walking speed (fast walking vs. natural walking), visual loading (passing through narrow pathway), cognitive loading (dual task), and asymmetry (best side reduction).

1. Natural and fast walking with self-paced mode to access gait parameters and decide the speed for evaluation (3 mins X2) remaining assessment will be randomized and performed on the treadmill:
2. Natural and fast walking passing through narrow pathway (2 mins X2)
3. Natural and fast walking with dual task (2 mins X2)
4. Natural and fast walking passing through narrow pathway and during cognitive dual task (2 mins X2)
5. Natural and fast walking reducing the best side (2 mins X2)
6. Natural and fast walking reducing the best side passing through narrow pathway (2 mins X2)
7. Natural and fast walking reducing the best side with cognitive dual task (2 mins X2)
8. Natural and fast walking reducing the best side passing through narrow pathway and during cognitive dual task (2 mins X2)

* Conditions b-h will be carried out on a split-belt treadmill (Grail systems®, by Motek, Netherlands).
* (b-i) freezing of gait episodes will be identified with synchronized videorecordings (screening done by two independent observers). Episodes identified by both observers will be confirmed and measured by comparing the relative height of metatarsal and heel markers of each foot, in keeping with a previous study evaluating freezing of gait episode on a treadmill.

Study Duration

1. (Baselines evaluation) Enrolment and assessment (Montreal cognitive assessment, Movement Disorders Society-unified Parkinson's disease rating scale part 2, 3 and 4, Activities-Specific Balance Confidence Scale, Parkinson's disease questionnaire-39, and New freezing of gait questionnaire)
2. (a) Formal gait analysis using split-belt treadmill (Grail systems®, by Motek, Netherlands) will be done for baseline assessment (normal walking) and to test patient's ability for fast walking (25% of the normal speed).
3. (b-h) Provocation of freezing of gait at split-belt treadmill (Grail systems®, by Motek, Netherlands) with natural and fast walking with/without additional loading or interventions on the asymmetry

Total time= 2 hours

Study Intervention Freezing of gait will be provoked based on the situations combined among 4 conditions; (1) interventions on asymmetry, (2) cognitive dual task, (3) visual loading - passing through narrow pathway, and (4) walking speed at a split-belt treadmill.

* Fast walking will be defined as walking 25% faster than the normal comfortable walking. Subjects who cannot reach this speed, will be asked to walk at their safest maximum speed.
* Passing narrow pathway will be done by walking in a "rope bridge" scene in virtual reality (VR).
* Dual cognitive task will be carried out with serial subtraction prompted on the screen in VR.
* Best side reduction will be defined as 25% slower speed on the best side based on the speed during the initial natural walking with tied configuration setting based on a previous study.3
* Condition b-h will be randomized.

Detailed Description

Dive into the extended narrative that explains the scientific background, objectives, and procedures in greater depth.

Conditions

See the medical conditions and disease areas that this research is targeting or investigating.

Parkinson Disease Freezing of Gait

Study Design

Understand how the trial is structured, including allocation methods, masking strategies, primary purpose, and other design elements.

Allocation Method

RANDOMIZED

Intervention Model

CROSSOVER

Primary Study Purpose

DIAGNOSTIC

Blinding Strategy

SINGLE

Outcome Assessors

Study Groups

Review each arm or cohort in the study, along with the interventions and objectives associated with them.

Natural walking

Group Type NO_INTERVENTION

No interventions assigned to this group

fast walking

Group Type EXPERIMENTAL

walking speed

Intervention Type OTHER

walking speed (normal speed vs. fast speed). fast speed was 25% faster than normal speed

normal walking passing through narrow pathway

Group Type EXPERIMENTAL

visual loading

Intervention Type OTHER

visual loading (walking through narrow pathway using VR)

fast walking passing through narrow pathway

Group Type EXPERIMENTAL

walking speed

Intervention Type OTHER

walking speed (normal speed vs. fast speed). fast speed was 25% faster than normal speed

visual loading

Intervention Type OTHER

visual loading (walking through narrow pathway using VR)

Natural walking with dual task

Group Type EXPERIMENTAL

dual task

Intervention Type OTHER

dual task (serial subtraction using VR)

fast walking with dual task

Group Type EXPERIMENTAL

walking speed

Intervention Type OTHER

walking speed (normal speed vs. fast speed). fast speed was 25% faster than normal speed

dual task

Intervention Type OTHER

dual task (serial subtraction using VR)

Natural walking passing through narrow pathway and during cognitive dual task

Group Type EXPERIMENTAL

visual loading

Intervention Type OTHER

visual loading (walking through narrow pathway using VR)

dual task

Intervention Type OTHER

dual task (serial subtraction using VR)

fast walking passing through narrow pathway and during cognitive dual task

Group Type EXPERIMENTAL

walking speed

Intervention Type OTHER

walking speed (normal speed vs. fast speed). fast speed was 25% faster than normal speed

visual loading

Intervention Type OTHER

visual loading (walking through narrow pathway using VR)

dual task

Intervention Type OTHER

dual task (serial subtraction using VR)

Natural walking reducing the best side

Group Type EXPERIMENTAL

best side reduction

Intervention Type OTHER

best side reduction (split belt mode, the speed of best side was reduced by 25% compared to the other side)

fast walking reducing the best side

Group Type EXPERIMENTAL

walking speed

Intervention Type OTHER

walking speed (normal speed vs. fast speed). fast speed was 25% faster than normal speed

best side reduction

Intervention Type OTHER

best side reduction (split belt mode, the speed of best side was reduced by 25% compared to the other side)

Natural walking reducing the best side passing through narrow pathway

Group Type EXPERIMENTAL

visual loading

Intervention Type OTHER

visual loading (walking through narrow pathway using VR)

best side reduction

Intervention Type OTHER

best side reduction (split belt mode, the speed of best side was reduced by 25% compared to the other side)

fast walking reducing the best side passing through narrow pathway

Group Type EXPERIMENTAL

walking speed

Intervention Type OTHER

walking speed (normal speed vs. fast speed). fast speed was 25% faster than normal speed

visual loading

Intervention Type OTHER

visual loading (walking through narrow pathway using VR)

best side reduction

Intervention Type OTHER

best side reduction (split belt mode, the speed of best side was reduced by 25% compared to the other side)

Natural walking reducing the best side with cognitive dual task

Group Type EXPERIMENTAL

dual task

Intervention Type OTHER

dual task (serial subtraction using VR)

best side reduction

Intervention Type OTHER

best side reduction (split belt mode, the speed of best side was reduced by 25% compared to the other side)

fast walking reducing the best side with cognitive dual task

Group Type EXPERIMENTAL

walking speed

Intervention Type OTHER

walking speed (normal speed vs. fast speed). fast speed was 25% faster than normal speed

dual task

Intervention Type OTHER

dual task (serial subtraction using VR)

best side reduction

Intervention Type OTHER

best side reduction (split belt mode, the speed of best side was reduced by 25% compared to the other side)

Natural walking reducing the best side passing through narrow pathway and during cognitive dual task

Group Type EXPERIMENTAL

visual loading

Intervention Type OTHER

visual loading (walking through narrow pathway using VR)

dual task

Intervention Type OTHER

dual task (serial subtraction using VR)

best side reduction

Intervention Type OTHER

best side reduction (split belt mode, the speed of best side was reduced by 25% compared to the other side)

fast walking reducing the best side passing through narrow pathway and during cognitive dual task

Group Type EXPERIMENTAL

walking speed

Intervention Type OTHER

walking speed (normal speed vs. fast speed). fast speed was 25% faster than normal speed

visual loading

Intervention Type OTHER

visual loading (walking through narrow pathway using VR)

dual task

Intervention Type OTHER

dual task (serial subtraction using VR)

best side reduction

Intervention Type OTHER

best side reduction (split belt mode, the speed of best side was reduced by 25% compared to the other side)

Interventions

Learn about the drugs, procedures, or behavioral strategies being tested and how they are applied within this trial.

walking speed

walking speed (normal speed vs. fast speed). fast speed was 25% faster than normal speed

Intervention Type OTHER

visual loading

visual loading (walking through narrow pathway using VR)

Intervention Type OTHER

dual task

dual task (serial subtraction using VR)

Intervention Type OTHER

best side reduction

best side reduction (split belt mode, the speed of best side was reduced by 25% compared to the other side)

Intervention Type OTHER

Eligibility Criteria

Check the participation requirements, including inclusion and exclusion rules, age limits, and whether healthy volunteers are accepted.

Inclusion Criteria

* Idiopathic Parkinson's disease
* Hoehn \& Yahr Stage 1-3
* Ten with self-reported freezing of gait (score of 1 in part 1 of new freezing of gait questionnaire), and 10 without FOG..
* Sequence effect on feet (as score of at least 2 in the leg agility (item#3.8) of Movement Disorders Society-Unified Parkinson's disease rating scale part 3)
* Stable clinical response to medications or stimulation parameters for at least 1 months
* Able to walk on a motor-driven treadmill
* Ability to provide informed consent

Exclusion Criteria

* Severe imbalance that limits ambulation (Hoehn \&Yahr score above 4)
* Orthostatic hypotension
* Orthopedic conditions and other systemic disease affecting locomotion
* Shortness of breath and cardiac disease
* Psychiatric disorders needing medication
* Dementia
* Presence of other neurological disorder
Minimum Eligible Age

20 Years

Maximum Eligible Age

85 Years

Eligible Sex

ALL

Accepts Healthy Volunteers

No

Sponsors

Meet the organizations funding or collaborating on the study and learn about their roles.

University of Toronto

OTHER

Sponsor Role lead

Responsible Party

Identify the individual or organization who holds primary responsibility for the study information submitted to regulators.

Alfonso Fasano

Professor

Responsibility Role PRINCIPAL_INVESTIGATOR

Locations

Explore where the study is taking place and check the recruitment status at each participating site.

Toronto Western Hospital

Toronto, Ontario, Canada

Site Status

Countries

Review the countries where the study has at least one active or historical site.

Canada

References

Explore related publications, articles, or registry entries linked to this study.

Nieuwboer A, Rochester L, Herman T, Vandenberghe W, Emil GE, Thomaes T, Giladi N. Reliability of the new freezing of gait questionnaire: agreement between patients with Parkinson's disease and their carers. Gait Posture. 2009 Nov;30(4):459-63. doi: 10.1016/j.gaitpost.2009.07.108. Epub 2009 Aug 5.

Reference Type BACKGROUND
PMID: 19660949 (View on PubMed)

Fasano A, Herzog J, Seifert E, Stolze H, Falk D, Reese R, Volkmann J, Deuschl G. Modulation of gait coordination by subthalamic stimulation improves freezing of gait. Mov Disord. 2011 Apr;26(5):844-51. doi: 10.1002/mds.23583. Epub 2011 Mar 2.

Reference Type BACKGROUND
PMID: 21370271 (View on PubMed)

Fasano A, Schlenstedt C, Herzog J, Plotnik M, Rose FEM, Volkmann J, Deuschl G. Split-belt locomotion in Parkinson's disease links asymmetry, dyscoordination and sequence effect. Gait Posture. 2016 Jul;48:6-12. doi: 10.1016/j.gaitpost.2016.04.020. Epub 2016 Apr 27.

Reference Type BACKGROUND
PMID: 27477701 (View on PubMed)

Giladi N, Kao R, Fahn S. Freezing phenomenon in patients with parkinsonian syndromes. Mov Disord. 1997 May;12(3):302-5. doi: 10.1002/mds.870120307.

Reference Type BACKGROUND
PMID: 9159723 (View on PubMed)

Giladi N, Treves TA, Simon ES, Shabtai H, Orlov Y, Kandinov B, Paleacu D, Korczyn AD. Freezing of gait in patients with advanced Parkinson's disease. J Neural Transm (Vienna). 2001;108(1):53-61. doi: 10.1007/s007020170096.

Reference Type BACKGROUND
PMID: 11261746 (View on PubMed)

Chee R, Murphy A, Danoudis M, Georgiou-Karistianis N, Iansek R. Gait freezing in Parkinson's disease and the stride length sequence effect interaction. Brain. 2009 Aug;132(Pt 8):2151-60. doi: 10.1093/brain/awp053. Epub 2009 May 11.

Reference Type BACKGROUND
PMID: 19433440 (View on PubMed)

Plotnik M, Giladi N, Balash Y, Peretz C, Hausdorff JM. Is freezing of gait in Parkinson's disease related to asymmetric motor function? Ann Neurol. 2005 May;57(5):656-63. doi: 10.1002/ana.20452.

Reference Type BACKGROUND
PMID: 15852404 (View on PubMed)

Youn J, Okuma Y, Hwang M, Kim D, Cho JW. Falling Direction can Predict the Mechanism of Recurrent Falls in Advanced Parkinson's Disease. Sci Rep. 2017 Jun 20;7(1):3921. doi: 10.1038/s41598-017-04302-7.

Reference Type BACKGROUND
PMID: 28634343 (View on PubMed)

Giladi N. Medical treatment of freezing of gait. Mov Disord. 2008;23 Suppl 2:S482-8. doi: 10.1002/mds.21914.

Reference Type BACKGROUND
PMID: 18668620 (View on PubMed)

Sawada M, Wada-Isoe K, Hanajima R, Nakashima K. Clinical features of freezing of gait in Parkinson's disease patients. Brain Behav. 2019 Apr;9(4):e01244. doi: 10.1002/brb3.1244. Epub 2019 Mar 9.

Reference Type BACKGROUND
PMID: 30851088 (View on PubMed)

Snijders AH, Weerdesteyn V, Hagen YJ, Duysens J, Giladi N, Bloem BR. Obstacle avoidance to elicit freezing of gait during treadmill walking. Mov Disord. 2010 Jan 15;25(1):57-63. doi: 10.1002/mds.22894.

Reference Type BACKGROUND
PMID: 19938174 (View on PubMed)

Spildooren J, Vercruysse S, Desloovere K, Vandenberghe W, Kerckhofs E, Nieuwboer A. Freezing of gait in Parkinson's disease: the impact of dual-tasking and turning. Mov Disord. 2010 Nov 15;25(15):2563-70. doi: 10.1002/mds.23327.

Reference Type BACKGROUND
PMID: 20632376 (View on PubMed)

Ginis P, Nackaerts E, Nieuwboer A, Heremans E. Cueing for people with Parkinson's disease with freezing of gait: A narrative review of the state-of-the-art and novel perspectives. Ann Phys Rehabil Med. 2018 Nov;61(6):407-413. doi: 10.1016/j.rehab.2017.08.002. Epub 2017 Sep 7.

Reference Type BACKGROUND
PMID: 28890341 (View on PubMed)

Lu C, Amundsen Huffmaster SL, Tuite PJ, Vachon JM, MacKinnon CD. Effect of Cue Timing and Modality on Gait Initiation in Parkinson Disease With Freezing of Gait. Arch Phys Med Rehabil. 2017 Jul;98(7):1291-1299.e1. doi: 10.1016/j.apmr.2017.01.009. Epub 2017 Feb 4.

Reference Type BACKGROUND
PMID: 28167093 (View on PubMed)

Nutt JG, Bloem BR, Giladi N, Hallett M, Horak FB, Nieuwboer A. Freezing of gait: moving forward on a mysterious clinical phenomenon. Lancet Neurol. 2011 Aug;10(8):734-44. doi: 10.1016/S1474-4422(11)70143-0.

Reference Type BACKGROUND
PMID: 21777828 (View on PubMed)

Nonnekes J, Bloem BR. Biphasic Levodopa-Induced Freezing of Gait in Parkinson's Disease. J Parkinsons Dis. 2020;10(3):1245-1248. doi: 10.3233/JPD-201997.

Reference Type BACKGROUND
PMID: 32417798 (View on PubMed)

Barbe MT, Amarell M, Snijders AH, Florin E, Quatuor EL, Schonau E, Fink GR, Bloem BR, Timmermann L. Gait and upper limb variability in Parkinson's disease patients with and without freezing of gait. J Neurol. 2014 Feb;261(2):330-42. doi: 10.1007/s00415-013-7199-1. Epub 2013 Dec 4.

Reference Type BACKGROUND
PMID: 24305993 (View on PubMed)

Hausdorff JM, Schaafsma JD, Balash Y, Bartels AL, Gurevich T, Giladi N. Impaired regulation of stride variability in Parkinson's disease subjects with freezing of gait. Exp Brain Res. 2003 Mar;149(2):187-94. doi: 10.1007/s00221-002-1354-8. Epub 2003 Jan 22.

Reference Type BACKGROUND
PMID: 12610686 (View on PubMed)

Nanhoe-Mahabier W, Snijders AH, Delval A, Weerdesteyn V, Duysens J, Overeem S, Bloem BR. Split-belt locomotion in Parkinson's disease with and without freezing of gait. Neuroscience. 2013 Apr 16;236:110-6. doi: 10.1016/j.neuroscience.2013.01.038. Epub 2013 Jan 29.

Reference Type BACKGROUND
PMID: 23370318 (View on PubMed)

Ricciardi L, Ricciardi D, Lena F, Plotnik M, Petracca M, Barricella S, Bentivoglio AR, Modugno N, Bernabei R, Fasano A. Working on asymmetry in Parkinson's disease: randomized, controlled pilot study. Neurol Sci. 2015 Aug;36(8):1337-43. doi: 10.1007/s10072-015-2082-8. Epub 2015 Feb 13.

Reference Type BACKGROUND
PMID: 25677846 (View on PubMed)

Seuthe J, D'Cruz N, Ginis P, Becktepe JS, Weisser B, Nieuwboer A, Schlenstedt C. The Effect of One Session Split-Belt Treadmill Training on Gait Adaptation in People With Parkinson's Disease and Freezing of Gait. Neurorehabil Neural Repair. 2020 Oct;34(10):954-963. doi: 10.1177/1545968320953144. Epub 2020 Sep 17.

Reference Type BACKGROUND
PMID: 32940131 (View on PubMed)

D'Cruz N, Seuthe J, Ginis P, Hulzinga F, Schlenstedt C, Nieuwboer A. Short-Term Effects of Single-Session Split-Belt Treadmill Training on Dual-Task Performance in Parkinson's Disease and Healthy Elderly. Front Neurol. 2020 Sep 30;11:560084. doi: 10.3389/fneur.2020.560084. eCollection 2020.

Reference Type BACKGROUND
PMID: 33101174 (View on PubMed)

Berardelli A, Rothwell JC, Thompson PD, Hallett M. Pathophysiology of bradykinesia in Parkinson's disease. Brain. 2001 Nov;124(Pt 11):2131-46. doi: 10.1093/brain/124.11.2131.

Reference Type BACKGROUND
PMID: 11673316 (View on PubMed)

Bologna M, Guerra A, Paparella G, Giordo L, Alunni Fegatelli D, Vestri AR, Rothwell JC, Berardelli A. Neurophysiological correlates of bradykinesia in Parkinson's disease. Brain. 2018 Aug 1;141(8):2432-2444. doi: 10.1093/brain/awy155.

Reference Type BACKGROUND
PMID: 29901693 (View on PubMed)

Iansek R, Huxham F, McGinley J. The sequence effect and gait festination in Parkinson disease: contributors to freezing of gait? Mov Disord. 2006 Sep;21(9):1419-24. doi: 10.1002/mds.20998.

Reference Type BACKGROUND
PMID: 16773644 (View on PubMed)

Peterson DS, Fling BW, Mancini M, Cohen RG, Nutt JG, Horak FB. Dual-task interference and brain structural connectivity in people with Parkinson's disease who freeze. J Neurol Neurosurg Psychiatry. 2015 Jul;86(7):786-92. doi: 10.1136/jnnp-2014-308840. Epub 2014 Sep 15.

Reference Type BACKGROUND
PMID: 25224677 (View on PubMed)

Plotnik M, Giladi N, Hausdorff JM. Is freezing of gait in Parkinson's disease a result of multiple gait impairments? Implications for treatment. Parkinsons Dis. 2012;2012:459321. doi: 10.1155/2012/459321. Epub 2012 Jan 12.

Reference Type BACKGROUND
PMID: 22288021 (View on PubMed)

Nonnekes J, Janssen AM, Mensink SH, Oude Nijhuis LB, Bloem BR, Snijders AH. Short rapid steps to provoke freezing of gait in Parkinson's disease. J Neurol. 2014 Sep;261(9):1763-7. doi: 10.1007/s00415-014-7422-8. Epub 2014 Jun 24.

Reference Type BACKGROUND
PMID: 24957299 (View on PubMed)

Morris M, Iansek R, Matyas T, Summers J. Abnormalities in the stride length-cadence relation in parkinsonian gait. Mov Disord. 1998 Jan;13(1):61-9. doi: 10.1002/mds.870130115.

Reference Type BACKGROUND
PMID: 9452328 (View on PubMed)

Goetz CG, Tilley BC, Shaftman SR, Stebbins GT, Fahn S, Martinez-Martin P, Poewe W, Sampaio C, Stern MB, Dodel R, Dubois B, Holloway R, Jankovic J, Kulisevsky J, Lang AE, Lees A, Leurgans S, LeWitt PA, Nyenhuis D, Olanow CW, Rascol O, Schrag A, Teresi JA, van Hilten JJ, LaPelle N; Movement Disorder Society UPDRS Revision Task Force. Movement Disorder Society-sponsored revision of the Unified Parkinson's Disease Rating Scale (MDS-UPDRS): scale presentation and clinimetric testing results. Mov Disord. 2008 Nov 15;23(15):2129-70. doi: 10.1002/mds.22340.

Reference Type BACKGROUND
PMID: 19025984 (View on PubMed)

Nasreddine ZS, Phillips NA, Bedirian V, Charbonneau S, Whitehead V, Collin I, Cummings JL, Chertkow H. The Montreal Cognitive Assessment, MoCA: a brief screening tool for mild cognitive impairment. J Am Geriatr Soc. 2005 Apr;53(4):695-9. doi: 10.1111/j.1532-5415.2005.53221.x.

Reference Type BACKGROUND
PMID: 15817019 (View on PubMed)

Peto V, Jenkinson C, Fitzpatrick R, Greenhall R. The development and validation of a short measure of functioning and well being for individuals with Parkinson's disease. Qual Life Res. 1995 Jun;4(3):241-8. doi: 10.1007/BF02260863.

Reference Type BACKGROUND
PMID: 7613534 (View on PubMed)

Other Identifiers

Review additional registry numbers or institutional identifiers associated with this trial.

19-6049-B

Identifier Type: -

Identifier Source: org_study_id

More Related Trials

Additional clinical trials that may be relevant based on similarity analysis.

Freezing in Parkinson's Disease
NCT07212205 COMPLETED NA
Freezing of Gait and Cognition
NCT03477578 COMPLETED
Enhanced Gait and Balance Training
NCT01896466 COMPLETED NA