Brain imaging to predict who will benefit from deep brain stimulation for freezing of gait
Official title: Imaging Biomarkers of Freezing of Gait Response to Deep Brain Stimulation
Funded at Medical University of South Carolina · NIH-11175257 · Data updated 2026-11-12
Researchers will use advanced brain scans to find patterns that show which people with Parkinson's disease and freezing of gait are likely to improve after subthalamic deep brain stimulation.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R01 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Medical University of South Carolina NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Charleston, United States) |
| Project start | September 1, 2024 |
| Project end | August 31, 2029 |
| Funding year | 2025 |
| Award (this year) | $589,264 |
| NIH project number | 5R01NS131396-02 |
| Project ID | NIH-11175257 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Ideal candidates are people with Parkinson's disease who experience disabling freezing of gait and are planning to undergo or are eligible for STN deep brain stimulation surgery.
✕Less likely to help
People without Parkinson's, those who do not have freezing of gait, or patients not undergoing DBS are unlikely to directly benefit from participating.
What this research studies
If you have Parkinson's disease with troublesome freezing of gait and are planning for subthalamic nucleus deep brain stimulation (STN-DBS), the team will take detailed MRI scans and perform movement and behavior tests before and after surgery. They will use diffusion MRI to map structural connections from the stimulation site and BOLD functional MRI to see brain activity changes when the stimulator is on. The study will compare people whose freezing improves with those who do not to identify brain connectivity and microstructure differences linked to benefit. Findings aim to guide where and how to place or program DBS to reduce freezing for more patients.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, the work could help doctors predict who will benefit from STN-DBS and personalize stimulation to reduce freezing of gait.
How similar studies have gone: Prior research shows STN-DBS helps roughly half of patients with freezing of gait and imaging studies have suggested connectivity differences, but combining diffusion and BOLD imaging to predict individual response is relatively new.
Where this research is happening
-
Medical University of South Carolina
Charleston, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Revuelta, Gonzalo Javier — Medical University of South Carolina
- Study coordinator: Revuelta, Gonzalo Javier
Related research
Other NIH-funded projects on the same topics.
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Imaging clues to how deep brain stimulation helps freezing of gait in Parkinson’s
This study uses brain imaging to understand why deep brain stimulation helps or doesn’t help freezing of gait in people with Parkinson’s disease.
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Understanding how brain stimulation affects walking in Parkinson's patients
This study is looking at how deep brain stimulation can help people with advanced Parkinson's disease who experience freezing of gait, and it aims to understand how the brain's connections affect the treatment's success.
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Using advanced brain stimulation to improve walking in patients with freezing of gait
This study is testing a new way to help people with Parkinson's and similar conditions who experience freezing of gait, using a smart device that adjusts itself to help them move better and avoid falls.
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Personalized closed-loop treatment for freezing of gait in Parkinson’s disease
A new implantable brain device trial aims to reduce freezing of gait in people with Parkinson’s by using on-device brain signals to guide stimulation in real time.
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Understanding movement transitions in Parkinson's disease and how cues help freezing of gait
A study with people who have Parkinson's disease will explore why freezing of gait happens during movement changes and how external cues might help keep steps going.
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Feasibility of an AI-Driven Gait Freeze Detector to Trigger Pauses and Cues in Parkinson’s
A small study tests an AI system that detects when a person with Parkinson’s is about to freeze and gives a cue only at that moment to help them keep walking.
About this research
- This is an active NIH-funded research project — typically early-stage science, not a clinical trial accepting patient enrollment.
- Some NIH-funded labs run parallel clinical studies or seek volunteers for related work. To check, contact the principal investigator or institution listed above.
- For full project details, budget, and progress reports, visit the official NIH RePORTER page.