Improving fall prevention for people with Parkinson's
Official title: Identifying Targets for Fall-prevention Rehabilitation in People with Parkinson’s Disease
Funded at Arizona State University-Tempe Campus · NIH-11178377 · Data updated 2026-11-12
This project aims to find which balance and stepping skills physical therapy should focus on to help people with Parkinson's fall less.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R01 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Arizona State University-Tempe Campus NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Scottsdale, United States) |
| Project start | September 1, 2024 |
| Project end | June 30, 2029 |
| Funding year | 2025 |
| Award (this year) | $616,671 |
| NIH project number | 5R01AG086533-02 |
| Project ID | NIH-11178377 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Adults diagnosed with Parkinson's disease who experience balance problems or falls and who can attend in-person clinic testing and perform walking/stepping tasks.
✕Less likely to help
People who cannot stand or walk safely, have severe cognitive impairment that prevents following instructions, or cannot travel to the study site would likely not benefit or be able to participate.
What this research studies
As a participant, you'll have tests that measure how you stand (sway) and how you take quick recovery steps when balance is lost (reactive stepping). The team will record details such as step size, speed, and timing, and how your sway relates to your base of support. They will also measure brain changes linked to these balance problems using brain imaging or activity tests. Researchers will connect these measurements to past and future falls to identify the best targets for therapy or targeted brain stimulation.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this work could make physical therapy and neurostimulation approaches better at preventing falls in people with Parkinson's.
How similar studies have gone: Some prior studies show balance training improves stability, but directly tying specific stepping and sway measures to fewer falls in Parkinson's is relatively new and less tested.
Where this research is happening
-
Arizona State University-Tempe Campus
Scottsdale, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Peterson, Daniel Soren — Arizona State University-Tempe Campus
- Study coordinator: Peterson, Daniel Soren
Related research
Other NIH-funded projects on the same topics.
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Targets for fall-prevention rehab in people living with Parkinson’s
A study to help people with Parkinson’s reduce falls by improving physical therapy that focuses on balance and stepping in daily life.
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Finding ways to prevent falls in people with Parkinson’s disease
This study is looking to improve physical therapy for people with Parkinson's disease by figuring out the best ways to help them balance better and prevent falls, so they can feel safer and more confident in their daily activities.
-
Gut-brain clues in Parkinson’s disease: supplement to a large registry
A plant-wide supplement to an NIH program will enroll people with Parkinson’s, with and without GI symptoms, plus healthy controls, to study how gut function, brain signals, and sleep rhythms relate to Parkinson’s symptoms.
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Gut-brain connections in Parkinson’s disease: how the gut and environment shape symptoms
A Mayo Clinic team is studying how gut problems, environmental factors, and genetics together influence Parkinson’s disease and its GI symptoms to find biomarkers and better understanding of the disease.
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Gut-brain communication in Parkinson’s disease for better symptoms and daily life
This project enrolls people with Parkinson’s disease and healthy controls to build a big registry and study how gut function, brain signals, sleep, and circadian rhythms relate to PD symptoms.
-
Gut microbiome and Parkinson's disease: how gut bugs relate to symptoms and progression
A multi-year study will look at gut bacteria and related markers in people with Parkinson’s disease to understand how the gut-brain connection may influence symptoms and progression.
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.