Remote exercises for chronic pain in Parkinson's disease
Telemedicine intervention in patients with chronic pain in PD
This project offers remote physical and cognitive exercise programs to help reduce chronic pain in people with Parkinson's disease.
Quick facts
| Grant type | NIH-funded research |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | VA Boston Health Care System NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Boston, United States) |
| Project ID | NIH-11360814 on NIH RePORTER |
What this research studies
If you join, you'll be one of 166 veterans aged 40 or older with mild-to-moderate Parkinson's disease and chronic pain enrolled in a pilot randomized, controlled trial. Participants are randomly assigned in a 2x2 factorial design to one of four groups: combined cognitive and physical tele-exercises, physical only, cognitive only, or a health education control. Interventions are delivered via telemedicine and outcomes for pain severity and pain interference are measured at 3 months using the Brief Pain Inventory. The aim is to see whether remote physical and thinking exercises can reduce pain and its interference in daily life and offer accessible non-drug options.
Who could benefit from this research
Good fit: Community-dwelling veterans aged 40 or older with mild-to-moderate Parkinson's disease who report chronic pain and can use telemedicine are the ideal candidates.
Not a fit: People with severe Parkinson's disease, uncontrolled acute medical issues, major cognitive impairment, or those unable to use telemedicine may not benefit or be eligible.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this could lower pain and improve daily functioning using nonpharmacological therapies that are accessible by telemedicine.
How similar studies have performed: Previous research shows physical exercise can help pain in Parkinson's disease, but combining telemedicine-delivered cognitive training with exercise is relatively novel.
Where this research is happening
Boston, United States
- VA Boston Health Care System — Boston, United States (Active)
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Sparrow, David W. — VA Boston Health Care System
- Study coordinator: Sparrow, David W.
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 below.