Subthalamic Deep Brain Stimulation to Help with Visuo-Vestibular Conflicts in Parkinson's
Official title: Subthalamic Deep Brain Stimulation for Resolving Visuo-Vestibular Conflict in Parkinson's Disease
Funded at Cleveland VA Medical Research/ed/fdn · NIH-11304149 · Data updated 2026-11-12
A study to improve how people with Parkinson's use visual and balance cues when moving, by optimizing deep brain stimulation in the subthalamic nucleus to help navigation and balance.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R01 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Cleveland VA Medical Research/ed/fdn NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Cleveland, United States) |
| Project start | August 7, 2026 |
| Project end | July 31, 2031 |
| Funding year | 2026 |
| Award (this year) | $330,000 |
| NIH project number | 1R01NS143992-01A1 |
| Project ID | NIH-11304149 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Individuals diagnosed with Parkinson's disease who are candidates for or already receiving STN DBS and who have visuo-spatial or balance difficulties.
✕Less likely to help
Patients without visuo-vestibular or gait impairments related to Parkinson's may see limited or no additional benefit from this approach.
What this research studies
People living with Parkinson's often have trouble with navigation and balance due to conflicts between what they see and what their inner sense of motion tells them. This project will explore how stimulating the subthalamic nucleus can enhance heading perception and visuo-vestibular processing while keeping motor benefits. Researchers will use a combination of psychophysics, virtual reality, motion analysis, imaging, and computational models to understand where stimulation works best. Clinical assessments will include gait and motor symptom evaluations to ensure overall function improves. The goal is to refine DBS settings to help daily movement and navigation for people with Parkinson's.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, patients could experience better balance, gait, and navigation in visually challenging environments while preserving motor symptom control.
How similar studies have gone: Previous work shows STN DBS improves motor symptoms, with variable effects on non-motor aspects like navigation, making this optimization study valuable and potentially beneficial.
Where this research is happening
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Cleveland VA Medical Research/ed/fdn
Cleveland, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Shaikh, Aasef G — Cleveland VA Medical Research/ed/fdn
- Study coordinator: Shaikh, Aasef G
Related research
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Understanding sleep problems in Parkinson’s disease using at-home brain recordings and adaptive stimulation
Scientists are testing how brain signals during sleep relate to sleep problems in Parkinson’s and whether a special DBS device at home can improve sleep by adapting stimulation.
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.