Understanding brain activity during walking in people with Parkinson's disease
Official title: Cortical basal ganglia network dynamics during human gait control
Funded at University of California, San Francisco · NIH-11004607 · Data updated 2026-11-12
This study is looking at how certain brain networks help control walking in people with Parkinson's disease, using special devices to track brain activity and movement in everyday life and controlled settings, with the hope of finding better ways to improve walking for those affected.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R01 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | University of California, San Francisco NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (San Francisco, United States) |
| Project start | January 15, 2023 |
| Project end | December 31, 2027 |
| Funding year | 2025 |
| Award (this year) | $309,662 |
| NIH project number | 5R01NS130183-03 |
| Project ID | NIH-11004607 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Ideal candidates for this research are individuals diagnosed with Parkinson's disease who experience gait abnormalities.
✕Less likely to help
Patients without Parkinson's disease or those who do not experience gait issues may not benefit from this research.
What this research studies
This research investigates how specific brain networks, particularly the cortical-basal ganglia circuits, control walking in individuals with Parkinson's disease. By using advanced devices to monitor brain activity and movement, the study aims to identify the neural patterns associated with normal and abnormal gait. Patients will be monitored in both natural settings and controlled environments to gather comprehensive data on their walking behaviors. The goal is to enhance our understanding of gait disorders and develop new treatment strategies.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this research could lead to improved treatments for gait disorders in patients with Parkinson's disease.
How similar studies have gone: Previous research has shown promise in understanding brain activity related to movement, suggesting that this approach could yield valuable insights.
Where this research is happening
-
University of California, San Francisco
San Francisco, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Wang, Doris Du — University of California, San Francisco
- Study coordinator: Wang, Doris Du
Related research
Other NIH-funded projects on the same topics.
-
Gait speed from wearable sensors to guide ALS trials
A patient-friendly look at using wearable sensors to measure how fast people with ALS walk, to help run better ALS trials.
-
Movement-Enhanced Walking Training to Improve Balance After Stroke
A specialized treadmill training using a cable-driven device, called Movement Amplification Environment (MAE), helps people with chronic stroke improve walking balance by enhancing their own movement awareness.
-
Home-based gait monitoring to spot fall risk in seniors at risk for dementia
A home-based smartphone app will track daily walking patterns in people 65 and older, especially those with mild cognitive impairment, to identify when they are at higher risk of falling.
-
Improving How the Great Toe Works and Its Link to Walking and Balance in Older Adults
Researchers are testing new ways to measure how the big toe functions and how that relates to walking balance in adults, with a focus on older individuals.
-
Closed-loop brain stimulation to improve gait and stress in MS
A personalized, real-time brain stimulation approach is tested to help adults with multiple sclerosis walk more smoothly and feel less stressed.
-
Teleassessment of gait and balance after stroke to expand remote rehabilitation
A multi-site study tests simple remote gait and balance tests for stroke survivors to enable safer, easier rehabilitation from home.
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.