Understanding how aerobic exercise helps advanced Parkinson’s disease patients
Official title: Neural Mechanisms underlying the benefits of Aerobic Exercise in Advanced Parkinson's disease
Funded at Cleveland Clinic Lerner Com-Cwru · NIH-11414875 · Data updated 2026-11-12
A study will test whether long-term high-intensity aerobic exercise improves motor and thinking abilities in people with advanced Parkinson’s disease who have deep brain stimulation, and will explore what brain changes accompany any benefits.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R01 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Cleveland Clinic Lerner Com-Cwru NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Cleveland, United States) |
| Project start | September 15, 2025 |
| Project end | August 31, 2030 |
| Funding year | 2026 |
| Award (this year) | $654,975 |
| NIH project number | 5R01AG092298-02 |
| Project ID | NIH-11414875 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Adults with advanced Parkinson’s disease who have deep brain stimulation in the subthalamic nucleus.
✕Less likely to help
Some participants may not experience meaningful improvements in motor or cognitive function from exercise.
What this research studies
This project will enroll about 51 adults with advanced Parkinson’s disease who are receiving deep brain stimulation in the subthalamic nucleus. Participants will follow a long-term, supervised aerobic exercise program to see if it improves movement, thinking, and multitasking abilities. At the same time, researchers will monitor brain activity using the Medtronic Percept DBS system and EEG to uncover neural changes related to any improvements. The study aims to identify not only if exercise helps this group, but also the brain mechanisms that produce these effects. Results could guide how exercise is prescribed for people with advanced PD who rely on DBS.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, the study could clarify how to use aerobic exercise to enhance motor and cognitive function in advanced PD, potentially informing future rehabilitation strategies.
How similar studies have gone: Prior evidence shows benefits of exercise in milder PD, but this study focuses on advanced PD with DBS in a long-term protocol, which is novel.
Where this research is happening
-
Cleveland Clinic Lerner Com-Cwru
Cleveland, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Alberts, Jay L. — Cleveland Clinic Lerner Com-Cwru
- Study coordinator: Alberts, Jay L.
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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.