Why walking suddenly stops in Parkinson's — brain recordings with virtual reality
Leveraging invasive recordings and immersive virtual reality to characterize freezing of gait mechanisms in Parkinson disease
['FUNDING_R01'] · UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA LOS ANGELES · NIH-11305205
Using brain sensors, EEG, motion capture, and a virtual-reality walking setup, researchers will look for specific brain signals when people with Parkinson's disease suddenly freeze while walking.
Quick facts
| Phase | ['FUNDING_R01'] |
|---|---|
| Study type | Nih_funding |
| Sex | All |
| Sponsor | UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA LOS ANGELES (nih funded) |
| Locations | 1 site (LOS ANGELES, UNITED STATES) |
| Trial ID | NIH-11305205 on ClinicalTrials.gov |
What this research studies
You would walk through a realistic virtual-reality environment while your brain activity, eye gaze, and body movements are recorded. Some participants will have sensing-capable deep brain stimulation (DBS) leads in the globus pallidus internus (GPi) to capture invasive neural recordings alongside scalp EEG. Motion-capture and eye-tracking will document the exact moments of freezing triggered by everyday scenarios in the VR world. Researchers will compare people with and without freezing of gait to link specific brain rhythms to the start, duration, and recovery of freezing episodes.
Who could benefit from this research
Good fit: Adults with Parkinson's disease who experience freezing of gait — particularly those who have or can receive sensing-capable GPi deep brain stimulation leads — are the primary candidates, with some participants without FOG included for comparison.
Not a fit: People without Parkinson's, and people with Parkinson's who do not experience freezing or who cannot/will not have implantable brain sensors, are unlikely to be eligible or receive direct benefit.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this could point to brain-based markers that guide new neuromodulation treatments to reduce freezing of gait in Parkinson's disease.
How similar studies have performed: Previous studies using scalp EEG and sensing DBS have linked brain rhythms to movement, but combining invasive GPi recordings with immersive VR to reliably provoke and measure freezing of gait is relatively new.
Where this research is happening
LOS ANGELES, UNITED STATES
- UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA LOS ANGELES — LOS ANGELES, UNITED STATES (ACTIVE)
Researchers
- Principal investigator: CROSS, KATHRYN AMY — UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA LOS ANGELES
- Study coordinator: CROSS, KATHRYN AMY
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.