Clinical trial Recruiting at 1 site Interventional Ages 21 and up

Bipolar DBS and brain imaging to improve balance and walking in Parkinson's

Official title: Imaging Core Aim 2, and Udall Project 2 Aim 2

Run by University of Minnesota · NCT06998303 · Data updated 2026-11-12

This project will test whether using bipolar deep brain stimulation settings together with MRI can help people with Parkinson's who have balance problems and freezing of gait.

More Parkinson Disease trials

Quick facts

Study typeInterventional
Ages21 Years and up
SexAll
Enrollment20 (estimated)
SponsorUniversity of Minnesota
Academic / other
Locations1 site (Minneapolis, Minnesota)
StatusRecruiting
StartedApril 1, 2025
Main results expectedJuly 31, 2027
Study endsJuly 31, 2027
Registry record updatedMay 29, 2026
Trial IDNCT06998303 on ClinicalTrials.gov

Is this trial a fit for you?

Likely a good fit

Adults aged 21 or older with Parkinson's disease who have an MR‑compatible Medtronic Percept or Percept RC DBS implant and can undergo MRI and communicate in English are ideal candidates.

Probably not a fit

People without an MR‑compatible DBS device, those who cannot undergo MRI (including pregnant individuals, those with extreme claustrophobia, or other MRI contraindications), or individuals unable to consent are unlikely to benefit.

A plain-English reading of the study's rules. Only the study team can confirm whether you qualify.

What this trial studies

This interventional protocol enrolls adults with Parkinson's disease who already have an MR‑compatible Medtronic Percept or Percept RC DBS implant. Participants will undergo MRI-compatible testing while bipolar DBS stimulation settings are applied to examine effects on posture, gait, and freezing episodes. The work combines imaging data with clinical and cognitive measures to see how stimulation location and settings relate to levodopa‑resistant axial motor symptoms. Safety and tolerability during MRI with the implanted device will also be monitored.

Why it matters

Potential benefit: If successful, this approach could reduce disabling balance and walking problems, including freezing, for people whose gait symptoms do not respond well to medication.

How similar studies have gone: Prior DBS work has reliably improved tremor and appendicular symptoms but has shown mixed or limited success for levodopa‑resistant gait and balance problems, so an imaging‑guided bipolar approach is relatively novel.

Who can join: the full rules

Show full inclusion / exclusion criteria
Inclusion Criteria:

* Age 21 and up
* Implanted with MR-compatible DBS device (Medtronic Percept/Percept RC DBS System) for treatment of Parkinson's disease
* English speaking

Exclusion Criteria:

* Unable to consent for themselves
* Implanted with a DBS device that is not MR compatible
* Pregnant
* Extreme claustrophobia
* Any contraindications for MRI

Where it's running

  • University of Minnesota
    Minneapolis, Minnesota, United States
    Recruiting

Study contacts

  • Principal investigator: Noam Harel, PhD — University of Minnesota
  • Study coordinator: Sarah Bedell
  • Email: sbedell@umn.edu
  • Phone: 612-625-5396

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How to take part

  1. Review the eligibility criteria above with your treating physician.
  2. Check the official listing on ClinicalTrials.gov for the latest contact details and recruitment status.
  3. Contact the study coordinator or principal investigator to ask for pre-screening. Pre-screening is free and never obligates you to enroll.
Last reviewed 2026-11-14 by the Find a Trial editorial team. Information on this page is for educational purposes and is not medical advice. Always consult qualified healthcare professionals about clinical trial participation.