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.
Quick facts
| Study type | Interventional |
|---|---|
| Ages | 21 Years and up |
| Sex | All |
| Enrollment | 20 (estimated) |
| Sponsor | University of Minnesota Academic / other |
| Locations | 1 site (Minneapolis, Minnesota) |
| Status | Recruiting |
| Started | April 1, 2025 |
| Main results expected | July 31, 2027 |
| Study ends | July 31, 2027 |
| Registry record updated | May 29, 2026 |
| Trial ID | NCT06998303 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
- Review the eligibility criteria above with your treating physician.
- Check the official listing on ClinicalTrials.gov for the latest contact details and recruitment status.
- Contact the study coordinator or principal investigator to ask for pre-screening. Pre-screening is free and never obligates you to enroll.