DANU Smart Socks to measure walking and balance in Parkinson's

Is this trial a fit for you?

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

What this trial studies

This is an observational, single-visit study at Northumbria University comparing people with Parkinson's (Hoehn and Yahr I–III) to age-matched healthy controls. Participants complete clinical and cognitive tests (including MDS-UPDRS and MoCA) and then perform a battery of mobility tasks while data are collected concurrently by the DANU Smart Socks and APDM Mobility Lab. Mobility tasks include a 2-minute walk, multiple walkway trials, Timed Up and Go, and 2-minute balance tasks. The goal is to see whether gait and balance metrics from the DANU system relate to Parkinson's symptoms, disease stage, and cognitive scores.

Why it matters

Who can join: the full rules

Parkinson's Group Inclusion Criteria:- Clinical diagnosis of Parkinson's by a movement disorder specialist according to UK brain bank criteria.

* PD stages I-III (Hoehn and Yahr Rating Scale)
* Able to attend Northumbria University, Newcastle Upon Tyne for study visits.
* Able to walk and stand unassisted for a minimum of 2-minutes.
* Aged 50 years old or over

Parkinson's Group Exclusion Criteria:

* History of neurological disorders other than PD (e.g., Huntington's disease, stroke, traumatic brain injury, multiple sclerosis, Alzheimer's disease etc.)
* Unable to walk or stand unaided.
* Montreal Cognitive Assessment (MoCA) score \< 21
* Significant issues unrelated to PD that may affect gait (e.g., musculoskeletal issues, back pain, recent surgery etc.)

Healthy Control Inclusion Criteria:

* Ability to attend Northumbria University, Newcastle Upon Tyne for study visits.
* Aged 50 years old or over.
* Able to walk and stand unassisted for a minimum of 2-minutes.

Healthy Control Exclusion Criteria:

* History of neurological disorders (e.g. Huntington's disease, stroke, traumatic brain injury, multiple sclerosis, Alzheimer's disease etc.)
* Significant issues that may affect walking (e.g., musculoskeletal issues, back pain, recent surgery etc.)

Where it's running

• Northumbria University
  Newcastle upon Tyne, Tyne and Wear, United Kingdom Recruiting
• Northumbria University
  Newcastle upon Tyne, United Kingdom Enrolling by invitation

Study contacts

• Principal investigator: Rodrigo Vitorio, PhD — Northumbria University
• Study coordinator: Gabriella R Gatti, BSc
• Email: gabriella.gatti@northumbria.ac.uk
• Phone: 01912273343

Similar studies

Other studies for the same condition or treatment. Recruiting studies are listed first.

• Parkinson’s Risk in Gaucher Disease Type 1

  This study tests how Parkinson’s risk relates to GBA1-related Gaucher disease in adults over 40, by collecting detailed clinical data and samples for future research.

  Recruiting Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai · New York, New York · NCT07886879

• Can the Ronnie Gardiner Method improve thinking and daily function in people with Parkinson’s

  In this 10-week program, adults with Parkinson’s disease will try the Ronnie Gardiner Method to see if it helps thinking, talking, movement, balance, and quality of life.

  Recruiting University Ghent · Ghent, Oost-Vlaanderen · NCT07863219

• Effects of excitatory and inhibitory LIFUS of GPi in Parkinson’s patients without DBS

  This study tests two deep-brain focused ultrasound patterns on people with Parkinson’s to see if they change task performance and tremor, compared with a sham stimulation.

  Recruiting University Health Network, Toronto · Toronto, Ontario · NCT07846007

• Capacitive-resistive radiofrequency therapy for people with Parkinson's disease

  This study tests four TECAR therapy protocols on the legs to see which best reduces muscle stiffness and improves walking in people with Parkinson's disease.

  Recruiting Universidad San Jorge · Zaragoza, Zaragoza · NCT07842926

• TRB-001 safety and immune response in early Parkinson's disease

  This early-phase study tests TRB-001 against placebo to see if it is safe and prompts an immune response in people with recently diagnosed Parkinson’s disease.

  Recruiting Phase 1 Tridem Bioscience FlexCo · Vienna · NCT07840027

• Bayesian optimization to tune DBS for better gait in Parkinson’s patients

  This study tests whether using Bayesian optimization can quickly find DBS settings that lengthen step length in people with Parkinson's who already have DBS in place.

  Recruiting Early Phase 1 University of Minnesota · Minneapolis, Minnesota · NCT07835308

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.