Finding internal tremors with wearable sensors in people with Parkinson's
Detection of Internal Tremors by Oscillometry in Parkinson's Patient : a Pilot Study
This project will try wearable accelerometers to see if they can detect internal tremors in people with Parkinson's disease compared with healthy volunteers.
Quick facts
| Phase | Not applicable |
|---|---|
| Study type | Interventional |
| Enrollment | 60 (estimated) |
| Ages | 18 Years to 80 Years |
| Sex | All |
| Sponsor | University Hospital, Toulouse Academic / other |
| Locations | 1 site (Toulouse, Occitanie) |
| Trial ID | NCT06885541 on ClinicalTrials.gov |
What this trial studies
Researchers will place inertial sensors (accelerometers) on participants and record for signatures of a rhythmic oscillation around 3–4 Hz that patients describe as an internal tremor. The protocol will enroll people with idiopathic Parkinson's disease in the OFF medication state and age- and sex-matched healthy controls to test specificity. Data will be analyzed to identify objective oscillatory patterns that match patients' subjective reports. The aim is to establish whether a measurable signal corresponding to internal tremor can be reliably detected using wearable devices.
Who should consider this trial
Good fit: Ideal candidates are people with idiopathic Parkinson's disease who have MMSE ≥25, Hoehn and Yahr ≤3 in the OFF state, can stand and walk unassisted, and are willing to undergo accelerometry in the OFF medication state, as well as healthy age- and sex-matched volunteers.
Not a fit: Patients with atypical parkinsonian syndromes, advanced therapies such as deep brain stimulation or infusion pumps, major mobility or cognitive impairments, pregnancy, or other neurological conditions affecting gait are unlikely to benefit from this protocol.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this could provide an objective, noninvasive way to detect and monitor internal tremor in Parkinson's, potentially aiding earlier recognition and tracking of symptom changes.
How similar studies have performed: Using accelerometers for detecting visible limb tremor is established, but objective identification of the subjective 'internal tremor' in Parkinson's has not been previously demonstrated and is therefore a novel application.
Eligibility criteria
Show full inclusion / exclusion criteria
Inclusion Criteria: (For the experimental group) * Patient with idiopathic parkinson's disease * Mini Mental State Evaluation score above or equal to 25 * Hoehn and Yahr scale score of ≤3 in the OFF phase, with postural stability allowing the patient to stand unaided for 1 minute. * Able to walk unassisted * Willing to undergo accelerometry in the OFF state (For the control group) * Healthy volunteer subjects matched for age (+/- 5 years) and sex * Mini Mental State Evaluation score above or equal to 25 Exclusion Criteria: (For the experimental group) * Patients with an atypical parkinsonian syndrome * Patients unable to walk or stand for more than one minute in the off state * Parkinson's patients treated with deep brain stimulation, apomorphine pump, or duodopa intestinal infusion, and foslevodopa * Pregnant patients * Major osteoarticular problems * Neurological condition that may affect gait (For the control group) * Participants with significant gait impairment (osteoarticular disorder) * Those with a neurological disease that, in the investigator's judgment, may interfere with the study's outcome measure * Participants with a clinical tremor that may interfere with the measurement of the primary outcome (e.g., essential tremor, thyroid disease, or tremors induced by medication) * Pregnant participants
Where this trial is running
Toulouse, Occitanie
- Purpan Hospital — Toulouse, Occitanie, France (Recruiting)
Study contacts
- Study coordinator: Ana Raquel PINHEIRO BARBOSA
- Email: pinheirobarbosa.ar@chu-toulouse.fr
- Phone: (+33) 05.61.77.99.30
How to participate
- Review the eligibility criteria above with your treating physician.
- Visit the official trial page on ClinicalTrials.gov for the most current contact information and recruitment status.
- Contact the listed study coordinator or principal investigator to request pre-screening. Pre-screening is free and never obligates you to enroll.