How people with Parkinson's use vision to guide movement.
Unraveling Visuomotor Control in Parkinson Disease With and Without Freezing of Gait
This project will test whether people with Parkinson's disease who do and do not experience freezing of gait, and healthy older adults, differ in using visual cues to guide movements and in related brain signals.
Quick facts
| Study type | Observational |
|---|---|
| Enrollment | 63 (estimated) |
| Ages | 18 Years and up |
| Sex | All |
| Sponsor | National Taiwan University Hospital Academic / other |
| Locations | 1 site (Taipei, Zhongzheng Dist.) |
| Trial ID | NCT06918938 on ClinicalTrials.gov |
What this trial studies
This observational study will compare behavioral performance on computer-based visuomotor tasks and neurophysiological measures across three groups: people with Parkinson's disease who experience freezing of gait, people with Parkinson's who do not, and age-matched healthy controls. A total of 63 participants (21 per group) will complete visuomotor tasks that require normal or corrected-to-normal vision. Researchers will record neural measures, including techniques such as transcranial magnetic stimulation, to probe motor system function associated with task performance. Group differences in behavior and brain responses will be analyzed to identify patterns linked to freezing and other motor impairments.
Who should consider this trial
Good fit: Ideal candidates are adults with Parkinson's disease (with or without freezing of gait) who can follow instructions and have normal or corrected vision, as well as age-matched healthy volunteers.
Not a fit: People with other neurological or diagnosed psychological disorders, a history of seizures or epilepsy in the family, implanted devices like deep brain stimulators or pacemakers, unstable medical conditions, recent severe upper-limb injuries or tremor, or who are pregnant are excluded and unlikely to benefit from participation.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, the findings could point to specific visual or neural targets for rehabilitation strategies to help reduce freezing and improve everyday movements in people with Parkinson's.
How similar studies have performed: Previous research has shown visual perception deficits in Parkinson's disease and in those with freezing of gait, but relatively few studies have combined behavioral visuomotor testing with neurophysiological tools like TMS, making this approach somewhat novel.
Eligibility criteria
Show full inclusion / exclusion criteria
Inclusion Criteria: * age above 18 * able to follow the researchers' instructions * normal or correct-to-normal vision to view a computer screen Exclusion Criteria: * neurological disorders other than PD * diagnosed psychological disorders or a tendency of anxiety and/or depression * a self-history of seizure or a family history of epilepsy * deep brain stimulation or pacemaker implanted * unstable cardiovascular diseases or other uncontrolled medical conditions * pregnant * surgical history, severe injury, or severe tremor of their upper extremities that can affect their movements in the past 6 months
Where this trial is running
Taipei, Zhongzheng Dist.
- School and Graduate Institute of Physical Therapy — Taipei, Zhongzheng Dist., Taiwan (Recruiting)
Study contacts
- Principal investigator: Graduate Institute of Physical Therapy — National Taiwan University
- Study coordinator: Ya-Yun Lee, PhD
- Email: yayunlee@ntu.edu.tw
- Phone: +886-2-33668155
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.