The Effects of Auditory Cues on Gait Mechanics in Parkinson's Disease

Not Applicable

Completed

• Conditions: Parkinson Disease

• Registration Number: NCT03253965
• Lead Sponsor: University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill

Brief Summary

The purpose of this study is to determine how using auditory cues of a metronome and music at various frequencies impacts the gait mechanics in people with Parkinson's disease when walking over ground and on a treadmill.

The investigators will enroll a total of 40 participants: 30 subjects with a diagnosis of Parkinson's disease (10 in Stage 1, 10 in Stage 2, and 10 in Stage 3) and 10 unimpaired subjects.

Participants will complete 7 different treadmill walking conditions and overground walking conditions while the investigators measure step length, cadence, gait speed, and variability of movement.

Detailed Description

Not available

Study Timeline

• Study First Submitted: 2017-08-11
• Study First Submitted QC: 2017-08-15
• Study First Posted: 2017-08-18
• Study Start: 2017-09-15
• Primary Completion: 2018-08-01
• Study Completion: 2018-08-01
• Status Verified: 2018-11
• Last Update Submitted: 2018-11-09
• Last Update Posted: 2018-11-13

Recruitment & Eligibility

• Status: COMPLETED
• Sex: All
• Target Recruitment: 21

Inclusion Criteria

• Individuals with a diagnosis of Parkinson's Disease (made by movement disorders specialist) will be included in this study. Additional inclusion criteria include: self-reported ability to walk >10 m overground as well as walk on a treadmill for a total of 14 minutes with rest breaks as needed, and be classified as Stage 1, 2, or 3 on the Hoehn and Yahr Scale since these stages have the most independence with mobility (Goetz et. al, 2004).

Exclusion Criteria

• Exclusion criteria include Hoehn and Yahr Stage 4 and 5, uncontrolled cardiorespiratory/metabolic disease (e.g., cardiac arrhythmia, uncontrolled hypertension or diabetes, orthostatic hypertension, chronic emphysema), or other neurological or orthopedic disorders that may affect walking. The investigators will also exclude participants with severe communication impairments, which could impede understanding of the purpose or procedures of the study or an inability to comply with experimental procedures.

Study & Design

• Study Type: INTERVENTIONAL
• Study Design: CROSSOVER

Primary Outcome Measures

Name	Time	Method
Step Length	The entire duration of each condition, approximately 2 minutes each.	The length of each step taken while walking on a treadmill or overground. It is the anteroposterior distance from one foot to the other at heel strike measured during walking under each condition.

Secondary Outcome Measures

Name	Time	Method
Gait speed	The entire duration of each condition, approximately 2 minutes each.	The distance covered in a measured period of time (meters per second) while walking overground under each condition.
Cadence	The entire duration of each condition, approximately 2 minutes each.	The number of steps taken per minute measured while walking on a treadmill or overground under each condition.
Movement variability	The entire duration of each condition, approximately 2 minutes each.	The coefficient of variation of spatiotemporal measures (step timing and step length) while walking overground and on a treadmill under each condition.

Trial Locations

Locations (1)

University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill; 🇺🇸 Chapel Hill, North Carolina, United States