The purpose of this study is to determine whether a person's ability to adapt (i.e. short term motor learning) predicts their ability to benefit from physical therapy exercises.
The cerebellum is important for coordination of movement and for motor learning. No medications systematically improve cerebellar ataxia, and little is known about the effectiveness of rehabilitation exercises, which are often the only treatment option. Here, we ask whether a person's ability to adapt (i.e. short term motor learning) predicts their ability to benefit from physical therapy exercises. This pilot-clinical trial will test a subject's ability to adaptively learn a new walking pattern in a single session, and then any improvement of walking and balance over a 13 week time period during which they participate in a specialized home exercise training program. Our prediction is that those individuals with some preserved adaptive learning ability will be the best rehabilitation candidates.
Study Type
INTERVENTIONAL
Allocation
NA
Purpose
TREATMENT
Masking
NONE
Enrollment
25
The home exercise program uses standard physical therapy exercises that have never been rigorously tested for people with cerebellar ataxia. These include sitting balance exercises (e.g. sitting on a peanut-shaped exercise ball and moving arms or legs), standing balance exercises (e.g. weight shifting, moving arms and legs), and walking exercises (e.g. walking heel-to-toe). The exercises are in a progression, going from less to more challenging. Though the exercises are standard, they are the intervention that we are testing and we will consider them experimental.
Motion Analysis Lab in the Kennedy Krieger Institute
Baltimore, Maryland, United States
Change in walking speed from baseline to mid-training and to post-training
Here, we ask whether a person's ability to adapt (i.e. short term motor learning) predicts their ability to benefit from physical therapy exercises. Our prediction is that those individuals with some preserved adaptive ability will be show the greatest improvement in walking speed.
Time frame: Participants are assessed at baseline (week 1 and week 3), mid-training (week 6), and post-training (week 9 and week 13). There are a total of 13 weeks for this study with 5 visits during that time period
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