Laser Light Visual Cueing for Freezing of Gait in Parkinson's Disease

Parkinson's Disease Research, Education, and Clinical Center, Philadelphia22 enrolled

Overview

The purpose of this study is to determine whether a laser light beam, attached to a rolling walker and projected onto the floor, reduces freezing episodes in patients with Parkinson's disease.

Freezing of gait is a debilitating feature of Parkinson's disease. This study aims to determine whether a laser light beam, attached to a rolling walker and projected onto the floor, reduces freezing episodes. Patients will perform two trials of 3 timed walking tasks: once with the laser beam and once without. For each trial, the time to complete, number of steps, and number of freezing episodes will be recorded. Patients will be randomized to perform the first trial either with the light or without the light, to control for fatigue.

Study Type

INTERVENTIONAL

Allocation

RANDOMIZED

Purpose

TREATMENT

Masking

NONE

Enrollment

Conditions

Parkinson Disease

Interventions

Laser light (U-Step Walking Stabilizer with laser light)DEVICE

Use of a laser light on a rolling walker during episodes of freezing of gait.

Eligibility

Sex: ALL

Medical Language ↔ Plain English

Inclusion Criteria: * idiopathic PD confirmed by a movement disorders neurologist * a Mini-Mental Status Examination (MMSE)\[13\] score ≥ 24 to ensure competence to participate in informed consent and an ability to learn procedurally the use of the rolling walker with laser beam * functional visual acuity for recognizing the laser beam on the rolling walker * FOG in both on and off medication states, as indicated by a score of ≥ 2 on Item 14 of the Unified Parkinson's Disease Rating Scale (UPDRS) and/or ≥1 on Item 3 of the Freezing of Gait Questionnaire (FOGQ) * ability to ambulate for at least household distances with or without an assistive device as indicated by scoring 0, 1, or 2 on Items 15 and 29 of the UPDRS. Exclusion Criteria: * diagnosis of a gait disorder other than Parkinson's disease

Locations (1)

Philadelphia VA Medical Center PADRECC

Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, United States

Outcomes

Primary Outcomes

Time to complete walking task

Time in seconds for subject to complete the designated walking task.

Time frame: Two hours

Secondary Outcomes

Number of steps

Number of steps taken to complete the designated walking task.

Time frame: Two hours

Number of freezing episodes

Number of freezing episodes that occur during walking task.

Time frame: Two hours

Data from ClinicalTrials.gov

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