Investigating the Increased Risk of Falls in Individuals With Parkinson's Disease Treated With Deep Brain Stimulation

Overview

The purpose of this pilot study is to assess changes in thinking and movement after deep brain stimulator implantation. The study will also examine whether these changes are related to the risk of falls.

Deep brain stimulation (DBS) is an effective 2nd line therapeutic strategy for Parkinson's disease (PD) patients in whom pharmacologic interventions no longer optimally control primary motor symptoms such as rigidity, bradykinesia, and tremor. However, the extent to which DBS improves axial motor symptoms (e.g., postural instability) is equivocal. While some investigations show improved static and dynamic balance measured in the lab, many studies also show that individuals fall at a higher rate compared to those without DBS. Increased incidence of falls reduce participation in the community. Thus, it is important to identify modifiable mechanisms of falls and design interventions that address these factors. However, in many studies investigating balance in PD, DBS is an exclusionary factor. This study addresses a major unmet need in PD therapeutics to identify causal factors that increase fall risk after DBS implantation and programming.

Conditions

Interventions

Eligibility

Locations (1)

Outcomes

Central Contacts