Non-invasive Neurostimulation in Parkinson's Disease

January 26, 2021 updated by: Felipe Fregni, Spaulding Rehabilitation Hospital

Effects of Non-invasive Neurostimulation Methods on Motor Function in Parkinson's Disease Patients.

In this study, the investigators aim to investigate the effects of non-invasive neurostimulation - low-intensity transcranial electrical stimulation in conjunction with transcranial ultrasound (TUS)- on the motor symptoms associated with Parkinson's disease. The investigators want to see if there is a difference between active and sham stimulation on these motor symptoms.

Study Overview

Status

Status

Indicates the current recruitment status or the expanded access status.
Completed

Conditions

Conditions

The disease, disorder, syndrome, illness, or injury that is being studied. On ClinicalTrials.gov, conditions may also include other health-related issues, such as lifespan, quality of life, and health risks.

Intervention / Treatment

Intervention / Treatment

A process or action that is the focus of a clinical study. Interventions include drugs, medical devices, procedures, vaccines, and other products that are either investigational or already available. Interventions can also include noninvasive approaches, such as education or modifying diet and exercise.

Study Type

Study Type

Describes the nature of a clinical study. Study types include interventional studies (also called clinical trials), observational studies (including patient registries), and expanded access.
Interventional

Enrollment (Anticipated)

Enrollment

The number of participants in a clinical study. The "anticipated" enrollment is the target number of participants that the researchers need for the study.
48

Phase

Phase

The stage of a clinical trial studying a drug or biological product, based on definitions developed by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA). The phase is based on the study's objective, the number of participants, and other characteristics. There are five phases: Early Phase 1 (formerly listed as Phase 0), Phase 1, Phase 2, Phase 3, and Phase 4. Not Applicable is used to describe trials without FDA-defined phases, including trials of devices or behavioral interventions.
  • Not Applicable

Contacts and Locations

This section provides the contact details for those conducting the study, and information on where this study is being conducted.

Study Locations

  • United States
    • Massachusetts
      • Boston, Massachusetts, United States, 02144
        • Spaulding Rehabilitation Hospital

Participation Criteria

Researchers look for people who fit a certain description, called eligibility criteria. Some examples of these criteria are a person's general health condition or prior treatments.

Eligibility Criteria

Eligibility Criteria

The key requirements that people who want to participate in a clinical study must meet or the characteristics they must have. Eligibility criteria consist of both inclusion criteria (which are required for a person to participate in the study) and exclusion criteria (which prevent a person from participating). Types of eligibility criteria include whether a study accepts healthy volunteers, has age or age group requirements, or is limited by sex.

Ages Eligible for Study

40 years and older (Adult, Older Adult)

Accepts Healthy Volunteers

No

Genders Eligible for Study

All

Description

Inclusion Criteria:

  • Documentation of PD diagnosis from their clinician by either a letter or verification through their medical record
  • Research criteria of "possible" or "probable" PD, as defined by Gelb et al (Gelb D, Oliver E, Gilman S. Diagnostic Criteria for Parkinson Disease. Arch Neurol.1999;56:33-39)[1]
  • Age 40 or over;
  • Taking stable medications for at least 30 days

Exclusion Criteria:

  • Features suggestive of other causes of parkinsonism/Parkinson's-plus syndromes;
  • History of deep brain stimulation or ablation surgery, mass brain lesions;
  • History of schizophrenia, schizoaffective disorder, other psychosis, episode of bipolar illness, alcohol/drug abuse within the past year;
  • Need for rapid clinical response due to conditions such as initiation, psychosis, or suicidal;
  • Contraindications to transcranial brain stimulation or TUS, i.e. metal in the head, implanted brain medical devices, etc;
  • Unstable medical conditions (e.g. uncontrolled diabetes, uncompensated cardiac issues, heart failure, pulmonary issues, or chronic obstructive pulmonary disease);
  • Pregnancy.
  • Epilepsy or disorders that increase likelihood of seizures including: moderate or severe traumatic brain injury, congenital birth defects leading to seizures, brain tumor, metabolism disorders associated with seizures, and nonlacunar stroke.

Study Plan

This section provides details of the study plan, including how the study is designed and what the study is measuring.

How is the study designed?

Design Details

  • Primary Purpose: Treatment
  • Allocation: Randomized
  • Interventional Model: Single Group Assignment
  • Masking: Double

Arms and Interventions

Participant Group / Arm

Participant Group / Arm

A group or subgroup of participants in a clinical trial that receives a specific intervention/treatment, or no intervention, according to the trial's protocol.
Intervention / Treatment

Intervention / Treatment

A process or action that is the focus of a clinical study. Interventions include drugs, medical devices, procedures, vaccines, and other products that are either investigational or already available. Interventions can also include noninvasive approaches, such as education or modifying diet and exercise.
Experimental: Active Electrical Stim/Active Ultrasound
Subjects will undergo active low-intensity transcranial electrical stimulation in conjunction with active transcranial ultrasound for 20 minutes.
Procedure: low-intensity transcranial electrical stimulation
Subjects will undergo 20 minutes of low-intensity transcranial electrical stimulation of up to 2mA. During active stimulation, the current will be active for 20 minutes - however, during sham stimulation (placebo) the current will not be active for the full 20 minutes.
Procedure: transcranial ultrasound
Subjects will undergo 20 minutes of transcranial ultrasound. During active stimulation, the ultrasound will be active for 20 minutes - however, during sham stimulation (placebo) the ultrasound will not be active for the full 20 minutes.
Sham Comparator: Sham Electrical Stim/Sham Ultrasound
Subjects will undergo sham (placebo) low-intensity transcranial electrical stimulation in conjunction with sham transcranial ultrasound for 20 minutes.
Procedure: low-intensity transcranial electrical stimulation
Subjects will undergo 20 minutes of low-intensity transcranial electrical stimulation of up to 2mA. During active stimulation, the current will be active for 20 minutes - however, during sham stimulation (placebo) the current will not be active for the full 20 minutes.
Procedure: transcranial ultrasound
Subjects will undergo 20 minutes of transcranial ultrasound. During active stimulation, the ultrasound will be active for 20 minutes - however, during sham stimulation (placebo) the ultrasound will not be active for the full 20 minutes.
Active Comparator: Active Electrical Stim/Sham Ultrasound
Subjects will undergo active low-intensity transcranial electrical stimulation in conjunction with sham (placebo) transcranial ultrasound for 20 minutes.
Procedure: low-intensity transcranial electrical stimulation
Subjects will undergo 20 minutes of low-intensity transcranial electrical stimulation of up to 2mA. During active stimulation, the current will be active for 20 minutes - however, during sham stimulation (placebo) the current will not be active for the full 20 minutes.
Procedure: transcranial ultrasound
Subjects will undergo 20 minutes of transcranial ultrasound. During active stimulation, the ultrasound will be active for 20 minutes - however, during sham stimulation (placebo) the ultrasound will not be active for the full 20 minutes.
Active Comparator: Sham Electrical Stim/Active Ultrasound
Subjects will undergo sham (placebo) low-intensity transcranial electrical stimulation in conjunction with active transcranial ultrasound for 20 minutes.
Procedure: low-intensity transcranial electrical stimulation
Subjects will undergo 20 minutes of low-intensity transcranial electrical stimulation of up to 2mA. During active stimulation, the current will be active for 20 minutes - however, during sham stimulation (placebo) the current will not be active for the full 20 minutes.
Procedure: transcranial ultrasound
Subjects will undergo 20 minutes of transcranial ultrasound. During active stimulation, the ultrasound will be active for 20 minutes - however, during sham stimulation (placebo) the ultrasound will not be active for the full 20 minutes.

What is the study measuring?

Primary Outcome Measures

Primary Outcome Measures

In a clinical study's protocol, the planned outcome measure that is the most important for evaluating the effect of an intervention/treatment. Most clinical studies have one primary outcome measure, but some have more than one.
Outcome Measure
Measure Description
Time Frame
Changes in Motor Function
Time Frame: Measured for approximately 2 months
We will measure motor symptoms using the Unified Parkinson's Disease Rating Scale (UPDRS), bradykinesia tests and walking tests. We will assess the changes in these scales from baseline.
Measured for approximately 2 months

Secondary Outcome Measures

Secondary Outcome Measures

In a clinical study's protocol, a planned outcome measure that is not as important as the primary outcome measure for evaluating the effect of an intervention but is still of interest. Most clinical studies have more than one secondary outcome measure.
Outcome Measure
Measure Description
Time Frame
Safety
Time Frame: Measured for approximately 2 months
We will measure safety using a battery of electrophysiology, cognitive and neurological safety markers. We will use the Scales for Outcomes in PD-Cognitive (SCOPA-COg), the n-back working memory test, adverse effects questionnaire, electroencephalography (EEG) and a standardized neurological exam
Measured for approximately 2 months
Neurophysiological Changes
Time Frame: Measured for approximately 2 months
We will also use transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS) and Doppler Ultrasound to assess electrophysiology and cerebral bloodflow markers.
Measured for approximately 2 months

Collaborators and Investigators

This is where you will find people and organizations involved with this study.

Sponsor

Sponsor

The organization or person who initiates the study and who has authority and control over the study.
Spaulding Rehabilitation Hospital

Collaborators

Collaborators

An organization other than the sponsor that provides support for a clinical study. This support may include activities related to funding, design, implementation, data analysis, or reporting.
National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke (NINDS)
Highland Instruments, Inc.

Investigators

Investigators

A researcher involved in a clinical study. Related terms include site principal investigator, site sub-investigator, study chair, study director, and study principal investigator.
  • Principal Investigator: Felipe Fregni, MD, PhD, MPH, Spaulding Rehabilitation Hospital
  • Principal Investigator: Timothy Wagner, PhD, Highland Instruments, Inc.

Study record dates

These dates track the progress of study record and summary results submissions to ClinicalTrials.gov. Study records and reported results are reviewed by the National Library of Medicine (NLM) to make sure they meet specific quality control standards before being posted on the public website.

Study Major Dates

Study Start

Study Start

The actual date on which the first participant was enrolled in a clinical study. The "anticipated" study start date is the date that the researchers think will be the study start date.
September 1, 2013

Primary Completion (Actual)

Primary Completion

The date on which the last participant in a clinical study was examined or received an intervention to collect final data for the primary outcome measure. Whether the clinical study ended according to the protocol or was terminated does not affect this date. For clinical studies with more than one primary outcome measure with different completion dates, this term refers to the date on which data collection is completed for all the primary outcome measures. The "anticipated" primary completion date is the date that the researchers think will be the primary completion date for the study.
April 1, 2019

Study Completion (Actual)

Study Completion

The date on which the last participant in a clinical study was examined or received an intervention/treatment to collect final data for the primary outcome measures, secondary outcome measures, and adverse events (that is, the last participant's last visit). The "anticipated" study completion date is the date that the researchers think will be the study completion date.
April 1, 2019

Study Registration Dates

First Submitted

First Submitted

The date on which the study sponsor or investigator first submitted a study record to ClinicalTrials.gov. There is typically a delay of a few days between the first submitted date and the record's availability on ClinicalTrials.gov (the first posted date).
May 30, 2012

First Submitted That Met QC Criteria

First Submitted That Met QC Criteria

The date on which the study sponsor or investigator first submits a study record that is consistent with National Library of Medicine (NLM) quality control (QC) review criteria. The sponsor or investigator may need to revise and submit a study record one or more times before NLM's QC review criteria are met. It is the responsibility of the sponsor or investigator to ensure that the study record is consistent with the NLM QC review criteria.
June 8, 2012

First Posted (Estimate)

First Posted

The date on which the study record was first available on ClinicalTrials.gov after National Library of Medicine (NLM) quality control (QC) review has concluded. There is typically a delay of a few days between the date the study sponsor or investigator submitted the study record and the first posted date.
June 11, 2012

Study Record Updates

Last Update Posted (Actual)

Last Update Posted

The most recent date on which changes to a study record were made available on ClinicalTrials.gov. There may be a delay between when the changes were submitted to ClinicalTrials.gov by the study's sponsor or investigator (the last update submitted date) and the last update posted date.
January 27, 2021

Last Update Submitted That Met QC Criteria

Last Update Submitted That Met QC Criteria

The most recent date on which the study sponsor or investigator submitted changes to a study record that are consistent with National Library of Medicine (NLM) quality control (QC) review criteria. It is the responsibility of the sponsor or investigator to ensure that the study record is consistent with the NLM QC review criteria.
January 26, 2021

Last Verified

Last Verified

The most recent date on which the study sponsor or investigator confirmed the information about a clinical study on ClinicalTrials.gov as accurate and current. If a study with a recruitment status of recruiting; not yet recruiting; or active, not recruiting has not been confirmed within the past 2 years, the study's recruitment status is shown as unknown.
January 1, 2021

More Information

Terms related to this study

Keywords

Additional Relevant MeSH Terms

Other Study ID Numbers

Other Study ID Numbers

Identifiers or ID numbers other than the NCT number that are assigned to a clinical study by the study's sponsor, funders, or others. These numbers may include unique identifiers from other trial registries and National Institutes of Health grant numbers.
  • 2012-p-001120
  • 1R44NS080632-01 (U.S. NIH Grant/Contract)

Drug and device information, study documents

Studies a U.S. FDA-regulated device product

No

This information was retrieved directly from the website clinicaltrials.gov without any changes. If you have any requests to change, remove or update your study details, please contact register@clinicaltrials.gov. As soon as a change is implemented on clinicaltrials.gov, this will be updated automatically on our website as well.

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