Apraxia in Parkinson's Disease Patients With Deep Brain Stimulation

Launched by UNIVERSITY OF FLORIDA · Jan 21, 2021

Keywords

ClinConnect Summary

This clinical trial is investigating how deep brain stimulation (DBS) affects a specific problem called apraxia in people with Parkinson's disease (PD). Apraxia makes it difficult for patients to plan and execute movements, which can impact their daily activities. The researchers want to find out if DBS, a treatment that helps improve motor symptoms in PD by sending electrical signals to the brain, can also help reduce symptoms of apraxia or if it might even cause this issue as a side effect.

To participate in this study, individuals need to be between 18 and 80 years old, have been diagnosed with Parkinson's disease, and must have had DBS therapy for at least six months. This trial is open to all genders. Participants will undergo assessments to determine how common apraxia is among those receiving DBS. It's important to note that people with other neurological conditions or certain medical histories, such as previous surgeries that weren't DBS or issues affecting hand movement for reasons unrelated to Parkinson's, cannot join.

Gender

ALL

Eligibility criteria

• Inclusion Criteria:
• • 1. Patients with PD as defined by the UK Brain Bank Criteria
• • 2. Male or female, ages 18 to 80 years old
• • 3. Chronically implanted DBS of either the STN or GPi for a minimum of 6 months
• Exclusion Criteria:
• • 1. Other neurological diagnoses (e.g. Alzheimer's disease, atypical parkinsonism, stroke)
• • 2. History of previous neurosurgical intervention that was not DBS
• • 3. Patients with DBS of targets other than the STN or GPi, or leads in both targets
• • 4. Patients in whom there is poor manual dexterity for a reason other than PD (e.g. orthopedic injury, amputation)
• • 5. Patients with a diagnosis of PD dementia