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Consolidation of Motor Learning of Writing Skills and Its Related Brain Activity Changes in Parkinson's Disease

NCT02288052 · Status: COMPLETED · Phase: NA · Type: INTERVENTIONAL · Enrollment: 42

Last updated 2016-01-28

No results posted yet for this study

Summary

The basal ganglia play an important role in motor learning, especially during the consolidation phase of motor learning. This raises the question whether it is possible to sustain learning increments in a neurodegenerative condition such as Parkinson's disease (PD). The aim of this study is to gain knowledge on whether it is possible to relearn skills which are actually affected by PD, such as writing, and determine whether neuroplasticity is possible. In this randomized controlled study, PD patients will either follow intensive writing training or a placebo treatment (stretch and relaxation training) during 6 weeks. The writing training will focus on automatization (withstanding dual task interference), transfer to an untrained task and retention. The placebo program is aimed to reduce stiffness in the upper limbs and has been shown to be ineffective in PD. To date, it is unknown how neural networks change as a result of consolidation after a prolonged period of motor learning in PD. Therefore the second arm of this study will investigate, for the first time, changes in neural connectivity using brain imaging data to elucidate which neuroanatomical regions are involved in consolidation of learning in PD. Finally, DTI and resting state fMRI-analysis will complement insights into the neural changes as a result of learning.

Conditions

  • Parkinson Disease

Interventions

BEHAVIORAL

Writing program

6 weeks of at-home training (5days/week, 30minutes/day) using both pen-and-paper exercises and exercises on a writing tablet.

BEHAVIORAL

Stretch & Relaxation program

6 weeks of at-home training (5days/week, 30minutes/day) using a DVD with exercises.

Sponsors & Collaborators

  • Research Foundation Flanders

    collaborator OTHER

  • KU Leuven

    lead OTHER

Principal Investigators

  • Alice Nieuwboer, Professor · KU Leuven

Study Design

Allocation
RANDOMIZED
Purpose
SUPPORTIVE_CARE
Masking
NONE
Model
PARALLEL

Eligibility

Sex
ALL
Healthy Volunteers
No

Timeline & Regulatory

Start
2013-01-31
Primary Completion
2016-01-31
Completion
2016-01-31

Countries

  • Belgium

Study Locations

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Read the full study record

This page highlights key information. For complete eligibility criteria, study locations, investigator contacts, and the full protocol, visit the original record on ClinicalTrials.gov.

View NCT02288052 on ClinicalTrials.gov