Virtual Reality for Parkinson's Disease

Summary

Parkinson's Disease (PD) is one of the most common neurodegenerative disease. Bradykinesia, tremor, resting tremor and postural instability are the main motor characteristics of this disease. As the disease progresses, mobility, walking, balance are reducing, the risk of falls is increasing and patients become functionally dependent. Along with these symptoms, cognitive functions are also disturbed. The most commonly distorted cognitive functions are executive functions such as planning and reasoning, working memory, episodic memory, attention and visual-spatial skills. Pharmacological and surgical treatments are used in Parkinson's disease. Pharmacologic treatment has a proven effect on motor symptoms, but since there is no approved pharmacologic treatment which has a direct effect on cognitive functions, recent studies suggest non-pharmacological treatments to improve cognitive function. Physiotherapy is also accepted among non-pharmacological treatments. Conventional physiotherapy focuses on optimizing patient independence and safety, focusing on hinting strategies, cognitive movement strategies and exercises utilizing transfers, posture, upper extremity function, balance (and falls), gait, physical capacity and (in)activity. Virtual Reality (VR) technology, a promising commonly used new rehabilitation tool, is a treatment method that can be used as one of the non-pharmacological treatment methods in Parkinson's Disease. In order to understand how neuronal network dysfunction in the Parkinson's Disease leads to clinical symptoms, both the component elements and the interconnections within these networks need to be examined in greater detail. Studies of resting state-fMRI (rs-fMRI) use correlation of activation of brain regions and time series fluctuations between brain regions to give information about connectivity in brain.

The purpose of this study is to investigate the therapeutic effects of virtual reality on motor and cognitive symptoms of PD. Furthermore, the investigation of possible effects of this effect on neuroplasticity through functional brain networks is our other objective. This study will be the first study to evaluate the plasticity effect of virtual reality application with rs-fMRI in Parkinson's disease.

Conditions

• Parkinson Disease
• Virtual Reality Therapy
• Functional Magnetic Resonance Imaging

Interventions

BEHAVIORAL

Virtual Reality

Virtual Reality Based Rehabilitation including static balance, dynamic balance and walking

BEHAVIORAL

Exercise Therapy

The conventional physical Therapy program includes parameters for improving strength, flexibility, transfers, posture, balance and coordination, and sensory stimulation. These activities consist of various types of exercises that focus on lower extremity movements.

Sponsors & Collaborators

• Farzin Hajebrahimi, PT, MSc

  lead OTHER

Principal Investigators

• Farzin Hajebrahimi · Medipol University

• Lutfu Hanoglu, Professor · Medipol University

Study Design

Allocation

RANDOMIZED

Purpose

TREATMENT

Masking

DOUBLE

Model

PARALLEL

Eligibility

Min Age

50 Years

Max Age

85 Years

Sex

ALL

Healthy Volunteers

No

Timeline & Regulatory

Start

2018-08-18

Primary Completion

2020-03-12

Completion

2020-08-30

Countries

• Turkey (Türkiye)

Study Locations