The Effects of fNIRS-based Neurofeedback Training on Balance and Gait in Parkinson's Disease
The Novel Application of fNIRS-based Neurofeedback to Enhance Effects of Motor Imagery on Balance and Gait Performance in Individuals With Parkinson's Disease
National Yang Ming Chiao Tung University
93 participants
Mar 19, 2025
INTERVENTIONAL
Conditions
Summary
A cross-sectional study (part 1) aims to investigate the influence of fatigue on the MI ability in PD compared to healthy controls. A randomized controlled trial (part 2) aims to compare the effect of fNIRS-based NFB-MI on balance and gait performance versus MI only in people with PD.
Eligibility
Inclusion Criteria8
- Part 1
- diagnosis of idiopathic PD by neurologist with Hoehn and Yahr stage \< 4;
- stable medical condition;
- capability of walking independently without walking devices.
- aged 40-85 y/o;
- diagnosis of idiopathic PD by neurologist with Hoehn and Yahr stage \< 4;
- stable medical condition;
- capability of walking independently for 10 minutes, which is the time needed for imagery walking training in order to eliminate the possible influence of physical fatigue.
Exclusion Criteria11
- cognitive impairment indicated by MMSE score \< 24;
- motor imagery ability indicated by KVIQ score \< 25;
- unable recognize 26 letters in the English alphabet
- history of diseases or conditions known to interfere with participating this study (e.g. epilepsy, metal implants in the brain, or deep brain stimulation);
- diagnosis of any other neurological disease or psychiatric disorder (e.g. stroke, anxiety disorder, or depression);
- using central nervous system medications other than for PD, e.g. antiepileptic drugs in recent 3 months.
- Part 2
- cognitive impairment indicated by MMSE score \< 24;
- history of diseases or conditions known to interfere with participating this study (e.g. epilepsy, metal implants in the brain, or deep brain stimulation);
- diagnosis of any other neurological disease or psychiatric disorder (e.g. stroke, anxiety disorder, or depression);
- using central nervous system medications other than for PD, e.g. antiepileptic drugs in recent 3 months.
Interventions
A multichannel wearable fNIRS (NIRSport2, NIRx Medical Technologies LLC, Glen Head, NY, USA) will be used to detect the cortical activity in SMA. The HbO concentration will be processed and displayed as a visual feedback during MI training.
Prior to each task, participants will watch a video of a person executing balance tasks and walking tasks. The balance tasks will include static and dynamic standing tasks such as sit-to-stand, tandem stance, standing on a balance board, reaching out to different directions and single leg stance. The walking tasks consists of tandem walking, crossing obstacles, sideward walking, backward walking, and turning. The participants will be asked to kinesthetically imagine movements in the first-person perspective, and the researcher will give the explicit instruction encouraging them to focus on the feeling (i.e. tactile, proprioceptive and kinesthetic sensations). Each MI session consists of 10-min of balance tasks and 10-min of walking tasks.
The tasks for balance and gait training are similar to those during the MI training. The difficulty of the tasks will be modified individually for each participant. The researcher will ensure the safety.
Locations(1)
View Full Details on ClinicalTrials.gov
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NCT05800470