High Intensity Endurance Exercise as a Primer to Virtual Reality for Optimizing Cortical Excitability and Neuroplasticity in Parkinson's Disease (PD)
This study aims to determine the effects of aerobic exercise as a primer to add-on virtual reality (VR)-based rehabilitation on balance, postural control and neuroplasticity (ability of brain to adapt in structure and function) in individuals with Parkinson's disease (PD). This study will utilize two groups - one group will receive the exercise and VR, while the other group will receive stretching exercise and VR over eight weeks. The study team will administer outcomes at baseline, post-intervention (8 weeks) and follow-up (6 weeks after post-assessment).
• Diagnosis of idiopathic PD (ages 18 -85) in Hoehn and Yahr stages 2 - 3.
• Subjects need to demonstrate a score of equal to or greater than 23 on the Mini Mental State Examination.
• Subjects who have a score of ≤21.5 on the Mini Balance Evaluations Systems Test (miniBESTest).