Movement Disorders Clinical Trials

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Neural Mechanisms Underlying the Benefits of Aerobic Exercise in Advanced Parkinson's Disease

Status: Recruiting
Location: See location...
Intervention Type: Behavioral
Study Type: Interventional
Study Phase: Phase 2
SUMMARY

This study is focused on people with Parkinson's disease who already have deep brain stimulation devices. The goal is to understand how aerobic exercise, specifically forced vs voluntary cycling, affects movement, thinking, and brain activity in these individuals. Parkinson's disease is a progressive condition that impacts both movement and cognitive function. Previous research suggests aerobic exercise can improve PD symptoms, but the mechanisms underlying the improvement are not fully understood. This study aims to evaluate the neural (brain) mechanisms underlying exercise.

Eligibility
Participation Requirements
Sex: All
Minimum Age: 18
Healthy Volunteers: f
View:

• Clinical diagnosis of Parkinson's disease

• Previous placement of bilateral Medtronic Percept DBS as standard of care treatment for PD

• Clinically optimized DBS parameters for one month prior to enrollment

• Ability to ambulate with or without an assistive device for 5 continuous minutes

• Willingness to withhold antiparkinsonian medication and DBS stimulation for outcomes assessments

Locations
United States
Ohio
Cleveland Clinic
RECRUITING
Cleveland
Contact Information
Primary
MacKenzie Dunlap
dunlapm4@ccf.org
216-219-3949
Time Frame
Start Date: 2026-07-08
Estimated Completion Date: 2029-12-31
Participants
Target number of participants: 36
Treatments
Experimental: Forced Exercise (FE)
Participants in the forced exercise group will complete an eight-week control period where they will be asked to maintain their usual activities and wear an activity monitoring device. This will be followed by an eight-week cycling program using a stationary bike equipped with a motor that assists pedaling. The motor helps maintain a cadence higher than the participant's voluntary pace, typically around 80-90 revolutions per minute, while the participant continues to actively pedal. Each session lasts about 40 minutes and occurs three times per week under supervision of an exercise professional. Heart rate will be monitored to ensure safety and maintain aerobic intensity. The goal is to provide consistent, high-rate cycling that participants likely could not achieve on their own.
Experimental: Voluntary Exercise (VE)
Participants in the voluntary exercise group will complete an eight-week control period where they will be asked to maintain their usual activities and wear an activity monitoring device. This will be followed by an eight-week cycling program on a standard stationary bike. They will cycle at a self-selected pace while maintaining a target heart rate to ensure aerobic intensity. Each session lasts about 40 minutes and occurs three times per week under supervision of an exercise professional. Heart rate will be monitored for safety and consistency.
Sponsors
Leads: The Cleveland Clinic
Collaborators: National Institute on Aging (NIA)

This content was sourced from clinicaltrials.gov