The Effects of Vagus Nerve Stimulation on Intrinsic Lower Leg Spinal Motoneuron Excitability in Parkinson's Disease.
Status: Recruiting
Location: See location...
Intervention Type: Other, Device
Study Type: Interventional
Study Phase: Not Applicable
SUMMARY
This study is designed to better understand the mechanisms contributing to impaired activation of leg muscles in people with Parkinson's disease (PD) and to test if stimulation of a nerve at the neck can improve muscle activation, walking and balance.
Eligibility
Participation Requirements
Sex: All
Minimum Age: 21
Maximum Age: 76
Healthy Volunteers: t
View:
• Diagnosis of idiopathic Parkinson's disease,
• On stable medication for the preceding month and anticipated over the next 3 months,
• Able to ambulate without the use of an assistive device for more than 50 meters.
⁃ Control Cohort:
• Age (± 3 years) and sex distribution matched to the PD cohort,
• Able to ambulate without the use of an assistive device for more than 50 meters.
Locations
United States
Minnesota
Movement Disorders Laboratory
RECRUITING
Minneapolis
Contact Information
Primary
Principal Investigator
cmackinn@umn.edu
612-625-8938
Backup
Kristin Garland
612-505-6574
Time Frame
Start Date: 2026-02-10
Estimated Completion Date: 2029-01
Participants
Target number of participants: 75
Treatments
Other: Baseline (no VNS)
Within-subject and cross-sectional design that consists of 30 participants with PD (15 with PIGD and 15 without PIGD) and 15 matched controls.
Experimental: Real nVNS
Sham_comparator: Sham nVNS
Sham VNS will be applied using setting that do not active the vagus nerve.
Related Therapeutic Areas
Sponsors
Collaborators: Parkinson's Foundation
Leads: University of Minnesota