Brain Stimulation for Freezing of Gait in Parkinson's Disease

This trial aims to help people with Parkinson's disease who experience a specific walking problem called freezing of gait (FOG). Researchers seek to determine if a special kind of brain stimulation can improve walking by using brain-machine interfaces to better understand and treat FOG. During a standard surgery, participants will have small sensors placed on their brain to track and potentially adjust brain activity. This trial suits those with Parkinson's who struggle with FOG despite medication and are planning to undergo deep brain stimulation surgery. As an unphased trial, this study offers a unique opportunity to contribute to groundbreaking research that may lead to new treatments for FOG.

The trial does not specify if you need to stop taking your current medications. However, it mentions studying gait both with and without medication, so you might be asked to adjust your medication use during the study.

Research has shown that using electrocorticography (ECoG) to study brain activity in Parkinson's disease is generally safe for patients. One study recorded ECoG alongside other tests, such as walking assessments, and found no major safety issues. Another study used ECoG to monitor brain patterns related to movement, placing ECoG grids on patients' brains, and again reported no significant negative effects. These findings suggest that ECoG is usually safe for patients. While ECoG helps gather important information, current evidence indicates that the procedure is well-tolerated.¹²³⁴⁵

Researchers are excited about brain stimulation for freezing of gait in Parkinson's Disease because it involves a novel approach using ECoG arrays. Unlike standard treatments like medication or traditional deep brain stimulation (DBS) that focus on altering brain activity broadly, ECoG implantation offers high-density recordings that allow for more precise targeting of the brain areas involved in gait control. This precision could potentially lead to better management of symptoms with fewer side effects. By directly addressing the neural patterns associated with freezing of gait, this method has the potential to provide more effective relief for patients.

Research has shown that brain stimulation can help treat some symptoms of Parkinson's disease, such as freezing of gait (FOG), where a person temporarily feels stuck and cannot move. In this trial, participants will undergo ECoG implantation as part of their brain stimulation treatment. Studies have found that adaptive deep brain stimulation (aDBS) can improve movement issues like slow movement and stiffness. Specifically, one study discovered that brain stimulation significantly reduced freezing episodes in patients. Overall, brain stimulation appears promising for addressing walking problems in Parkinson's disease, although results can vary among individuals.⁶⁷⁸⁹¹⁰