An interventional study of Treadmill Walking in Huntington Disease and Lewy Body Disease, sponsored by Ohio State University. Completed at 1 site in United States. Open to participants aged 18 Years to 90 Years. Per ClinicalTrials.gov, last updated 2016-09-27.
Sponsored by Ohio State University · Not applicable, Interventional, and Treatment
Individuals with Dementia with Lewy Bodies (DLB) and Huntington's disease (HD) experience balance and walking problems that lead to falls. Treadmill walking has demonstrated improvements in balance and walking and fall risk in individuals with Parkinson's disease (PD), suggesting that it may be beneficial for individuals with DLB and HD. In PD subjects, changes in gait parameters have been noted after only one treadmill training session. The investigators propose a pilot study to investigate the safety, feasibility, and utility to improve mobility and fall risk of a single session of treadmill walking in individuals with DLB and HD.
Several studies using HD animal models have shown that HD mice housed in enriched environments or in cages with running wheels that stimulated physical activity demonstrated a delayed onset and/or slowed decline in motor function compared to mice in non-enriched environments (van Dellen et al. 2000, 2008; Spires et al., 2004). Evidence suggests that aerobic exercise may have neuroprotective effects and helps the elderly and individuals with neurodegenerative diseases to maintain better cognitive and motor function than those who are inactive. More specifically, there is strong evidence from animal and human trials in neurological populations (i.e., Parkinson's Disease, spinal cord injury, and stroke) that treadmill training can improve walking and motor function. Immediate effects of a single-session of treadmill walking in the Parkinson's Disease population were improved over-ground gait measures (i.e., gait speed, stride length, double support percent, stride variability) and longer term treadmill training studies demonstrated additional improvements in Unified Parkinson Disease Rating Scale scores, fall risk, and health-related quality of life (Herman et al., 2008). This study builds upon foundational knowledge gained in animals and other neurologic populations to determine the feasibility, safety and possible immediate benefit of treadmill walking in individuals with HD.
The primary purpose of this pilot study is to investigate the the safety, feasibility and utility of a single 20-minute session of treadmill walking to improve gait parameters in ambulatory individuals with DLB and HD. Secondarily we will explore the effects of treadmill walking on mobility, fall risk, and motor coordination. Based on previous studies utilizing a single-session of treadmill training in the PD population, we hypothesize that treadmill walking will improve overground spatiotemporal gait parameters (gait speed, stride length, double support percent, and stride-to-stride variations in gait) in individuals with DLB and HD (Pohl et al., 2003; Frenkel-Toledo et al., 2005; Bello et al., 2008).
2,172 studies on the registry are indexed under Dementia; 541 are open to participants now.
This study's enrollment of 28 is below the median of 83 across 1,629 interventional studies indexed under Dementia.
Browse Dementia studies →Ohio State University is the lead sponsor of 640 studies on the registry; 144 are open to participants now.
Of its 60 completed or terminated interventional studies of FDA-regulated products, 45 (75%) have results posted.
Counted across the registry records on this site, refreshed daily.
Exclusion Criteria:
All subjects will walk on treadmill for a total of 20 minutes.
Other: Treadmill Walking
Following instructions and familiarization with the treadmill, participants will walk on the treadmill for 20 minutes total with rest periods as needed. Treadmill speed will be set at each participant's overground comfortable walking speed for the first 5 minutes, provided that they can walk safely. If necessary the speed will be lowered until a safe gait is achieved. After 5 minutes the speed will be incrementally increased by10% each 5 minutes (3 times) as long as a safe gait (i.e., no abnormal vital signs, excessive effort, or loss of balance occurrences) can be maintained. If the gait pattern becomes unsafe or more abnormal the speed will revert to the previous safe speed and be maintained at this level until the end of training session.
Vital signs
Blood pressure, heart rate, and rating of perceived exertion will be measured before, during, and after treadmill walking.
Time frame: Within 24 hours
Spatiotemporal gait measures
Spatiotemporal gait parameters will be measured using a computerized system, a 4.88 meter electronic carpet equipped with sensors that record footfalls and communicate the information to a computer software program.
Time frame: within 24 hours
Timed Up and Go Test
Mobility and fall risk will be measured using the Timed Up and Go Test (TUG) that includes standing up from a chair, walking 3 meters, turning and returning to sitting in the chair.
Time frame: Within 24 hours
Q-motor testing
Motor coordination will be measured using force-transducer based measurement of grip forces during grasping and holding an object and of tapping forces and tap interval variability during fast repetitive finger and foot tapping.
Time frame: Within 24 hours
Plan to share: No
This study is completed, as verified in Sep 2016. You cannot join it, but the record below documents what was studied.
Get an email when the registry record changes — status, dates, results — or when someone posts here.
Sign in to followQuestions and observations about this study, from anyone following it. Not medical advice, and not a channel to the study team — their contact details are on the registry record.
Sign in to join the discussion. Reading takes no account; posting does. You choose a display name, and a pseudonym is the default.
Nothing here yet. If you are running this trial, taking part in it, or weighing whether to, this is the place to say so.
Ohio State University