An observational study in Deep Brain Stimulation, Parkinson Disease and Apraxia, Motor, sponsored by University of Florida. Terminated at 1 site in United States. Open to participants aged 18 Years to 80 Years. Per ClinicalTrials.gov, last updated 2025-07-16.
Sponsored by University of Florida · Observational
Deep brain stimulation (DBS) of the subthalamic nucleus or globus pallidus internus can improve motor symptoms Parkinson's disease (PD). However, it is not known whether DBS can help reduce the signs and symptoms of the limb-kinetic, ideomotor or ideational apraxia associated with PD or if apraxia can exist as a stimulation induced side effect from DBS therapy. In this study, we look to conduct a pilot study to examine the feasibility of characterizing the prevalence of apraxia in PD patients with chronic, stable DBS.
This will be a pilot study designed to assess the safety and feasibility of an apraxia testing protocol in chronically implanted PD DBS patients. We hypothesize that apraxia testing in the DBS ON and OFF states will be a safe and well-tolerated testing protocol. We also hypothesize that DBS will affect the severity of limb-kinetic, ideomotor and ideational apraxia in PD patients. This will set the foundation for larger prospective trials to further characterize apraxia in relation to DBS and whether or not DBS programming can modulate this phenomenon.
In this study, we will recruit 60 PD patients with chronic, stable DBS of either the subthalamic nucleus (STN) or globus pallidus interna (GPi). Both unilateral and bilateral DBS patients are eligible for this study. For this study, "chronic, stable DBS" will be defined as patients who have had at least 6 months of optimization programming at the University of Florida. The subjects will be recruited to the Fixel clinic for a 1-day study visit in the medication ON state. The patients will undergo testing for limb-kinetic, ideomotor and ideational apraxia of both upper extremities in the DBS ON state at home therapeutic settings.
4,573 studies on the registry are indexed under Parkinson Disease; 1,086 are open to participants now.
This study's enrollment of 2 is below the median of 96 across 1,085 observational studies indexed under Parkinson Disease.
Browse Parkinson Disease studies →University of Florida is the lead sponsor of 1,287 studies on the registry; 199 are open to participants now.
Of its 180 completed or terminated interventional studies of FDA-regulated products, 143 (79%) have results posted.
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Patients with Parkinson's disease who underwent deep brain stimulation for help of their motor symptoms.
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Exclusion Criteria:
Patients with Parkinson's disease and deep brain stimulation
Device: Deep brain stimulation effect on apraxia
We will evaluate the effect of DBS on apraxia
Evaluate for the presence or absence of ideomotor apraxia in PD patients
Evaluate the effect of DBS on ideomotor apraxia in PD patients. We will assess the TULIA screening assessment: General instruction: "Seven gestures are demonstrated in a mirror fashion, imitate them as precisely as possible" 1. Bring thumb extended on forehead, other fingers point upwards 2. Wipe dust from shoulder Additional instruction: "For the next five gestures, imagine holding a tool or an object in hand, don't use your fingers as a tool" 3. Drink from a glass 4. Smoke a cigarette 5. Use a hammer 6. Use scissors 7. Use a stamp to postmark Pantomime General instruction: "Now gestures are asked. Listen very carefully and perform them as precisely as possible" 8. "Show as if someone is crazy" 9 . "Make a threatening sign" Additional instruction: "Again, imagine holding a tool or an object in hand, don't use the fingers" 10\. "Brush your teeth" 11. "Comb your hair" 12. "Use a screwdriver"
Time frame: Up to 1 hour
Evaluate for the presence or absence of ideational apraxia in PD patients
Evaluate the effect of DBS on Ideational apraxia in PD patients. We will assess this via the picture sequencing test. The outcome will be a binary (yes/no) result based on the testing. In this test, there is an activity that is represented by 4 black and white photographs: 3 of the photographs show a set of objects, tools, and actions needed to complete a step of the activity, and 1 photograph shows the completed task. The 4 photographs are arranged randomly, 1 per quadrant on an 8 1/2"×11" sheet of white paper. Participants are required to touch each picture in the correct sequence needed to complete each activity.
Time frame: Up to 1 hour
Evaluate for the presence or absence of limb-kinetic apraxia in PD patients
Evaluate the effect of DBS on limb-kinetic apraxia in PD patients. We will assess this via the coin rotation test. Coin rotation test The subject is asked to take a coin and rotate it 180 degrees between their thumb, index and middle fingers as fast as they can twenty times. They will rotate the coin so that the thumb pushes the bottom part of the coin up and away from themselves. The task will be repeated 3 times for each hand. Each task is timed.
Time frame: Up to 30 minutes
Evaluate for the presence or absence of limb-kinetic apraxia in PD patients
Evaluate the effect of DBS on limb-kinetic apraxia in PD patients. We will assess this via the grooved pegboard test. Grooved Pegboard The Grooved Pegboard is a manipulative dexterity test. This unit consists of 25 holes with randomly positioned slots. Pegs, which have a key along one side, must be rotated to match the hole before the can be inserted. The pegboard is placed in mid-line with the subject so that the board is at the edge of the table and peg tray immediately above the board. All the pegs are the same. They have a groove, that is, a round side and a square side and so do the holes in the boards. What you must do is match the groove of the peg with the groove of the board and put these pegs into the holes like this.
Time frame: Up to 30 minutes
This study is terminated, as verified in Jul 2025. You cannot join it, but the record below documents what was studied.
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