An interventional study of Rhythmic Auditory Stimulation (RAS) in Parkinson Disease, sponsored by Johns Hopkins University. Recruiting at 1 site in United States. Open to participants aged 18 Years to 89 Years. Per ClinicalTrials.gov, last updated 2026-05-06.
Sponsored by Johns Hopkins University · Not applicable, Interventional, and Treatment
Participants will be asked to walk along with the metronome beats (RAS) during the participants' stimulation state (ON or OFF) for four minutes for each state.
The researcher will collect the gait parameters (cadence, velocity, and stride length) of patients before, during, and after RAS in both DBS ON and OFF states.
Using MDS-UPDRS, participants' gait patterns will be collected before and after RAS while both DBS is ON and OFF. Electrophysiological activity (local field potentials, LFPs) will be collected across all stages (pre, during, and post-RAS) of evaluation.
Given the evidence that rhythmic auditory stimulation (RAS) can modulate beta oscillation and improve gait parameters, the purpose of this study is to examine behavioral and neurophysiological rhythmic entrainment mechanisms.
Participants who complete the consent and enrollment process will remain for an additional up to 1 hour following the participants' routine clinic visit at the Jons Hopkins Outpatient Clinic.
The protocol will consist of two parts (DBS ON and DBS OFF). The order of stimulation states will be randomly assigned to the participants.
During DBS ON, participants will receive the participants' previously optimized stimulation after a 10-minute washout period. The researchers will measure participants' gait parameters (cadence, velocity, and stride length) with a 2-minute walk (a set distance of 10 meters during the 2-minute walk) and gait patterns using relevant items from the MDS-UPDRS-III rating scale during stimulation ON (Pre-RAS).
The participants will then walk to the metronome beats for a total of four minutes (2 minutes for the same beat as baseline cadence and 2 minutes for 10% faster than baseline cadence) (RAS), and the gait parameters will be recorded. The order of the tempo will be randomized across the participants.
Finally, after this 4-minute walk, the same assessment as for Pre-RAS will be conducted (Post-RAS).
Electrophysiological activity (local field potentials, LFPs) will be collected across all stages (pre, during, and post-RAS) of evaluation.
In DBS OFF, there will be a separate 10-minute washout period if it is taking place after DBS ON so that the participant's brain circuits can adjust to not being stimulated. Except for the DBS stimulation state, DBS OFF will follow the same protocol as DBS ON above.
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Exclusion Criteria:
After a 10-minute washout period, participants will receive the participants' optimized stimulation. 1. The participants will undergo assessments to measure gait parameters and patterns during stimulation ON and OFF (Pre-RAS) using the 10-meter walk (during a 2-minute walk) and MDS-UPDRS-III rating scale. 2. Electrophysiological activity (e.g., local field potentials, LFPs) will be collected before assessments.
1. The participants will walk to the metronome beats for four minutes (2 minutes for the same beats as baseline cadence and 2 minutes for 10% faster than baseline cadence) (RAS), and the participants' gait parameters will be recorded. 2. Electrophysiological activity (e.g., local field potentials, LFPs) will be collected.
Behavioral: Rhythmic Auditory Stimulation (RAS)
The same assessment as the Pre-RAS will be conducted (Post-RAS).
Rhythmic auditory stimulus (RAS) is a Neurologic Music Therapy (NMT) technique that utilizes an auditory rhythmic cue to entrain gait to a specific rhythm. RAS, as an anticipatory time cue, can be used as both an immediate entrainment stimulus, providing rhythmic cues during movement, and as a facilitating stimulus for planning and executing a movement to achieve more functional gait patterns. Cadence, gait velocity, and stride length are the commonly used parameters to monitor changes in a patient's gait.
Change in gait cadence (steps/minute)
Gait cadence will be calculated with a 10-meter walk. Cadence (steps/min) = 60 / time (seconds) x # of steps
Time frame: 0 minute (Baseline 1, DBS ON), 5 minutes, 10 minutes, 20 minutes (Baseline 2, DBS OFF), 25 minutes, and 30 minutes
Change in gait velocity (meter/minute)
Gait velocity will be calculated with a 10-meter walk. Velocity(meter/min) = 60 / time (seconds) x 10 meter
Time frame: 0 minute (Baseline 1, DBS ON), 5 minutes, 10 minutes, 20 minutes (Baseline 2, DBS OFF), 25 minutes, and 30 minutes
Change in gait stride length (meter)
Gait stride length will be calculated with a 10-meter walk. Stride length (meter) = Velocity / Cadence x 2
Time frame: 0 minute (Baseline 1, DBS ON), 5 minutes, 10 minutes, 20 minutes (Baseline 2, DBS OFF), 25 minutes, and 30 minutes
Changes in MDS-UPDRS-III (section 3.9. Arising From Chair ) score
0: Normal: No problems. Able to arise quickly without hesitation. 1. Slight: Arising is slower than normal; or may need more than one attempt; or may need to move forward in the chair to arise. No need to use the arms of the chair. 2. Mild: Pushes self up from the arms of the chair without difficulty. 3. Moderate: Needs to push off, but tends to fall back; or may have to try more than one time using the arms of the chair, but can get up without help. 4. Severe: Unable to arise without help.
Time frame: 0 minute (Baseline 1, DBS ON), 10 minutes, 20 minutes (Baseline 2, DBS OFF), 30 minutes
Change in MDS-UPDRS-III (section 3.10. Gait) score
0: Normal: No problems. 1. Slight: Independent walking with minor gait impairment. 2. Mild: Independent walking but with substantial gait impairment. 3. Moderate: Requires an assistance device for safe walking (walking stick, walker) but not a person. 4. Severe: Cannot walk at all or only with another person's assistance.
Time frame: 0 minute (Baseline 1, DBS ON), 10 minutes, 20 minutes (Baseline 2, DBS OFF), 30 minutes
Change in MDS-UPDRS-III (section 3.11. Freezing of gait) score
0: Normal: No freezing. 1. Slight: Freezes on starting, turning, or walking through doorway with a single halt during any of these events, but then continues smoothly without freezing during straight walking. 2. Mild: Freezes on starting, turning, or walking through doorway with more than one halt during any of these activities, but continues smoothly without freezing during straight walking. 3. Moderate: Freezes once during straight walking. 4. Severe: Freezes multiple times during straight walking.
Time frame: 0 minute (Baseline 1, DBS ON), 10 minutes, 20 minutes (Baseline 2, DBS OFF), 30 minutes
Change in MDS-UPDRS-III (section 3.12. Postural stability) score
0: Normal: No problems. Recovers with one or two steps. 1. Slight: 3-5 steps, but subject recovers unaided. 2. Mild: More than 5 steps, but subject recovers unaided. 3. Moderate: Stands safely, but with absence of postural response; falls if not caught by examiner. 4. Severe: Very unstable, tends to lose balance spontaneously or with just a gentle pull on the shoulders.
Time frame: 0 minute (Baseline 1, DBS ON), 10 minutes, 20 minutes (Baseline 2, DBS OFF), 30 minutes
Change in MDS-UPDRS-III (section 3.13. Posture) score
0: Normal: No problems. 1. Slight: Not quite erect, but posture could be normal for older person. 2. Mild: Definite flexion, scoliosis or leaning to one side, but patient can correct posture to normal posture when asked to do so. 3. Moderate: Stooped posture, scoliosis or leaning to one side that cannot be corrected volitionally to a normal posture by the patient. 4. Severe: Flexion, scoliosis or leaning with extreme abnormality of posture.
Time frame: 0 minute (Baseline 1, DBS ON), 10 minutes, 20 minutes (Baseline 2, DBS OFF), 30 minutes
Change in power spectrum density of Local Fields Potential (LFP) (micro-volts-squared per Hz)
Power spectrum density will show the strength of the variations (energy) as a function of frequency. In other words, it shows at which frequencies variations are strong and at which frequencies variations are weak.
Time frame: 0 minute (Baseline 1, DBS ON), 5 minutes, 10 minutes, 20 minutes (Baseline 2, DBS OFF), 25 minutes, and 30 minutes
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