NeuroGait
Research type
Research Study
Full title
The neurobiological basis of gait dysfunction in Parkinson’s disease
IRAS ID
234253
Contact name
John-Paul Taylor
Contact email
Sponsor organisation
The Newcastle Upon Tyne Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust
Duration of Study in the UK
1 years, 6 months, days
Research summary
Parkinson’s disease (PD) affects approximately 1 in 500 UK residents. One of the first symptoms seen is an alteration in gait i.e. the way we walk. This significantly impacts patients, as their mobility reduces and falls occur more frequently. Currently, there are limited options for reducing these gait changes, largely due to a lack in understanding how the brain affects gait. This study aims to improve understanding of associations between quantitatively measurable walking traits and brain structure and function in PD. Several reports have associated walking speed and brain anatomy amongst healthy older adults, yet few studies investigate other walking aspects or brain function. Studies involving PD populations are sparse, and findings do not relate well to the healthy older adult literature. Increased knowledge will ultimately aid development of better treatments.
In this project, brain imaging, gait and neuropsychological assessments will be completed with approximately 30 PD patients and 10 healthy older adults acting as controls. Gait will be assessed through a pressure-sensor walkway and body worn sensors. Properties of brain structure will be assessed through Magnetic Resonance, Diffusion Tensor and Diffusion Kurtosis imaging methods. Functional magnetic resonance imaging will assess brain regions which function in synchrony with each other whilst participants are at rest. We will then associate gait with different brain structures to determine the brain regions related to different aspects of walking. Cognitive traits, such as memory and attention, will additionally be included within analyses, to determine whether these affect the associations made between brain regions and gait.
Participants will be assessed approximately seven years after diagnosis. Similar assessments were completed soon after diagnosis in the same participants (See A5-2 ICICLE-PD and ICICLE-GAIT). Evaluating all data sets together will allow us to determine whether imaging assessments soon after diagnosis can predict future gait changes, and vice versa.REC name
London - City & East Research Ethics Committee
REC reference
17/LO/2090
Date of REC Opinion
21 Dec 2017
REC opinion
Favourable Opinion