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NCT Number: NCT01971528

Central and Peripheral Fatigue in Individuals With Parkinson's Disease - Evaluation and Training

Fatigue is one of the most common symptoms in individuals with Parkinson's Disease (PD). Past research indicated that more than half of the individuals with PD demonstrated fatigue symptom. The severity of fatigue was also correlated to the quality of life in individuals with PD. Finding the contributions of the central and the peripheral factors to fatigue and developing an effective training program for individuals with PD are very important.

Fatigue can be categorized into peripheral or central causes. The central fatigue and voluntary activation failure originate from the decrease in motivation or the reduction of the conduction within corticospinal tracts. Long term activation failure and central fatigue will cause disuse of muscle and result in peripheral weakness and peripheral fatigue. Quantifying the weighting of central versus peripheral factors contributing to the fatigue in people with PD is important.

Most of the conventional strength and endurance training programs were based on the researches of young groups. Almost no training program was design for enhancing the voluntary activation level and relief the central fatigue. Seeking an appropriate training program to enhance central activation is very important for individuals with PD who prone to fatigue.

Previous studies have shown that increasing afferent input by peripheral electrical stimulation (ES) at sensory threshold enhanced the plasticity of contralateral primary sensory cortex, the excitability of corticospinal tracts, and the functional performance in young adults. Combining afferent input with strength training was more effective than strength training along. ES, which is easy to quantify the dose of afferent input, is a feasible method to provide such training.

The purpose of this project is to investigate the effects of the combination of ES at sensory threshold and strength training on voluntary activation in the individuals with PD.

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Key information

Conditions

Parkinson Disease(PD) Basal Ganglia Diseases Brain Diseases Central Nervous System Diseases Fatigue Movement Disorders Nervous System Diseases Neurodegenerative Diseases Parkinson Disease Parkinsonian Disorders Pathological Conditions, Signs and Symptoms Signs and Symptoms Synucleinopathies

Age range

20 year–80 year

Sex eligibility

All sexes

Study type

Interventional

Phase

Not applicable

Primary location

Chang Gung University

Taoyuan, 333, Taiwan

Who can participate

Healthy volunteers accepted: Yes

Only the study team can determine whether someone qualifies for participation.

Health subjects:

Exclusion criteria

  • Musculoskeletal injuries for knee.
  • Osteoporosis.
  • Diabetes.

PD subjects:

Inclusion criteria

  • Clinical diagnosis of Parkinson disease.

Exclusion criteria

  • Musculoskeletal injuries for knee.
  • Osteoporosis.
  • Diabetes.
  • Any peripheral or central nervous system injury or disease patients.

Treatment and study plan

Electronic muscle stimulator

Device

Participants will perform 8 weeks of electrical stimulation for Quadriceps muscle belly(30 minutes/time, 3 times/week).

Muscle strength training

Other

Participants will perform 8 weeks of isotonic contraction muscle strength training for lower extremities.

Primary outcomes

  1. Muscle twitch force

    Time frame: baseline, 8 weeks.

    Measure of changes in muscle twitch force by interpolation twitch technique.

  2. Muscle voluntary activity level

    Time frame: Baseline,8 weeks

    Measure of changes in muscle voluntary activity level by interpolation twitch technique.

  3. Muscle strength test for lower extremities.

    Time frame: Baseline, 8 weeks

    Measure of changes in muscle strength test by clinical test.

  4. The central activation and the excitability of motor cortex

    Time frame: Baseline,8 weeks

    Measure of changes in the central activation and the excitability of motor cortex by Transcranial magnetic stimulation.

Sponsors and collaborators

Lead sponsor

Chang Gung University

Other

Registry information

Important dates

Study start
2012
Primary completion
2014
Study completion
2015
First posted
Oct 29, 2013
Registry last updated
Mar 28, 2024

OpenTrials presents study information sourced from ClinicalTrials.gov. The official registry record should be consulted for the latest information.

View the official ClinicalTrials.gov record (opens in a new tab)

This listing is for discovery and informational purposes only. It is not medical advice, does not guarantee that a study is recruiting, and does not determine eligibility. Contact the study team and a qualified healthcare professional when considering participation.

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