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Completed

NCT Number: NCT07399522

Home-Based Calligraphic Handwriting Exercises in Parkinson's Disease

Parkinson's disease is a progressive neurodegenerative disorder with no curative treatment currently available. Its symptoms lead to increasing limitations in daily activities, with impairments in manual dexterity being particularly relevant. Handwriting difficulties are common in patients with Parkinson's disease; however, it remains unclear whether a rehabilitation program based on handwriting exercises can improve overall manual dexterity and daily functioning.

This randomized, single-blind controlled trial aims to evaluate the effects of a 12-week home-based calligraphic handwriting exercise program on manual dexterity in patients with Parkinson's disease. Participants will be recruited from the Movement Disorders Clinic of Hospital 12 de Octubre (Madrid, Spain) and randomly assigned to either an intervention group or a control group.

Manual dexterity will be primarily assessed using the Purdue Pegboard Test across scheduled study visits. Secondary outcomes will include measures of dexterity related to activities of daily living, quality of life, and motor function.

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Key information

Conditions

PARKINSON DISEASE (Disorder) Basal Ganglia Diseases Brain Diseases Central Nervous System Diseases Movement Disorders Nervous System Diseases Neurodegenerative Diseases Parkinson Disease Parkinsonian Disorders Synucleinopathies

Age range

40 year–80 year

Sex eligibility

All sexes

Study type

Interventional

Phase

Not applicable

Primary location

Hospital Universitario 12 de Octubre

Madrid, Spain

Who can participate

Healthy volunteers accepted: No

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

Inclusion criteria

  • Patients aged 40 to 80 years
  • Clinical diagnosis of Parkinson's disease according to the UK Brain Bank criteria.
  • Hoehn and Yahr stage 1 to 4
  • Assessed in the ON-medication state (approximately 90 minutes after levodopa intake)
  • Stable antiparkinsonian treatment for at least 4 weeks prior to study entry and maintained throughout the study period

Exclusion criteria

  • Parkinson's disease-related dementia, defined as a Montreal Cognitive Assessment (MoCA) score < 21
  • Upper limb comorbidities unrelated to Parkinson's disease that could interfere ith exercise performance (e.g., arthritis, recent fractures, stroke sequelae, or peripheral neuropathy)
  • Severe tremor or severe dyskinesias affecting the dominant hand, defined as:
  • a score ≥ 3 on UPDRS-III items 20 or 22, or
  • score ≥ 2 on UPDRS-IV item 33

Treatment and study plan

Calligraphic Handwriting Exercise Program

Behavioral

A structured home-based calligraphic handwriting exercise program designed to train fine motor control and manual dexterity. Participants perform predefined handwriting exercises regularly over a 12-week period using provided written materials.

Primary outcomes

  1. Change in Manual Dexterity

    Time frame: Baseline and up to 12 weeks

    Manual dexterity will be assessed using the Purdue Pegboard Test. The primary outcome will be the change in Purdue Pegboard Test score from baseline across scheduled study visits.

Sponsors and collaborators

Lead sponsor

Sara Llamas Velasco

Other

Collaborators

  • Carlos III Health Institute

Registry information

Official study title

A Randomized Controlled Trial of Home-Based Calligraphic Handwriting Exercises in Patients With Parkinson's Disease

Important dates

Study start
2022
Primary completion
2025
Study completion
2025
First posted
Feb 10, 2026
Registry last updated
Feb 10, 2026

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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