Whole-body Vibration as a Treatment for Parkinson's Disease

Sun Life Financial Movement Disorders Research and Rehabilitation Centre

Status: Unknown

Conditions: Idiopathic Parkinson's Disease; Primary Parkinsonism

Treatments: Device: vibrating chair; Device: sham treatment

Study type: Interventional

Funder types: Other

Identifiers

NCT02306863

4291

Details and patient eligibility

About

This study will evaluate whether whole-body vibration applied over a 12-week period is effective in treating motor symptoms of Parkinson's disease.

Full description

Parkinson's disease (PD) is a progressive neurodegenerative disease resulting in the loss of dopaminergic neurons projecting from the substantia nigra pars compacta to the striatum.

Whole-body vibration (WBV) is potentially beneficial in treating Parkinson's disease because it has been shown to elicit effects specific to both the brain and muscular system. Animal models of PD indicate that whole-body vibration can increase striatal dopamine levels, as well as the number of dopaminergic neurons in the substantia nigra. These findings were correlated with increased levels of brain-derived neurotrophic factor.

In addition to the potentially neuroplastic effects, >20 Hz WBV has been shown to improve muscular performance. Improved muscular performance is believed to be attributed to WBV induced neuromuscular effects rather than muscle hypertrophy, with the specific mechanism defined as the tonic vibration reflex.

Enrollment: 60 estimated patients

Sex: All

Ages: 18+ years old

Volunteers: No Healthy Volunteers

Inclusion criteria

• Diagnosed with idiopathic Parkinson's Disease by a Neurologist
• Currently taking anti-Parkinsonian medication
• Able to stand for 2 minutes without assistance
• Able to walk 10 meters without assistance
• Ability to understand English instructions
• Normal or corrected vision

Exclusion criteria

• A neurological disease other than PD
• recent stroke
• cardiovascular disease
• previous major hemorrhage
• artificial pacemaker
• currently pregnant
• Current participation in any physical therapy or experimental treatments
• Peripheral neuropathy, severe osteoporosis
• Visual impairments that cannot be corrected
• Clinically diagnosed with dementia
• Greater than mild dementia (screened using Montreal Cognitive Assessment (MOCA) <24 being excluded)

Trial design

Primary purpose: Treatment

Allocation: Randomized

Interventional model: Parallel Assignment

Masking: Double Blind

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60 participants in 2 patient groups

whole-body vibration

Experimental group

Description:

40 Hz Whole-body vibration applied via physioaccoustic method for 12 weeks, 3 times a week

Treatment:

Device: vibrating chair

sham treatment

Sham Comparator group

Description:

simulated whole-body vibration applied 3 times a week for 12 weeks

Treatment:

Device: sham treatment