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Understanding the brain pathways that help keep balance

Researchers use magnetic stimulation to explore how movement-related brain pathways respond in people with Parkinson’s and impaired balance control.

Learning by observing or collecting information · Study reference: NCT06464029

Plain-language introduction written with AI from the registry; not independently checked by a clinician. Read the original details below ↓

Open the official registry record ↗

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Looking for volunteers

Start (reported actual date)
2024-06-01
Main measurements finished (planned)
2027-06-10
Study finished (planned)
2027-06-10

Planned dates can move. A study finishing does not tell us when a paper will be published.

No results summary has been confirmed in the registry records we imported. See connected papers below; we keep checking after recruitment ends.

Changes we have recorded
  • 2026-10-11 — recruiting

These are dates we observed a change, not necessarily the dates it happened.

Papers connected to this study

No connected paper has been found yet. The tracker checks the growing library for study identifiers and registry-linked publications.

Who can join?

Ages 45 years to 80 years · Also accepts healthy volunteers

These are starting points, not the full rules. The research team can tell you whether the study is right for your situation.

Read all the rules for taking part

Sex eligibility reported by registry: all

Inclusion Criteria: Participants with Parkinson's disease * Diagnosis of idiopathic PD or dystonia as determined by a movement disorders neurologist in accordance with the UK Society Brain Bank diagnostic criteria. * Age 45-80 years. * Able to ambulate independently without the use of an assistive device (e.g. cane) for 50 meters. Healthy Older Adults (Control participants) * Age 45-80 years (this group will be age and sex-matched to the PD group) * Able to ambulate independently without the use of an assistive device (cane or walker) Healthy Young Adults * Age 21-44 years (this group will be age and sex-matched to the PD group) * Able to ambulate independently without the use of an assistive device (cane or walker) Exclusion Criteria: * Subjects who describe a history of a frequent vasovagal syncope (fainting) in response to blood, emotional stress, or sensory triggers. * Subjects who are on anti-coagulant medications. * Any musculoskeletal disorder that affects the ability to stand. * History of seizures, epilepsy, stroke, multiple sclerosis, or traumatic brain injury. * Intracranial metallic or magnetic devices. * Pacemaker or any implanted device. * History of surgery on blood vessels, brain or heart. * Unexplained, recurring headaches or concussion within the last six months. * Moderate to severe hearing impairment. * Subjects who are pregnant. * Dementia diagnosis * Other significant neurological disorders that may affect participation or performance in the study * Implanted deep brain stimulator or other neurosurgeries to treat PD.
Full study name & original research details

Official study title

Pathways Mediating Impaired Postural Control in Parkinson's Disease

Original description

The purpose of this project is to use transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS) to explore the state of excitability of corticocortical and corticofugal (cortex to spinal cord, cortex to brainstem to spinal cord) pathways that project to muscles that control the legs and trunk in people with Parkinson's disease. The outcome variables will be further analyzed to understand their relationship to quantitative measures of postural instability and gait dysfunction. As such, the project can be classified as basic physiologic research. The protocol is not designed to determine if measures of corticocortical or corticofugal excitability can be used as a biomarker to predict disease progression.

Conditions reported: Parkinson Disease

Registry records for this study

Records are joined using registration identifiers. Titles alone do not establish that two studies are the same.

Study type
Observational
Interventions
Not reported
Phases
Not reported
Sponsor
University of Minnesota
Start date reported by registry
2024-06-01 (actual)

Registry updated: 2026-07-02 · Status last verified by the registry submitter: 2026-06

Registry records retrieved 2026-10-11 (UTC). Individual records may have older updates. Recruitment and eligibility must be confirmed with the study team.

Contact the research team

Public study contacts supplied to the registry. Ask whether recruitment is still open and what participation involves.

Joshua De Kam · 612-626-8052 · jadekam@umn.edu

Study locations

Site status can differ from overall study status. “Status not reported” means local availability needs confirmation. Remote participation and travel arrangements must be checked with the team.

University of Minnesota

Minneapolis, Minnesota, United States

Recruiting

Facility not reported

United States

Status not reported

The original descriptions and participation rules come from the registry. Participation is voluntary and does not guarantee benefit.