Recruiting · registry statusCombining magnetic stimulation with walking exercises
Researchers test personalised, closely spaced magnetic brain stimulation and walking practice for freezing while walking in Parkinson’s.
Testing a treatment or activity · Study reference: NCT06982638
Plain-language introduction written with AI from the registry; not independently checked by a clinician. Read the original details below ↓
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Looking for volunteers
- Start (reported actual date)
- 2024-11-21
- Main measurements finished (planned)
- 2026-12-31
- Study finished (planned)
- 2026-12-31
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
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 50 years to 80 years · Does not accept 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:
1. 50-80 years of age
2. diagnosis of PD based on UK Brain Bank diagnostic criteria 55
3. presence of FOG defined as a score of 1 on part 1 of the nFOGQ in which a video showing different types of freezing is played for the patient, a score of 1 represents a positive response of having experienced such an episode over the last month
4. no dopaminergic medication changes in the month prior
5. observed FOG rated as \>1 in item 3.11 of the Movement Disorder Society Unified Parkinson's Disease Rating Scale (MDS-UPDRS).
Exclusion Criteria:
1. a history of other significant gait impairment unrelated to PD (e.g. orthopedic deformities)
2. inability to complete gait assessments (timed up and go task) without assistance or assist devices
3. barriers to making contact between the TMS coil and the skin (e.g. braids that cannot be removed)
4. failing to meet all criteria on a standardized MRI/TMS safety screening: This includes, but is not limited to, the presence of claustrophobia, implanted electronic devices (e.g., pacemakers), metallic objects or fragments (e.g., bullets), and non-removable hair clips or piercings.
5. individuals with a diagnosis of psychosis or any other cognitive impairments that would make them unable to understand and follow study instructions or to consent for themselves.
6. pregnancy
7. individuals with a history of seizure
Full study name & original research details
Official study title
Accelerated TMS for Freezing of Gait in Parkinson's Disease
Original description
The goal of this clinical trial is to learn whether a personalized brain stimulation method called repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation (rTMS), combined with walking exercises, is a practical and tolerable approach to help people with Parkinson's disease who experience freezing of gait (FOG). FOG is a disabling symptom where people temporarily feel stuck and unable to start walking, even though they want to move.
The main questions this study aims to answer are:
Can people with Parkinson's disease and FOG tolerate this combined rTMS and walking training procedure?
Can researchers successfully enroll and retain participants for this multi-visit intervention?
Does the combination of rTMS and gait training show early signs of improving gait and reducing freezing episodes?
This study does not include a comparison or placebo group. All participants will receive the same intervention.
Participants will:
Attend up to 15 study visits over about 16 weeks, with the option to combine visits to reduce burden.
Complete brain imaging (MRI) before and after the intervention to guide and evaluate treatment.
Receive a form of brain stimulation (rTMS) using a safe, non-invasive coil placed over a specific part of the brain called the supplementary motor area (SMA). The target is personalized using each person's MRI data.
Participate in walking exercises that include cognitive tasks (dual-task gait training) after each set of brain stimulation sessions.
Undergo assessments of walking ability, Parkinson's disease symptoms, and brain response to stimulation.
Be videotaped during walking tasks to assess gait changes, while wearing small motion sensors on the body.
Complete questionnaires about symptoms, safety, and tolerability.
This study is being conducted at the Medical University of South Carolina (MUSC) and includes up to 15 adults between the ages of 50 and 80 who have been diagnosed with Parkinson's disease and experience FOG.
Although rTMS is already FDA-cleared for depression and other conditions, it has not been approved for freezing of gait, and its use in this study is considered investigational. The stimulation device used has been determined to be non-significant risk (NSR) by the FDA.
The study does not offer direct medical benefit to participants, but results from this trial may help researchers develop future treatments and better understand how brain stimulation affects walking difficulties in Parkinson's disease.
Participation is voluntary, and individuals can withdraw from the study at any time without affecting their medical care
Conditions reported: Parkinson's Disease (PD)
Registry records for this study
Records are joined using registration identifiers. Titles alone do not establish that two studies are the same.
- Study type
- Interventional
- Interventions
- TMS+ Gait training
- Phases
- NA
- Sponsor
- Medical University of South Carolina
- Start date reported by registry
- 2024-11-21 (actual)
Registry updated: 2026-01-07 · Status last verified by the registry submitter: 2026-01
Registry records retrieved 2026-10-13 (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.
Niloufar Malakouti, MD, MSc · 843-792-0235 · malakout@musc.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.
Medical University of South Carlina
Charleston, South Carolina, United States
RecruitingNiloufar Malakouti, MD, MSc · 843-792-0235 · malakout@musc.edu
Gonzalo Revuelta, DO
Facility not reported
United States
Status not reportedThe original descriptions and participation rules come from the registry. Participation is voluntary and does not guarantee benefit.