Recruiting · registry status

Adjusting a brain stimulator to help walking

Researchers are testing whether a computer-guided method can find useful brain stimulation settings from a practical number of walking tests.

Testing a treatment or activity · Study reference: NCT07835308

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

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Who can join?

Age 18 years and over · 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: * Diagnosis of Parkinson's Disease * DBS in STN or GP (bilateral or unilateral) * At least 3 months after lead implantation Exclusion Criteria: * Inability to walk in the off-med, off-stimulation condition (even with safety harness) * Gait impaired significantly by a condition other than PD, as determined by the PI * Breaks or shorts in active contacts * IPG battery nearing end of life (in patients with primary-cell IPGs) * Females who are nursing or pregnant * Diminished capacity to consent (concluded via UBACC)

Full study name & original research details

Official study title

Bayesian Optimization of DBS for Gait

Original description

This project aims to establish the feasibility of Bayesian optimization for tuning deep brain stimulation (DBS) to treat gait symptoms in Parkinson's disease (PD) patients. Our primary question is: Can Bayesian optimization of DBS achieve reproducible results within a feasible number of gait measurements? PD patients will be enrolled who have DBS of the subthalamic nucleus (STN) or globus pallidus (GP) in whom at least 3 months have passed since activation of their neurostimulators, for stabilization of clinical stimulator settings. We will apply Bayesian optimization to derive DBS settings which maximally lengthen step length relative to the OFF DBS state.

Further description from the registry

Patients will undergo on-label DBS for the treatment of Parkinson's disease, at stimulator settings different from their usual settings, but within the FDA-approved range for this indication, based on the output of the Bayesian optimization algorithm. Test settings will be evaluated by a brief period of walking on a treadmill which captures measurements of step length. The resulting step length will be provided to the algorithm to inform the next recommended test setting. This will be repeated approximately 30 times to reach putatively optimal DBS settings.

Conditions reported: Parkinson Disease (PD)

Study type: Interventional
Interventions: Deep Brain Stimulation
Phases: EARLY_PHASE1
Sponsor: University of Minnesota
Start date reported by registry: 2026-12 (estimated)

Registry updated: 2026-09-28 · Status last verified by the registry submitter: 2026-09

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.

Johanna Caskey, BA · 763-353-9470 · caske039@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

Johanna Caskey, BA · 763-353-9470 · caske039@umn.edu

Scott Cooper, MD, PhD

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