Sensory Stimulation Effect on Movement Speed in Patients With Parkinson Disease

NCT01544738 | Completed

• 1 other identifier: LMNB-01
• Study Type: interventional
• Target: 11
• Locations: 1 country
• Sites: 1

Brief Summary

Movement slowness (bradykinesia) is one of the main motor symptoms in Parkinson Disease (PD). Several studies have shown that patients with PD exhibit slowness because they are unable to modulate, in an optimal way, the velocity of voluntary motor acts not induced by external stimulation. Indeed, these patients have difficulties to integrate multi-sensorial information, mainly proprioception. The investigators investigated changes in shoulder velocity during pointing movements by patients with PD after stimulation of soft tissues (aponeurosis) of upper limb muscles. The stimulation consisted of manipulating, with a hook (the diacutaneous fibrolysis method), the aponeurotic tissues enrobing the heads of the upper limb muscles. This technique has previously been shown to decrease passive tension and the tendon reflex response of the manipulated muscle group. The investigators hypothesis is that aponeurotic manipulation of shoulder muscles therefore creates a modification in the proprioceptive information, which in return temporarily decreases the bradykinesia of shoulder movements.

Conditions

Parkinson Disease

Keywords

Parkinson Disease; sensory stimulation; Bradykinesia

Outcome Measures

Primary Outcomes (1)

• 3D kinematic movement parameters and upper limb muscles electromyographic activation

  Participants will be followed for the duration of the clinical test (2 weeks)

Secondary Outcomes (1)

• Unified Parkinson's Disease Rating Scale (UPDRS)

  Participants will be followed for the duration of the clinical test (2 weeks)

Study Arms (2)

Aponeurotic stimulation group

EXPERIMENTAL

The stimulation consisted of manipulating, with a hook (the diacutaneous fibrolysis method), the aponeurotic tissues enrobing the heads of the trunk and upper limb muscles.

Other: Aponeurotic stimulation (the diacutaneous fibrolysis method)

Placebo stimulation group

ACTIVE COMPARATOR

Placebo stimulation (PS) consisted of manipulating the skin along the same paths over the trunk, shoulder and arm muscles that were the targets for treatment in the Aponeurotic stimulation group.

Other: Placebo stimulation

Interventions

Aponeurotic stimulation (the diacutaneous fibrolysis method) OTHER

Treatment consisted of manipulating, with a hook, the aponeurotic tissues enrobing the heads of the upper-limb muscles. The manipulation consisted of back and forth mobilization, applied perpendicularly to the axis of the muscular fibers. The mobilization is performed with both hands; the therapist's non-dominant hand performs a manual mobilization whereas the dominant hand follows the movement with the hook. The hook allows the therapist to be very precise about the location of the tissues that are stretched. This stretch is realized at the level of the aponeurotic fibers presenting the greatest resistance to perpendicular movement. The shape of the hook is chosen to avoid discomfort or pain during manipulation. To spread the pressure exerted by the spatula on a very local point, it is important to fill completely the curved part of the hook with the adjacent soft tissues. We manipulated muscle from the proximal insertion towards the distal, giving special attention to the tendons.

Aponeurotic stimulation group

Placebo stimulation OTHER

Placebo stimulation (PS) consisted of manipulating the skin along the same paths over the trunk, shoulder and arm muscles that were the targets for treatment in the AS group

Placebo stimulation group

Eligibility Criteria

• Sex: all
• Healthy Volunteers: No
• Age Groups: Child (0-17), Adult (18-64), Older Adult (65+)

You may qualify if:

• Clinical diagnosis of Parkinson Disease

You may not qualify if:

• Patients with a limitation in the shoulder range of motion necessary to perform pointing movements

Sponsors & Collaborators

• Université Libre de Bruxelles: lead
• Fonds National de la Recherche Scientifique: collaborator
• Belgium: Belgian Federal Science Policy Office (BELSPO): collaborator

Study Sites (1)

ULB-FSM Laboratory of neurophysiology and movement biomechanics

Brussels, 1070, Belgium

Location

MeSH Terms

Conditions

Parkinson Disease; Hypokinesia

Condition Hierarchy (Ancestors)

Parkinsonian Disorders; Basal Ganglia Diseases; Brain Diseases; Central Nervous System Diseases; Nervous System Diseases; Movement Disorders; Synucleinopathies; Neurodegenerative Diseases; Dyskinesias; Neurologic Manifestations; Signs and Symptoms; Pathological Conditions, Signs and Symptoms

Study Officials

• Ana Bengoetxea, PhD

  Université Libre de Bruxelles

  PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR

• Françoise Leurs, PhD Student

  Université Libre de Bruxelles

  STUDY CHAIR

• Leslie Rigal, Master Student

  Université Libre de Bruxelles

  STUDY CHAIR

• Guy Cheron, PhD

  Université Libre de Bruxelles

  STUDY DIRECTOR

Study Design

• Study Type: interventional
• Phase: not applicable
• Allocation: RANDOMIZED
• Masking: SINGLE
• Who Masked: PARTICIPANT
• Purpose: TREATMENT
• Intervention Model: PARALLEL
• Sponsor Type: OTHER
• Responsible Party: PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR
• PI Title: Assistant Professor

Study Record Dates

• First Submitted: February 23, 2012
• First Posted: March 6, 2012
• Study Start: November 1, 2008
• Primary Completion: May 1, 2009
• Last Updated: March 6, 2012

Record last verified: 2012-02

Locations

BE (1)