Effects of Blood Flow Restriction Resistance Training on Autonomic and Endothelial Function in Persons with Parkinson's Disease

Background

Autonomic dysfunction precedes endothelial dysfunction in Parkinson's disease (PD) and causes blood pressure and circulation abnormalities that are highly disruptive to one's quality of life. While exercise interventions have proven helpful for motor symptoms of PD, improving associated non-motor symptoms is limited. Low-intensity resistance training with blood flow restriction (LIRT-BFR) improves autonomic dysfunction in non-PD patients and high-intensity resistance training (HIRT) is recommended for motor symptom improvements for people with PD (PwPD).

Objective

To determine the effects of LIRT-BFR and HIRT on homocysteine and autonomic and endothelial function in PwPD and to determine the hemodynamic loads during LIRT-BFR and HIRT in PwPD using a novel exercise protocol.

Methods

Thirty-eight PwPD were assigned LIRT-BFR, HIRT or to a control (CNTRL) group. The LIRT-BFR and HIRT groups exercised three days per week for four weeks. The LIRT-BFR protocol used 60% limb occlusion pressure (LOP) and performed three sets of 20 repetitions at 20% of the one-repetition maximum (1RM). The HIRT group performed three sets of eight repetitions at 80% 1RM. The CNTRL group was asked to continue their normal daily routines.

Results

LIRT-BFR significantly improved orthostatic hypotension (p = 0.026), homocysteine levels (p < 0.001), peripheral circulation (p = 0.003), supine blood pressure (p = 0.028) and heart rate variability (p = 0.041); LIRT-BFR improved homocysteine levels (p < 0.018), peripheral circulation (p = 0.005), supine blood pressure (p = 0.007) and heart rate variability (p = 0.047) more than HIRT; and hemodynamic loads for LIRT-BFR and HIRT were similar.

Conclusions

LIRT-BFR may be more effective than HIRT for autonomic and endothelial function improvements in PwPD and hemodynamic loads may be lessened in LIRT-BFR protocols using single-joint exercises with intermittent blood flow restriction. Further research is needed to determine if non-motor symptoms improve over time and if results are sustainable.

Can Physical Exercise Be Considered as a Promising Enhancer of Global Cognition in People with Parkinson's Disease? Results of a Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis

Background

Physical exercise interventions are known to improve quality of life, motor and non-motor symptoms in people with Parkinson's disease (PD). However, systematic reviews and meta-analyses on cognitive outcomes are rare.

Objective

To perform a systematic review and meta-analysis of physical exercise intervention effects compared with passive and active control groups (CGs) on global cognition in people with PD.

Methods

A literature search was performed for randomized controlled trials (RCTs) on physical exercise interventions in PD using nine databases. We included RCTs reporting global cognition outcomes. A meta-analysis was performed using random-effects models and standardized mean differences (SMDs) with 95% confidence intervals (CIs). Bias was assessed with the revised Cochrane Risk of Bias tool and the certainty of evidence was rated using the GRADE approach.

Results

Seventeen studies (ten with passive, seven with active CGs) were included in the systematic review. Exercise interventions varied considerably between studies. The meta-analysis included nine studies with 236 people with PD (seven with passive, two with active CGs). The SMD was 0.33 (95% CI 0.00; 0.65) demonstrating a small effect (p = 0.05) in favor of physical exercise. Compared with passive CGs, physical exercise had a small non-significant effect (SMD = 0.22, 95% CI -0.14;0.58, p = 0.24). Compared with active CGs, physical exercise had a medium significant effect (SMD = 0.72, 95% CI 0.12;1.33, p = 0.02).

Conclusions

Physical exercise may increase global cognition in people with PD, but the evidence is very uncertain. Further large-scale RCTs are needed to confirm this finding and to identify the most effective type of physical exercise for improving cognition.

Digital Intervention Promoting Physical Activity in People Newly Diagnosed with Parkinson's Disease: Feasibility and Acceptability of the Knowledge, Exercise-Efficacy and Participation (KEEP) Intervention

Background

Exercise promotion interventions for people with Parkinson's disease (PD) are often offered on a face-to-face basis, follow a generic "one-size-fit-all" approach, and are not typically delivered at diagnosis. Considering PD's heterogenous nature, the existing evidence on the merits of exercise on symptom management and the expressed wishes of people living with PD for access to timely and tailored evidence-based information, there is a demand for interventions that are easily accessible, scalable and co-designed with people living with PD.

Objective

Evaluate the feasibility and acceptability of a co-designed digital intervention promoting exercise and physical activity, in people newly diagnosed with PD.

Methods

Thirty people living with PD for less than one year participated in an assessor-blinded randomized feasibility trial from June 2022 to April 2023. The intervention group received the 8-week Knowledge, Exercise Efficacy and Participation (KEEP) intervention comprising 6 interactive digital modules and 4 online live group discussions facilitated by a specialist physiotherapist. Assessments were performed at baseline, post intervention and at 6-month follow up.

Results

Thirty participants were recruited to target with a 64% recruitment rate (30/47). All but one participant completed the 6-month follow-up assessment. There was high retention (97%), module completion (91%), and online discussion attendance (88%). Outcome measure collection was feasible, including accelerometer data with a daily average wear time of 23.9 hours (SD:0.295).

Conclusions

The KEEP intervention was feasible and acceptable in people newly diagnosed with PD. A larger trial is needed to assess intervention efficacy and correlation between knowledge, self-efficacy, and activity levels.

What type of physical exercise works best to improve movement and quality of life for people with Parkinson's disease? - A Cochrane Review summary with commentary

BACKGROUND

Parkinson's disease (PD) is a progressive neurodegenerative disorder diagnosed by motor symptoms of bradykinesia, in combination with tremor, rigidity, or postural instability. Many studies document the effects of exercise-based interventions, but the benefit of different exercise types remains unclear.

OBJECTIVE

To provide a commentary on the Cochrane Review by Ernst et al. on the effectiveness of different types of physical exercise regarding motor signs, Quality of Life (QoL), and the occurrence of adverse events.

METHODS

A systematic search was performed in CENTRAL, MEDLINE, Embase, and other databases. The search was performed also in trial registries, conference proceedings, and reference list of identified studies.

RESULTS

The review included 154 RCTs (with 7837 participants). The network meta-analyses (NMAs) on the severity of motor signs and QoL included data from 60 (2721 participants) and 48 (3029 participants) trials, respectively. The evidence from the NMA suggests that dance, gait/balance/functional training probably have a moderate beneficial effect on the severity of motor signs, and multi-domain training probably has a small beneficial effect on the severity of motor signs. Endurance, aqua-based, strength/resistance, and mind-body training might have a small beneficial effect on the severity of motor signs. In addition, aqua-based training probably has a large beneficial effect on QoL, and mind-body, gait/balance/functional, and multi-domain training and dance might have a small beneficial effect on QoL.

CONCLUSIONS

Current evidence supports the promotion of physical exercise among people with PD, identifying only small differences between exercises in influencing the severity of motor signs and QoL.

Efficacy of non-immersive virtual reality-based telerehabilitation on postural stability in Parkinson's disease: a multicenter randomized controlled trial

BACKGROUND

The implementation of regular prolonged, and effective rehabilitation in people with Parkinson's disease is essential for ensuring a good quality of life. However, the continuity of rehabilitation care may find barriers related to economic, geographic, and social issues. In these scenarios, telerehabilitation could be a possible solution to guarantee the continuity of care.

AIM

To investigate the efficacy of non-immersive virtual reality-based telerehabilitation on postural stability in people with Parkinson's disease, compared to at-home self-administered structured conventional motor activities.

DESIGN

Multicenter randomized controlled trial.

SETTING

Five rehabilitation hospitals of the Italian Neuroscience and Rehabilitation Network.

POPULATION

Individuals diagnosed with Parkinson's disease.

METHODS

Ninety-seven participants were randomized into two groups: 49 in the telerehabilitation group (non-immersive virtual reality-based telerehabilitation) and 48 in the control group (at-home self-administered structured conventional motor activities). Both treatments lasted 30 sessions (3-5 days/week for, 6-10 weeks). Static and dynamic balance, gait, and functional motor outcomes were registered before and after the treatments.

RESULTS

All participants improved the outcomes at the end of the treatments. The primary outcome (mini-Balance Evaluation Systems Test) registered a greater significant improvement in the telerehabilitation group than in the control group. The gait and endurance significantly improved in the telerehabilitation group only, with significant within-group and between-group differences.

CONCLUSIONS

Our results showed that non-immersive virtual reality-based telerehabilitation is feasible, improves static and dynamic balance, and is a reasonably valuable alternative for reducing postural instability in people with Parkinson's disease.

CLINICAL REHABILITATION IMPACT

Non-immersive virtual reality-based telerehabilitation is an effective and well-tolerated modality of rehabilitation which may help to improve access and scale up rehabilitation services as suggested by the World Health Organization's Rehabilitation 2030 agenda.

An integrated review of music cognition and rhythmic stimuli in sensorimotor neurocognition and neurorehabilitation

This work reviews the growing body of interdisciplinary research on music cognition, using biomechanical, kinesiological, clinical, psychosocial, and sociological methods. The review primarily examines the relationship between temporal elements in music and motor responses under varying contexts, with considerable relevance for clinical rehabilitation. After providing an overview of the terminology and approaches pertinent to theories of rhythm and meter from the musical-theoretical and cognitive fields, this review focuses on studies on the effects of rhythmic sensory stimulation on gait, rhythmic cues' effect on the motor system, reactions to rhythmic stimuli attempting to synchronize mobility (i.e., musical embodiment), and the application of rhythm for motor rehabilitation for individuals with Parkinson's disease, stroke, mild cognitive impairment, Alzheimer's disease, and other neurodegenerative or neurotraumatic diseases. This work ultimately bridges the gap between the musical-theoretical and cognitive science fields to facilitate innovative research in which each discipline informs the other.

Effects of overground gait training assisted by a wearable exoskeleton in patients with Parkinson's disease

BACKGROUND

In the recent past, wearable devices have been used for gait rehabilitation in patients with Parkinson's disease. The objective of this paper is to analyze the outcome of a wearable hip orthosis whose assistance adapts in real time to the patient's gait kinematics via adaptive oscillators. In particular, this study focuses on a metric characterizing natural gait variability, i.e., the level of long-range autocorrelations (LRA) in series of stride durations.

METHODS

Eight patients with Parkinson's disease (Hoehn and Yahr stages 1[Formula: see text]2.5) performed overground gait training three times per week for four consecutive weeks, assisted by a wearable hip orthosis. Gait was assessed based on performance metrics such as the hip range of motion, speed, stride length and duration, and the level of LRA in inter-stride time series assessed using the Adaptive Fractal Analysis. These metrics were measured before, directly after, and 1 month after training.

RESULTS

After training, patients increased their hip range of motion, their gait speed and stride length, and decreased their stride duration. These improvements were maintained 1 month after training. Regarding long-range autocorrelations, the population's behavior was standardized towards a metric closer to the one of healthy individuals after training, but with no retention after 1 month.

CONCLUSION

This study showed that an overground gait training with adaptive robotic assistance has the potential to improve key gait metrics that are typically affected by Parkinson's disease and that lead to higher prevalence of fall.

TRIAL REGISTRATION

ClinicalTrials.gov Identifer NCT04314973. Registered on 11 April 2020.

Four Days Are Enough to Provide a Reliable Daily Step Count in Mild to Moderate Parkinson's Disease through a Commercial Smartwatch

Daily steps could be a valuable indicator of real-world ambulation in Parkinson's disease (PD). Nonetheless, no study to date has investigated the minimum number of days required to reliably estimate the average daily steps through commercial smartwatches in people with PD. Fifty-six patients were monitored through a commercial smartwatch for 5 consecutive days. The total daily steps for each day was recorded and the average daily steps was calculated as well as the working and weekend days average steps. The intraclass correlation coefficient (ICC) (3,k), standard error of measurement (SEM), Bland-Altman statistics, and minimum detectable change (MDC) were used to evaluate the reliability of the step count for every combination of 2-5 days. The threshold for acceptability was set at an ICC ≥ 0.8 with a lower bound of CI 95% ≥ 0.75 and a SAM < 10%. ANOVA and Mann-Whitney tests were used to compare steps across the days and between the working and weekend days, respectively. Four days were needed to achieve an acceptable reliability (ICC range: 0.84-0.90; SAM range: 7.8-9.4%). In addition, daily steps did not significantly differ across the days and between the working and weekend days. These findings could support the use of step count as a walking activity index and could be relevant to developing monitoring, preventive, and rehabilitation strategies for people with PD.

Navigating (un)certainty in 'downhill' trajectories: An ethnographic study about rehabilitees' and professionals' experiences of goal-setting in Parkinson's disease rehabilitation

OBJECTIVE

To explore rehabilitees' and professionals' experiences of goal-setting in a context of (un)certainty with a progressive neurodegenerative disease and how they navigate this (un)certainty in Parkinson's disease rehabilitation.

DESIGN

A long-term multi-sited ethnographic fieldwork (2019-2020) following 20 rehabilitees and their goals over time and settings. Observation at 30 goal-setting meetings.

PARTICIPANTS

Rehabilitees and professionals in Danish Parkinson's disease rehabilitation. Two randomly chosen groups of rehabilitees attending a Parkinson's disease course at a rehabilitation centre participated.

METHODS

Semi-structured interviews and participant observation.

RESULTS

Living with Parkinson's disease holds a certainty that the condition will progress yet an uncertainty regarding the pace and severity, as indicated by the notion (un)certainty. The (un)certainty challenges goal-setting. Reflecting on goal-setting, rehabilitees brought forth existential, economical, and societal considerations. Some expressed an ambivalent view, questioning the value of goal-setting with a progressive condition, yet finding own rehabilitation goals relevant. Others expressed a pragmatic view, attuning goals to fit the situation. Professionals found that the visible and invisible symptoms and the uncertain pace of Parkinson's made goal-setting challenging. They had to strike a balance between mentioning symptoms to come, yet not rendering the future too bleak.

CONCLUSIONS

Rehabilitees and professionals found that setting goals in a condition that progresses is no easy task. They made use of strategies such as observation, repetition, future-proofing strategies, and attuning goals to navigate the (un)certainty. In goal-setting, to maintain functioning with progressive Parkinson's disease was a viable goal. Participants found they just do the best they can to navigate (un)certainty.

The impact of virtual reality on manual dexterity of Parkinson's disease subjects: a systematic review

PURPOSE

To present the latest available evidence on the effects of a VR-based therapy on the manual dexterity of PD subjects.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

The search was conducted in PubMed, EMBASE, and PEDro databases. Were included in the systematic review Randomized Clinical Trials, Pilot and Feasibility studies published up to December 2020. The studies should include at least one of the following assessments: Box and Blocks Test, 9-Hole Peg Test; Purdue Pegboard Test. PEDro Scale was used to assess the methodological quality of the included studies.

RESULTS

Eight studies were included in the review. Most studies have shown an improvement in outcomes for manual dexterity, but most of them presented a high risk of bias with low methodological quality. A high heterogeneity was observed in the protocols used for each study.

CONCLUSION

The results suggest that VR-based therapy has great potential and feasibility to be used as a manual dexterity rehabilitation protocol in PD subjects. However, these results must be interpreted carefully and studies with greater methodological rigor must be conducted.Implications For RehabilitationRehabilitation programs using virtual reality seem to have greater adherence to the user.Immersive virtual reality systems seem to do better in manual dexterity than non-immersive systems.It is plausible to use virtual reality systems in telerehabilitation for manual dexterity training in subjects with Parkinson's' Disease.The use of Virtual Reality by the therapist in a rehabilitation program allows him to modulate the exercises, enabling a wide variety of therapeutic options.

Intergenerational choral singing to improve communication outcomes in Parkinson's disease: Development of a theoretical framework and an integrated measurement tool

Purpose: This study presented an initial step towards developing the evidence base for intergenerational choral singing as a communication-focussed rehabilitative approach for Parkinson's disease (PD).Method: A theoretical framework was established to conceptualise the rehabilitative effect of intergenerational choral singing on four domains of communication impairments - motor drive, timing mechanism, sensorimotor integration, higher-level cognitive and affective functions - as well as activity/participation, and quality of life. A computer-assisted multidimensional acoustic analysis was developed to objectively assess the targeted domains of communication impairments. Voice Handicap Index and the World Health Organization's Quality of Life assessment-abbreviated version were used to obtain patient-reported outcomes at the activity/participation and quality of life levels. As a proof of concept, a single subject with PD was recruited to participate in 9 weekly 1-h intergenerational choir rehearsals. The subject was assessed before, 1 week post, and 8 weeks post-choir.Result: Notable trends of improvement were observed in multiple domains of communication impairments at 1 week post-choir. Some improvements were maintained at 8 weeks post-choir. Patient-reported outcomes exhibited limited pre-post changes.Conclusion: This study provided the theoretical groundwork and an empirical measurement tool for future validation of intergenerational choral singing as a novel rehabilitation for PD.

Multicomponent and mat Pilates training increased gait speed in individuals with Parkinson's disease when walking and carrying a load: A single-blinded randomized controlled trial

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE

Gait disorders in individuals with Parkinson's disease (IwPD) are among the most disabling symptoms. Physical exercise has been proposed for the treatment of IwPD because it shows positive effects on gait variables. Given the importance of physical activity in the rehabilitation process of IwPD, the assessment of interventions to identify those most promising for improving or maintaining gait performance is of great relevance. Therefore, this study evaluated the effects of Mat Pilates Training (MPT) and Multicomponent Training (MCT) on the spatiotemporal variables of gait in situations of daily dual-task performance in IwPD. Gait analysis in a daily dual-task context allows the simulation of real-life conditions where individuals have a higher risk of falling than in single-task walking.

METHODS

We conducted a single-blinded randomized controlled trial with 34 mild-to-moderate IwPD (Hoehn-Yahr stage 1-2). They were randomized to one of two interventions: MPT or MCT. All participants performed the training for 60 min, three times per week, for 20 weeks. Spatiotemporal gait variables were evaluated in a daily life situation to increase the ecological validity of the measurements, which included gait speed, stride time, double support time, swing time, and cadence. The individuals walked on a platform holding two bags with a load corresponding to 10% of their body mass.

RESULTS

After the intervention, there was a significant improvement in gait speed in both groups: MPT (p = 0.047) and MCT (p = 0.015). The MPT group reduced the cadence (p = 0.005) and the MCT group increased the stride length (p = 0.026) after the intervention.

DISCUSSION

Both groups had positive effects on gait speed with load transport resulting from the two proposed interventions. However, the MPT group showed a spatiotemporal adjustment of speed and cadence that can increase gait stability, which was not found in the MCT group.

Association of activities of daily living, mobility and balance ability, and symptoms of Parkinson's disease with the masses and amounts of intramuscular non-contractile tissue of the trunk and lower extremity muscles in patients with Parkinson's disease

PURPOSE

We examined the association of activities of daily living (ADL), mobility and balance ability, and symptoms of Parkinson's disease (PD) with the masses and amounts of intramuscular non-contractile tissue of the trunk and lower extremity muscles in patients with PD.

METHODS

The subjects were 11 community-dwelling patients with PD. ADL were assessed using the Functional Independence Measure. Mobility capacity was assessed based on measurement of maximal walking speed and timed up-and-go time, while balance ability was evaluated based on measurement of one-legged stance time. The symptoms of PD were assessed based on measurement of the Hoehn and Yahr stage and Unified Parkinson's Disease Rating Scale. Muscle thickness (MT) and echo intensity (EI) of the trunk and lower extremity muscles were also measured using an ultrasound imaging device.

RESULTS

Partial correlation analysis revealed an association between reduced ADL and increased EI of the lumbar erector spinae muscle; reduced mobility capacity and increased EI of the rectus abdominis and gluteus minimus muscles; and reduced balance ability and decreased MT of the lumbar erector spinae muscle and increased EI of the lumbar erector spinae, semitendinosus, and tibialis posterior muscles. Partial correlation analysis also showed an association between symptoms of severe PD and decreased MT of the tibialis anterior muscles and increased EI of the lumbar erector spinae, gluteus minimus, and tibialis posterior muscles.

CONCLUSION

The properties of the trunk and lower extremity muscles may be critical for ADL, mobility and balance ability, and symptoms of PD in patients with PD.

"Out and proud…. in all your shaking glory" the wellbeing impact of a dance program with public dance performance for people with Parkinson's disease: a qualitative study

PURPOSE

To explore if and how Parkinson's disease dance class participation and public performance contributes to perceptions of wellbeing.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

A qualitative design using audio-recorded one-on-one semi-structured interviews with five class participants and three teachers/volunteers from two metropolitan Dance for Wellbeing class locations. Data were inductively thematically analysed by three researchers.

RESULTS

Five themes illustrated the experience of dance class and performance for people with Parkinson's Disease: 1) 'the enabling learning environment'; 2) 'physical benefits from class participation; 3) 'mental/psychological benefits from class participation'; 4) 'social benefits from class participation; 5) 'sense of self and life engagement from class participation'. Themes 4 and 5 in particular were considered to be 'magnified by public performance', providing an opportunity for solidarity within the group and a supportive avenue for "coming out" and living publicly with the PD diagnosis.

CONCLUSION

Dance performance magnifies health and wellbeing experiences of people with Parkinson's disease when part of an enabling, inclusive and emotionally and physically safe learning dance class environment. Elements of holistic benefits, as well as the fun and playful nature of the experience may be important elements to consider for motivation, recruitment and retention in this population.IMPLICATIONS FOR REHABILITATIONRehabilitation professionals should consider the use of dance class as an art-based activity that has a holistic therapeutic benefit.Flexible and fun environments are constructive for dancers to sustain attendance and interest.Rehabilitation professionals can be cognisant of the impact of public dance performance as 'coming out' with Parkinson's Disease.

The effect of rehabilitation interventions on freezing of gait in people with Parkinson's disease is unclear: a systematic review and meta-analyses

PURPOSE

To summarize the effects of rehabilitation interventions to reduce freezing of gait (FOG) in people with Parkinson's disease.

METHODS

A systematic review with meta-analyses of randomized trials of rehabilitation interventions that reported a FOG outcome was conducted. Quality of included studies and certainty of FOG outcome were assessed using the PEDro scale and GRADE framework.

RESULTS

Sixty-five studies were eligible, with 62 trialing physical therapy/exercise, and five trialing cognitive and/or behavioral therapies. All meta-analyses produced very low-certainty evidence. Physical therapy/exercise had a small effect on reducing FOG post-intervention compared to control (Hedges' g= -0.26, 95% CI= -0.38 to -0.14, 95% prediction interval (PI)= -0.38 to -0.14). We are uncertain of the effects on FOG post-intervention when comparing: exercise with cueing to without cueing (Hedges' g= -0.58, 95% CI= -0.86 to -0.29, 95% PI= -1.23 to 0.08); action observation training plus movement strategy practice to practice alone (Hedges' g= -0.56, 95% CI= -1.16 to 0.05); and dance to multimodal exercises (Hedges' g= -0.64, 95% CI= -1.53 to 0.25).

CONCLUSIONS

We are uncertain if physical therapy/exercise, cognitive or behavioral therapies, are effective at reducing FOG.Implications for rehabilitationFOG leads to impaired mobility and falls, but the effect of rehabilitation interventions (including physical therapy/exercise and cognitive/behavioral therapies) on FOG is small and uncertain.Until more robust evidence is generated, clinicians should assess FOG using both self-report and physical measures, as well as other related impairments such as cognition, anxiety, and fear of falling.Interventions for FOG should be personalized based on the individual's triggers and form part of a broader exercise program addressing gait, balance, and falls prevention.Interventions should continue over the long term and be closely monitored and adjusted as individual circumstances change.

A systematic review and meta-analysis on the effect of virtual reality-based rehabilitation for people with Parkinson's disease

BACKGROUND

Virtual reality (VR) is a promising solution for individuals with Parkinson's disease (PD) who experience symptoms that affect their daily activities and independence. Through VR-based rehabilitation, patients can improve their motor skills in a safe and stress-free environment, making it an attractive alternative to traditional in-person rehabilitation during the COVID-19 pandemic. This study aimed to provide the most recent and convincing evidence on the rehabilitative effects of VR technology compared with conventional treatments.

METHODS

Two investigators systematically searched Embase, MEDLINE, CINAHL, PEDro, and the Cochrane Library from their inception until May 31, 2022, to identify randomized controlled trials (RCTs) comparing the effectiveness of VR training with that of conventional treatment for patients with PD. Studies were selected based on the patient, intervention, comparator, and outcome criteria and assessed for the risk of bias using the Cochrane tool. Meta-analysis was conducted by pooling mean differences with 95% confidence intervals.

RESULTS

A total of 14 RCTs, involving 524 participants, were included in the meta-analysis. The results indicated that VR-based rehabilitation significantly improved balance function, as measured using the Berg balance scale (BBS) and activities-specific balance confidence. However, no statistically significant differences in gait ability, activities of daily living, motor function, and quality of life were observed between the experimental and control groups. Subgroup analysis revealed that combination therapy affected heterogeneity in the BBS analysis. Meta-regression analysis demonstrated a significant positive relationship, indicating that more recent studies have shown greater improvements in balance function.

CONCLUSION

This study's findings suggest that VR-based rehabilitation is a promising intervention for improving balance function in patients for PD compared with conventional treatment, and recent research supports its efficacy. However, future research should focus on conducting long-term follow-up studies and developing standardized protocols to comprehensively establish this intervention's potential benefits.

Immediate Effects of Lower Limb Sensory Simulation Using Smart Socks to Stabilize Gait in People with Parkinson's Disease

People with Parkinson's disease (PD) experience gait impairment that can lead to falls and poor quality of life. Here we investigate the feasibility of using smart socks to stimulate the lower limbs of people with PD to reduce excessive step time variability during walking. We hypothesised that rythmic excitation of lower limb afferents, matched to a participant's comfortable pace, would entrain deficient neuro-muscular signals resulting in improved gait. Five people with mild to moderate PD symptoms (70 ± 9 years) were tested on medication before and after a 30-minute familierization session. Paired t-tests and Cohen's d were used to assess gait changes and report effect sizes. Participant experiences were recorded through structured interviews. Lower limb stimulation resulted in an acute 15% increase in gait speed (p=0.006, d=0.62), an 11% increase in step length (p=0.04, d=0.35), a 44% reduction in step time variability (p=0.03, d=0.91), a 22% increase in perceived gait quality (p=0.04, d=1.17), a 24% reduction in mental effort to walk (p=0.02, d=0.79) and no statistical difference for cadence (p=0.16). Participants commented positively on the benefit of stimulation during training but found that stimulation could be distracting when not walking and the socks hard to put on. While the large effects for step time variability and percieved gait quality (Cohen's d > 0.8) are promising, limitations regarding sample size, potential placebo effects and translation to the home environment should be addressed by future studies.Clinical Relevance- This study demonstrates the feasibility of using smart stimulating socks to reduce excessive step time variability in people with PD. As step time variability is a risk factor for falls, the use of smart textiles to augment future rehabilitation programs warrants further investigation.

Video See-Through Pipelines for Virtual Reality Headsets and their Impact on Gait

This study investigated the impact of different video see-through pipelines in virtual reality on gait. A mobility task was conducted with healthy participants to evaluate the gait adaptions using different video see-through pipelines. The gait parameters observed for this study were stride length, maximum toe clearance and walking speed. The results showed an impact on gait where the gait parameters were reduced when participants used a high latency and restricted field of view pipeline. However, when participants used a pipeline with low latency and a field of view closer to normal vision, less impact on gait was achieved. As virtual reality poses a promising future for gait rehabilitation in patients with Parkinson's disease, this result highlights the need to carefully consider the video see-through pipeline and display characteristics when considering its use for gait rehabilitation or mobility studies in general.Clinical relevance- This study demonstrates the impact of virtual reality systems on gait using different video see- through pipelines during a mobility task. This may be useful for clinicians who use virtual reality in gait rehabilitation and aid them in choosing the most suitable virtual reality system for therapy.

Laser-light Visual Cueing Shoes with Foot Pressures and Inertial Sensing for Individuals with Parkinson's Disease. ANNUAL INTERNATIONAL CONFERENCE OF THE IEEE ENGINEERING IN MEDICINE AND BIOLOGY SOCIETY. IEEE ENGINEERING IN MEDICINE AND BIOLOGY SOCIETY. ANNUAL INTERNATIONAL CONFERENCE 2023;2023:1-4. [PMID: 38082776 DOI: 10.1109/embc40787.2023.10340072] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0]

Gait disorder is a core problem in individuals with Parkinson's disease (PD), including bradykinesia, shuffling steps, festinating gait, and freeze of gait (FOG). Laser-light visual cueing has been demonstrated to be efficient in the mediation of gaits and the reduction in number of FOG episodes. However, previous approaches commonly adopted independent controls of visual cueing on left and right sides which was prone to produce two cues while individual was not in normal walking. In this study, we developed laser-light visual shoes which produced interlaced visual cues for left and right feet in a manner of one-side cueing at a time, solving the aforementioned problem. With parallel measurement of foot inertial data and foot pressures in each shoe, our results showed that the proposed visual cueing made PD individuals in the on-medication condition walk with a longer stance and swing times, that is, they walked more carefully and stable. The proposed approach can also be used to study kinematic and kinetic characteristics of gaits in the off-medication condition to clarify the mediation of visual cueing on motor control of PD individuals.Clinical Relevance- This demonstrates the effect of laser-light visual cueing on gaits in individuals with Parkinson's disease.

Auditory cueing strategy for stride length and cadence modification: a feasibility study with healthy adults

People with Parkinson's Disease experience gait impairments that significantly impact their quality of life. Visual, auditory, and tactile cues can alleviate gait impairments, but they can become less effective due to the progressive nature of the disease and changes in people's motor capability. In this study, we develop a human-in-the-loop (HIL) framework that monitors two key gait parameters, stride length and cadence, and continuously learns a person-specific model of how the parameters change in response to the feedback. The model is then used in an optimization algorithm to improve the gait parameters. This feasibility study examines whether auditory cues can be used to influence stride length in people without gait impairments. The results demonstrate the benefits of the HIL framework in maintaining people's stride length in the presence of a secondary task.Clinical relevance- This paper proposes a gait rehabilitation framework that provides a personalized cueing strategy based on the person's real-time response to cues. The proposed approach has potential application to people with Parkinson's Disease.

Effect of Pro-kin visual feedback balance training on balance function of individuals with early Parkinson's disease: a randomized controlled pilot trial

Background

Parkinson's disease (PD) is the second most common neurodegenerative disease. Patients often present with balance dysfunction. Several studies have applied visual feedback training to stroke patients and demonstrated significant improvement. However, the application of visual feedback balance training in PD patients has not been reported.

Objective

To observe the effects of visual feedback balance training combined with conventional rehabilitation training on the balance function of patients with early PD.

Methods

Fifty patients with early PD were randomly divided into control group and observation group. The control group received conventional rehabilitation training, including body position transfer, weight shifting, movement in all directions and gait training. The observation group were added with visual feedback balance training on the basis of the training above. All patients were trained 5 times per week for 4 weeks. Berg Balance Scale (BBS), Time Up-and-Go test (TUG) and Pro-Kin balance training instrument were used to evaluate the balance function of patients before and after treatment, and the balance function were compared between the two groups.

Results

The BBS and TUG scores of the observation group and the control group were improved significantly (P<0.01), and the BBS and TUG scores of the observation group were improved more obviously than control group (P<0.01). The length and area of eye open and closed condition in the observation group and the control group were significantly reduced compared with those before training (P<0.01), and the degree of reduction in the observation group was more obvious (P<0.01). The length and area of the observation group and the control group before and after training when eye open were smaller than those when eye closed (P<0.01).

Conclusion

The conventional rehabilitation therapy can improve the balance function of PD patients, but the combination of visual feedback balance training and conventional rehabilitation therapy can improve the balance function more significantly.

Therapeutic intervention with virtual reality in patients with Parkinson's disease for upper limb motor training: A systematic review

To analyze the scientific evidence regarding changes in upper extremities in patients with Parkinson's disease who use virtual reality as part of their neurological rehabilitation treatment. The search was carried out in the following databases: MEDLINE, Cochrane Library, PEDROs and SCOPUS. The following inclusion criteria were applied to a total of 106 articles: Randomized clinical trials with an age of 5 years, the sample had to be of patients with PD (regardless of their state of involvement) and who had performed RV in the treatment of limbs superiors. A total of n=7 articles were used, in which the variables corresponding to upper limb motor control were measured, such as: fine motor dexterity, gross motor dexterity, strength, tremor, functionality and speed. Virtual Reality as tool in neurorehabilitation in patients with Parkinson's disease shows positive effects in all measurements related to upper limb motor control.

Rehabilitation Interventions for Improving Balance in Parkinson's Disease: A Narrative Review

INTRODUCTION

Postural instability is one of the latest clinical manifestations of Parkinson disease. Because of the limited therapeutic effect of pharmacological therapies, a favorable consideration has now become toward rehabilitation interventions. Thus, this study aimed to synthesize literature evidence to summarize the effects of rehabilitation interventions for improving balance in Parkinson disease.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

We conducted a narrative review of randomized-controlled clinical trials comparing the effects of interventions, control interventions, and no interventions on balance-related outcomes. A comprehensive search using the MEDLINE database was conducted from January 2000 to September 2021. This review included the following causes of balance-related impairments: inability to control body weight in the base of support, impaired attention and focus on balance, postural deformities, proprioceptive deficiency, sensory-motor integration, and coordination disorders, including visual and auditory-motor coordination.

RESULTS

Twenty randomized-controlled clinical trials were included in the review. Various balance-related outcomes were included. The included studies focused on the effectiveness of different rehabilitation interventions, including physical therapy, virtual reality and telerehabilitation, treadmill training, hydrotherapy, action observation training, balance and cues training interventions, and cognitive rehabilitation.

CONCLUSIONS

The results suggest that most of the included rehabilitation interventions have promising therapeutic effects in improving balance in Parkinson disease.

Multidisciplinary Intensive Rehabilitation Program for People with Parkinson's Disease: Gaps between the Clinic and Real-World Mobility

Intensive rehabilitation programs improve motor and non-motor symptoms in people with Parkinson's disease (PD), however, it is not known whether transfer to daily-living walking occurs. The effects of multidisciplinary-intensive-outpatient rehabilitation (MIOR) on gait and balance in the clinic and on everyday walking were examined. Forty-six (46) people with PD were evaluated before and after the intensive program. A 3D accelerometer placed on the lower back measured daily-living walking during the week before and after the intervention. Participants were also stratified into "responders" and "non-responders" based on daily-living-step-counts. After the intervention, gait and balance significantly improved, e.g., MiniBest scores (p < 0.001), dual-task gait speed increased (p = 0.016) and 6-minute walk distance increased (p < 0.001). Many improvements persisted after 3 months. In contrast, daily-living number of steps and gait quality features did not change in response to the intervention (p > 0.1). Only among the "responders", a significant increase in daily-living number of steps was found (p < 0.001). These findings demonstrate that in people with PD improvements in the clinic do not necessarily carry over to daily-living walking. In a select group of people with PD, it is possible to ameliorate daily-living walking quality, potentially also reducing fall risk. Nevertheless, we speculate that self-management in people with PD is relatively poor; therefore, to maintain health and everyday walking abilities, actions such as long-term engaging in physical activity and preserving mobility may be needed.