Sensory Stimulation for Essential Tremor and Parkinson's Disease
Sensory-specific Peripheral Stimulation for Tremor Management
Recruiting
N/AInterventional Study
Parkinson's DiseaseEssential Tremor
No Placebo Group
Every participant receives an active treatment — no one gets a placebo.
Healthy Volunteers Welcome
You do not need to have the condition being studied to take part.
Ready to participate?
Review the details below, then apply to join this clinical trial.
At a Glance
Age
18 – 80
Sex
Any
Study type
Interventional
Purpose
Basic Science
Participants needed
180 (estimated)
Sponsor
Shirley Ryan AbilityLab · Other
Who this trial is looking for
This trial is looking for healthy individuals and patients with essential tremor or Parkinson's disease to understand how electrical stimulation can help manage tremors. Participants will undergo various tests including imaging and stimulation techniques.
Are You a Good Fit for This Trial?
Rules you outAtypical parkinsonismMixed or complex tremors
You may be able to join if
I am between 18 and 80 years old
I have normal hearing and corrected vision
I can understand and give informed consent
I have been diagnosed with essential tremor or Parkinson's disease
I have tremors in at least one upper limb
My tremors are moderate to severe as judged by a doctor
I can speak and understand English
I have taken stable medication doses for at least 30 days before joining
You may not be able to join if
I have a cardiac pacemaker or other implanted device
I have metal in my body or any magnetic particles
I have a history of seizures or epilepsy
I have significant claustrophobia
I am pregnant or breastfeeding
I have current substance abuse issues
I have other neurological diseases or conditions that interfere
I have had prior neurosurgery
Summarized in plain language from this trial's official eligibility criteria.
The full criteria are further down this page — only the research team can
confirm whether you qualify.
Think this trial could be right for you?
Answer a few quick questions to see if you may meet the eligibility requirements.
The purpose of this study is to understand the neurophysiological mechanisms of peripheral electrical stimulation (PES) in modulating supraspinal tremorogenic input to motoneurons. For this purpose, the investigators will use transcutaneous PES, high-density electromyography (HD-EMG), transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS), electroencephalography (EEG), magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), and neuro…
The purpose of this study is to understand the neurophysiological mechanisms of peripheral electrical stimulation (PES) in modulating supraspinal tremorogenic input to motoneurons. For this purpose, the investigators will use transcutaneous PES, high-density electromyography (HD-EMG), transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS), electroencephalography (EEG), magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), and neuromusculoskeletal modelling. This study will be carried out in both healthy participants and patients with essential tremor (ET) and Parkinson's disease (PD).
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Eligibility Criteria
Inclusion Criteria for Healthy Participants:
* Age from 18 to 80 years
* No history of a brain and/or skull lesion
* Normal hearing and (corrected) vision
* Able to understand and give informed consent
* No neurological disorders, no tremor
* Absence of pathology that could cause abnormal movements…
Inclusion Criteria for Healthy Participants:
* Age from 18 to 80 years
* No history of a brain and/or skull lesion
* Normal hearing and (corrected) vision
* Able to understand and give informed consent
* No neurological disorders, no tremor
* Absence of pathology that could cause abnormal movements of extremities (e.g., epilepsy, stroke, marked arthritis)
* Able to understand and speak English
Inclusion Criteria for Patients:
* Age from 18 to 80 years
* No prior history of skull lesions or craniotomy
* Normal hearing and (corrected) vision
* Able to understand and give informed consent
* Diagnosis of ET (Tremor Research investigation Group criteria) or diagnosis of PD (UK PD Society Brain bank diagnostic criteria) by a physician
* Tremor in at least an upper limb with pure flexion-extension wrist tremor with posture (ET) and rest (PD).
* Tremor at least moderate-severe by clinician judgment and tremor scales (Fahn Tolosa Marin Tremor Rating Scale (TETRAS), Movement Disorder Society-Unified Parkinson's Disease Rating Scale (MDS-UPDRS))
* Absence of pathology that could cause abnormal movements of extremities (e.g., epilepsy, stroke, marked arthritis, moderate to severe dyskinesias in PD)
* Stable medication doses for at least 30 days prior to study enrollment
* Able to understand and speak English
Exclusion Criteria for Healthy Participants:
* Cardiac pacemaker or pacemaker wires; neurostimulators; implanted pumps
* Metal in the body (rods, plates, screws, shrapnel, dentures, IUD) or metallic particles in the eye
* Surgical clips in the head or previous neurosurgery
* Any magnetic particles in the body
* Cochlear implants
* Prosthetic heart valves
* Epilepsy or any other type of seizure history
* Any neurological diagnoses or medications influencing brain function
* History of significant head trauma (i.e., extended loss of consciousness, neurological sequelae)
* Known structural brain lesion
* Significant other disease (heart disease, malignant tumors, mental disorders)
* Significant claustrophobia; Ménière's disease
* Pregnancy (ruled out by urine ß-HCG if answers to screening questions suggest that pregnancy is possible), breast feeding
* Non prescribed drug use
* History of current substance abuse (exception: current nicotine use is allowed)
* Recreational marijuana
* Tremor, parkinsonism; neurological diseases; medical (cardiological, renal, hepatic, oncological) or psychiatric disease that would interfere with study procedures for asES, HD-EMG, TMS, or EEG
* Dementia; severe depression; or prior neurosurgical procedures
* Failure to perform the behavioral tasks or neuropsychological evaluation tests
* Prisoners
Exclusion Criteria for Patients:
* Cardiac pacemaker or pacemaker wires; neurostimulators; implanted pumps
* Metal in the body (rods, plates, screws, shrapnel, dentures, IUD) or metallic particles in the eye
* Surgical clips or shunts in the head
* Any magnetic particles in the body
* Cochlear implants
* Prosthetic heart valves
* Epilepsy or any other type of seizure history
* Significant claustrophobia; Ménière's disease
* Pregnancy, breast feeding
* Medications increasing risk for seizures
* History of current substance abuse (exception: current nicotine use is allowed)
* Failure to perform tasks (e.g., follow instructions to stay still in the scanner) or fill in safety screening forms
* Prisoners
* Atypical or secondary parkinsonism
* Co-existence of other neurological diseases
* Mixed or complex tremors
* Inability or unwillingness to discontinue medications for tremor on the day of study assessments
* Medical (cardiological, renal, hepatic, oncological) or psychiatric disease that would interfere with study procedures for asES, HD-EMG, TMS, or EEG; dementia; severe depression; prior neurosurgical procedures
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