NCT07381907Recruiting
Effects of Transcranial Direct Current Stimulation Combined With Nordic Walking on Gait and Balance in Parkinson's Disease
Effects of Transcranial Direct Current Stimulation Over the Supplementary Motor Area Combined With Nordic Walking on Gait and Balance in Parkinson's Disease
Source: ClinicalTrials.gov · Last updated 2 Feb 2026
Brief summary (registry, in English)
Parkinson's disease can cause slow or unsteady walking and balance problems that raise the risk of falls. This study will test whether adding a gentle, non-invasive brain stimulation called transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS) during a supervised Nordic Walking program improves mobility in people with Parkinson's disease. Participants will be randomly assigned to receive either active tDCS or an inactive (sham) procedure that feels the same but does not deliver current, while both groups complete the same supervised walking program. Sessions occur three times per week for four weeks. We will measure walking speed with a 10-Meter Walk Test as the main outcome, and also evaluate balance, motor symptoms, quality of life, and any side effects. We expect that tDCS given during the walking sessions will help people walk faster and feel steadier compared with the walking program alone.
- Status (registry)
- Recruiting
- Study type
- Interventional
- Enrollment
- 40 (estimated)
- First submitted
- 19 Jan 2026
- Start date
- 9 Jun 2025
- Primary completion date
- Feb 2026
- Lead sponsor
- Universidade Metodista de Piracicaba
- Diseases
- Parkinson disease
- NCT number
- NCT07381907
What you commit to
- Study type: Interventional
- Planned participants: 40
- From 9 Jun 2025 to the primary completion date, Feb 2026
- 1 site in 1 country
- Visits and tests: ask the trial team, the registry does not list them
Built from the registry fields of ClinicalTrials.gov. It describes the study, not your situation.
Who cannot take part
Copied verbatim from ClinicalTrials.gov and grouped by topic. Only the trial team decides who can take part.
Prior treatment
- Current participation in other interventional trials targeting gait/balance or brain stimulation; recent initiation or dose change of antiparkinsonian medication within 4 weeks.
Other illness
- Contraindications to tDCS: implanted cranial/brain devices (e.g., DBS), metal in the skull (excluding dental), active skin disease/lesions at electrode sites, uncontrolled epilepsy or history of seizure in the past 12 months
- Unstable medical or psychiatric conditions that preclude safe participation (e.g., uncontrolled hypertension, recent cardiovascular events, severe orthostatic hypotension with syncope)
- Severe musculoskeletal or vestibular disorders that limit walking with poles; severe uncorrected visual impairment
- Cognitive impairment incompatible with consent or testing (e.g., MMSE \<24)
Other
- Severe freezing of gait or fall risk that prevents safe participation in supervised Nordic Walking, as judged by the clinical team
Who the study is looking for
- Idiopathic Parkinson's disease (e.g., UK Brain Bank criteria)
- Hoehn \& Yahr stage II-IV (on medication)
- Stable antiparkinsonian medication for ≥4 weeks before enrollment
- Slowed gait phenotype (e.g., ≥6 seconds on 10-Meter Walk at preferred speed)
- Able to ambulate at least 10 meters with or without a cane/poles (no hands-on assistance from a therapist)
- Able to follow simple commands; provides written informed consent (MMSE ≥24 or equivalent cognitive screening)
- Willing to maintain stable PD medication and usual care during the 4-week intervention, unless medically required
Age in the registry: 50 years to 75 years · Sex: All · Does not accept healthy volunteers
Sites (1)
Sites in registry order. Pick your city on the disease page to sort them by distance.
| Site | City | Country | Site status |
|---|---|---|---|
| UEAFTO - Unidade de Fisioterapia e Terapia Ocupacional Coordinator of this site? Confirm its status | Belém | Brazil | Recruiting |
This page is information, not medical advice. Discuss any trial with your doctor.